Magical Disney Sunday: Pinocchio

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I was an English teacher, and I loved finding literature that would stimulate my students' minds and get them excited about reading and learning. One of my most successful weeks of teaching, was when I introduced fairy tales and discussed the meaning and symbolism behind them. The story that has the most meaning I think is "Pinocchio". On the surface, it is just a fairy tale about a marionette carved from wood by the kindly Geppetto, who is a good hearted but lazy puppet who leaves home and has many adventures, finally becoming a real boy. Pinocchio transforms into a real boy after going through many trials and eventually learning some important lessons like: obedience, avoiding temptations, having a conscience, the power of believing in one's dremas, making good choices, and of course staying in school. At the end, Pinnochio shows himself worthy of becoming a real boy by proving himself brave, truthful, and unselfish.

Who will ever forget how his nose grows longer each time he tells a lie? He learns the consequences of telling lies and the hurt they can cause.

Jiminy Cricket symbolizes Pinocchio's conscience, but what a wonderful character he is! I remember my dad telling me about Pinocchio and how important it was to build our characters so we become loving, kind, beautiful, and tolerant people. There is so much to learn from this story! When I was reading this story as a little girl, I remember one night not being able to sleep, and my dad asked me why. I was worried that Pinocchio would not become real, and my dad just smiled and said, "Of course he will." He then read me "The Velveteen Rabbit" which became my favorite story and his also. I will never forget my dad reading me what it means to be real:

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Being real is being loved, and of course Pinocchio talks about the unconditional love of one's parents, and nothing can beat that. I always remember my dad through these two stories, and I landed up reading that section of "The Velveteen Rabbit" at his funeral, as I knew he would love hearing it.

Well that's why I love Pinocchio....lots of lessons to be learned and all through a totally beloved character who just makes one smile. It is about having dreams , and of course in Disney, they always do come true. Here is my favorite song in the movie "Pinnochio" called "When You Wish Upon A Star": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkIZ4lXjfJo&feature=related, and enjoy the scenes from the movie, as we all learn that "dreams can come true."