Finding Nemo: Finding Meaning

       Finding Nemo, one of Disney's most popular films is a story that has been touching people since 2003, is a tale of on overprotective widowed father, a daring son, and friends found in unexpected places. As the story begins, you learn of Nemo's mothers fate, while also realizing why, Marlin,  Nemo's father, is such a helicopter parent. I think that Marlin's character compared to a human, would be quite the same. Marlin experienced tragedy, loss, and guilt, and from that point on he was going to make it his mission and do everything is his power to protect Nemo, the one piece of his wife he had left. I would compare Marlin, to one of my best friends mom, Jill, she experienced tragedy when her son, Chandler, took his own life in 2012. Ever since then, she is always trying to micromanage everything that Erica, her only child left, does. Marlin and Jill are parallels, in that they both grieved and have since slowly recovered from such events in a similar way.
      

       Another character I would like to address, is of course Nemo. The tiny fish has big ambitions, and is determined to be just as free spirited as everyone else his age. Nemo could compare to a child of any age really, but lets stick with the theme, and go with Erica, Jill's daughter. (Recap: Marlin is Jill, overprotective&grieving, Nemo is Erica, wants to be treated like everyone else) Erica, much like Nemo, has experienced grief, but has learned to live with it and move on, some days are better than others, but they have both learned to live with the past and move with the future. I have much respect for Nemo because you watch him throughout the movie overcoming more and more obstacles, and nothing holds him back, same goes for Erica, nothing, not even her brother's death, can stop her from doing or being just like every other kid. I believe that Erica and Nemo have both found that they aren't the only ones going through stuff, and that even though some have it worse than others, they are always able to overcome.

       Finally, I think Dory, the quirky forgetful fish that she is, doesn't represent a specific person, or necessarily have a parallel like how I compared Marlin to Jill, and Nemo to Erica, I think Dory represents what was lost in the tragedy of Nemo's mom and Erica's brother. She is the happy days, and the care free spirit, she its the little bit of crazy we all have, and when you experience such tragic events, I think that piece, the Dory piece, is missing. Sometimes we dwell like Marlin and Jill, and other times we don't want to be treated like a child like Nemo and Erica, and other times we need to remember...Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

"...it all started because of a mouse." -Walt Disney