Music and the Fictive Dream
Part of Your World - The Little Mermaid
Biography
The Little Mermaid is a Disney animated film release in 1989. The story is based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, but Disney adapted it into a more hopeful story. The film follows Ariel, a young mermaid princes who dreams of becoming a part of the human world.
"Part of Your World," written by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman, is one of the central songs in the film. It shows Ariel singing about how much she wants to be a part of the human world. She expresses her deep desire, and talks about everything she wants to experience, even something as simple as walking on a street. This song helps the audience understand her motivations early on.
Role of Music in Story
This song plays a major role in developing Ariel's character and moving the story forward. Through her lyrics, it is clear that Ariel feels restricted in her environment and deeply curious about life on land. The song begins softly and begins to build in intensity, which reflects her desire and frustration with feeling stuck in the ocean.
The song also shows us the central conflict of the film, with her desire to leave the world against her responsibility to her family and her father being the king. Without this song, teh audience may not fully understand why she decides to take the risks she does later on in the movie.
Social Commentary
"Part of Your World" can be seen as a social commentary on identity, and freedom. Ariel acts as a representation of anyone who has felt limited by their environment ro expectations in the real world. Whether that be by their family or society in general. Her desire for the human world reflects the desire people have to explore the world and gain independence.
The song also highlights the idea of wanting something beyond what you already have. Even though Ariel is the princess to a beautiful underwater kingdom, she still feels unfulfilled. This reflects real life experiences where people may appear to have everything but still feel like something is missing. It shows that being fulfilled isn't just about what you have, but how you feel understood and free to do what you want with your life.
Despite the film being fictional, it still has real life elements and messages throughout. The song shows that curiosity and growth comes from wanting something that takes risk, effort, and growth. This usually comes from taking a leap of faith and stepping outside of what feels comfortable.
Opinion
In my opinion, the musical elements in "Part of Your World' are what make teh song so powerful and emotional. I personally love to sing, and this is always my go to for karaoke nights. When I sing it I genuinely feel like I'm stepping into Ariel's character. the lyrics are what make this song what it is as the lyrics clearly express her frustration and curiosity. Lines like her wishing she could be "where the people are" help show how she feels trapped. The lyrics are simple, direct, honest, and easy to connect with
The melody also plays a big role in the meaning of the song. It starts out talkatuibe and soft, like she's just thinking out loud. Gradually the song begins to build and her feelings become stronger. It shows a shift in her mindset where she decided that she is determined to explore the human world. Together, the lyrics and melody work to make Ariel's emotions feel real and relatable despite being a fictional character.
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