Spirit
So we're a bit slow with the kid movies here. Someone just recently gave us Spirit, the Disney movie about a horse that fights people during the US government expansion into the west. It parallels the wild horses' plight to that of Native Americans.
As the movie ends the narrator/Native American says something insanely ridiculous to the effect (and I am paraphrasing) and we both ran our ways, to our freedom. It did make me teary-eyed - because it was a big joke and my kids were hearing this.
From my father's side we are descended from a Cherokee woman who married a Calvary officer to avoid the 1838 Trail of Tears. All we know about her is the Christianized name written into a family Bible. What was that decision like for Marie? What did she give up? Did this officer treat her well? What was her life like?
So I'm sitting in the dark, stewing over this Disney fallacy, when one of my sons bursts into full blown sobs and throws himself on to the chair. "I never want to watch this movie EVER AGAIN!"
"Why?" I ask, with much concern.
"Because it is sad!"
"But the horse got away. He's still free."
"It is still sad!"
Maybe he knows more than I thought. Or maybe the spirit of Marie is trying to tell us that it wasn't a happy ending after all.
"Why?" I ask, with much concern.
"Because it is sad!"
"But the horse got away. He's still free."
"It is still sad!"
Maybe he knows more than I thought. Or maybe the spirit of Marie is trying to tell us that it wasn't a happy ending after all.
9 comments:
ok, just to prove we are seperated at birth, my husband has Cherokee heritage.
Another indicator that Disney is evil.
They tell lies to children and screwed everyone by extending the length of time for copyrights.
That's reason enough for me.
Also, you should warn your son against reading Crime and Punishment. The scene with the horse is terrible. Terrible.
Andrew sings the line from the Bryan Adams (Spirit soundtrack) song "you can't keep me, I'm free" all the time.
I agree wholeheartedly that the message of the movie is trumped up and troubling.
Having lived out west all of my life where your ancestors and others were shuffled off and "given" land, this has long been an issue and a problem for me. I remember crying out in despair as a young girl that it just wasn't right and all of us "white people" needed to say sorry.
It still hasn't really happened has it?
Well said SMID.
Soccer Girl never bonded with that movie.
I haven't seen it, due to others' similar reports. Troubling indeed. You've raised a sensitive and intuitive child. He may not know WHY it's troubling, but he can sense that it is. It's amazing when they can do that.
I'd start sending you kid movies if I knew which ones to pick - alas, I rely on you for this advice. I know for sure to stay away from Disney (though I do love Mary Poppins) and I have fond memories of singing the Sound of Music with my sister (go on the tour to learn all the lies!). Are there any kid movies out there anymore which are accurate and entertaining and some animal doesn't die (My Dog Skip just breaks my heart)?
Definitely not going to allow my children to believe Disney History classes! And people wonder why I doubt that Baby Einstein would make any kid smarter!
I showed the movie, "The Yearling" to my kids years ago. When it was over, my youngest son (then five) said to me with full on tears in his eyes, "WHY did you make me watch that movie?????" I said, "Because it's a good movie!" He said, "No, it's not! And don't ever do that to me again!"
I must say, that is the harshest tone he has ever used with me.
I'm not a big fan of Disney movies.
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