The powerhouse animation studios of Disney and Pixar have recently been crafting one hit movie after another. When comparing the synopsis of these new films against classic Disney films, it’s no surprise that the internet has collectively identified a clear shift in the “villain” of the story. Gone are the days of a wicked evil queen or a malicious poison apple saleswoman. With Coco (2017), Onward (2020), Soul (2020), Luca (2021), Encanto (2021), and Turning Red (2022), Disney has found critical success by pinpointing the universal desire to be accepted by our parents/guardians – perhaps one of the most widely prevalent human feelings ever.
With Coco (2017), Pixar explored the themes of a Mexican family learning to deal with generational trauma, lineage, and how to listen better to one another. Although the film explored the nuances of Mexican family culture, the overall family tension themes were widely relatable regardless of heritage. Coco was a smash hit among both critics and audiences – winning an Academy Award for best-animated feature and scoring 94% with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.1 Evidently, Coco was the business case Disney and Pixar needed to fund this new era of animation films designed to tug on the heartstrings (and repressed childhood memories) of Millennials and Gen Z all around the globe.
What is Generational Trauma?
Generational trauma (also called intergeneration or transgenerational trauma) is defined as traumatic experiences that aren’t just experienced by one person but extend across familial generations. For younger audiences, these new era films are obviously lovable on a surface level with undeniably top-of-class character design, storytelling, and animation techniques. However, for audiences mature or analytical enough to connect the characters’ family struggles to their own, the films can become a catalyst for therapeutic reflection. In fact, a quick YouTube search will yield multiple videos along the lines of ‘Therapist reacts to Encanto’ or ‘Turning Red: Therapist Explains’.
How is Generational Trauma shown in Encanto and Turning Red?
Abuela Madrigal in Encanto and Grandma Wu in Turning Red are representations of a first-generation immigrant matriarch. Notably, these head of household characters exhibits a tense relationship with their offspring. Abuela pressures all her children and grandchildren to be perfect to be “perfect”. Meanwhile, Grandma Wu’s controlling relationship with her daughter is replicated in Mei and her mother, Ming.
According to Dr. DeSilva, an Adolescent Psychiatrist, trauma results in families where the trauma is repeated and will likely result in generational trauma. Trauma can stem from major disasters such as the Holocaust but it can also manifest in highly emotional family tension carried through generations without resolution.2 The tension between parent and child acts as a source of tension in new Disney movies – however, there is no concrete villain. Even though both Abuela and Mrs. Ming are the implied antagonists of the movie (as they are the main characters directly in conflict with the protagonists), they are not framed as villains. Moms wanting the best for their offspring are emblematic of pure intentions and we empathize with their struggles.
Why does this matter?
I’ve heard many say, ‘The greatest fantasy in recent Disney films is that the parents actually listen to their child at the end and change for the better.’ Clearly, not all children experiencing tensions with their parents reach the happily ever after portrayed in these films. However, the real power of this new era of fictional films is that it can spark real healing conversations between parents and children. Even if only a fraction of Disney fans empathise better with their family as a result of these films, it’ll be a positive impact on the youth of Generation Z. Well, more positively than you can say about evil witches and antagonizing old apple saleswomen at least.
Sources
1https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/coco_2017
2www.health.com/condition/ptsd/generational-trauma
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