Psychiatry through fairy tales

Rating: 8/10 (17 December 2010)

Disney took and reform one of the most knowing fairy tales, Rapunzel. And as Disney always do, is filling all those tales with tons of secret messages, either to hopefully trying to make kids understand some values of life through entertaining or reminding the same old values to us grownups.
In my point of view, we have this girl who is coming of age trapped in her "tower" of virginity longing to get matured and finally discovers where do these lanterns will might lead her. Rapunzel grew up in the arms of her step mother who is over protecting her and as most mothers is trying to persuade her that the world might change if she decides to leave from the fondling and protection of her childhoods.
Examing the step mother, i would say -as i did above- that as all mothers do is trying with all means to keep close to them their precious little child as if it's the only way for them to stay young. What else can a mother feels if not for feeling young again mirroring herself into her growing little girl. Of course, a step mother could have a hole different meaning. It might pictures all the betraying and bad willings of the outside world and all the wrong messages a girl might take when she's coming of age and lusting to discover with her innocence the hole world.
Then, we have the chameleon. A small little creature which uses to change its color. I believe that chameleon as it being portrayed in the movie, might represent Rapunzel's mood. We can see through the movie that chameleon has a very powerful role. It's there in every Rapunzel's expressions of feeling and changes its color according to her mood. It's blue when she's trapped and scared. It's green when she has no worries, it's pink when she's feeling that something new is overtaking her.
As for her hair...it might stands for her purity. 17 years of purity and innocence which finally loses when she realize that she's in love with a man. All this purity and innocence which used to work as a healing procedure to every person who might feel wrong or troubled. And who is that person that doesn't feel losing all his troubles by the presence of a young, carefree and joyful little child.
The lanterns are all her mixed up feelings which she's not ready yet to reveal and for 17 years she's able only just to watch them from distance as if she's afraid or maybe not yet strong enough to examine them. But finally when she's turning 18, being mature now, she leaves fear or questioning behind, and discovers how great it is to understand your feelings in all their expressions.
Then we have the falling in love which is followed by betrayal then, the fear of losing a loved one, and finally the power of love which is undefeated. But, allowed me to say, the obvious reference of two persons which their love is also expressed physically. We can see the lighting flower which blooms from (don't misunderstand me) the young man's pubic area. I believe this reference is very clear, the sealing of love by the act of physical love. An act that brings someone back to life.
All in all, i always admired Disneys perspective of building or reforming a fairy tale and making it look as "just an other fairy tale for kids" but for someone who wants or willing to dig it up he can find innumerable quotes and hide messages. Messages that i suppose are being well hidden into child subconscious and which they finally will find the way to evaluate them when they will come of age.