The Disney movie “Tangled,” produced in 2010, holds significance in several ways. The significance being, finding one’s purpose, family relations, adventure and romance, and resilience.
The purpose of finding one’s self is shown in the opening song, “When will my life begin?”
Rapunzel sings, “Stuck in the same place I’ve always been. And I’ll keep wonderin’ and wonderin’. And wonderin’ and wonderin’. When will my life begin?… Now that I’m older, Mother might let me go.” The lyrics in the song reflect the purpose of going out exploring the real world and finding her true self in a world she does not understand yet.
On the other hand, the family relations between Mother Gothel and Rapunzel have both positively or negatively impacted Rapunzel’s life.
One of the negatively impacted parts between Mother Gothel and Rapunzel was when Rapunzel was being used for Mother Gothel’s liking. Mother Gothel did not care for or love Rapunzel in a way mothers would today, and instead, she used Rapunzel for her hair, so she wouldn’t age in her appearance.
In the song, “Mother Knows Best,” Mother Gothel goes into depth about how the outside world is a dangerous place for Rapunzel. Mother Gothel sings, “Go ahead, get trampled by a rhino. Go ahead, get mugged, and left for dead… When it’s too late, you’ll see, just wait. Mother knows best… On your own, you won’t survive.” The lyrics describe the deranged mind of Mother Gothel and how she’ll create more fanatical lies to keep Rapunzel in her own hands. She wants Rapunzel to fear the world, so she thinks of Mother Gothel as her safe person.
However, one of the positively impacted parts of Mother Gothel and Rapunzel’s relationship was when Rapunzel stood up to her mother, by escaping the tower. Even though Mother Gothel had tried to manipulate Rapunzel into staying, she resisted and ended up choosing what was best by following her heart.
The movie brings up the exhilarating adventure and romance.
The adventure of finding the floating lanterns, and escaping the police is exhilarating, and the bubbling romance between Eugene (Flynn Rider) and Rapunzel adds to the story.
The relationship dynamic between Eugene and Rapunzel is entertaining because they are both different in the way they think and act. Eugene is sarcastic and tries to steal the crown to have a little island with money all around him. On the contrary, Rapunzel is known to be kind, and caring, and the purpose of finding the floating lanterns. This adds to the interesting dynamic when they begin to embark on their journey together.
The adventure is interestingly different from their personality. Their adventure to the floating lights had gotten interrupted on several occasions. One was when Eugene and Rapunzel had gone to “The Snuggly Duckling”, Rapunzel had begun making friends with the people in the restaurant. All of them singing, “I have a dream.”. Along with being at, “The Snuggly Duckling” Eugene created a swarm by the police. They had to quickly find a way out, to be caught up fighting a horse, Maximus, with a frying pan.
Finally, the most vital element of the film is resilience. Rapunzel shows resilience when she is able to overcome the years of isolation in the tower, unable to see the outside world. As well as the fact that Rapunzel has to face some thugs and navigate through the forest, shows that she will do whatever to find what she wants. Her resilience is a key theme that adds depth to the story and makes her character relatable and inspirational for audiences.
Overall, these are just some of the many lessons that “Tangled” can showcase to its growing audience.