Since childhood, Ariel has been among my favorite Disney princesses. I connect with her deeply – and whenever someone (like Keira Knightley recently) brings up the old line that she is a ‘bad role model’ for young girls because she ‘gives up her voice for a man,’ my heart breaks.
That reading of Ariel’s character is reductive and inaccurate.
Everyone always mentions that Ariel was interested in the human world before meeting Eric, but not as many people point out how radical that makes her in the context of her own society.
Ariel lives in a society that is xenophobic towards humans, Triton at various points calls them “barbarians,” “savage,” and “incapable of any real feeling.” She lives in a society that constantly tells her that her interest in the human world is wrong and bad, something she struggles with at the start of Part of Your World:
By seeking a fuller understanding of the human world, Ariel actively challenges her father’s xenophobia, thinking for herself instead of accepting her society’s fears and prejudices.
The film goes out of its way to establish Ariel as an outsider within her own society. Think for a moment about the opening lines of Part of Your World:
Look at this stuff. Isn’t it neat? Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete? Wouldn’t you think I’m the girl The girl who has everything? Look at this trove, Treasures untold How many wonders can one cavern hold? Lookin’ around here you’d think Sure, she’s got everything…
People who criticize Ariel so often mis-characterize her as simply a spoiled teenager. The very statement, “She gave up her voice for a man!” implies she’s a foolish girl who throws her life and agency away in a fit of pique.
Yet, the opening of Part of Your Worldanticipates that certain members of the audience will have a superficial understanding of Ariel’s pain and directly addresses that. On a superficial level, Ariel does seem like “the girl who has everything.” She is the daughter of the most important merman in Atlantica, she has countless treasures hidden away in her grotto…
But that’s the thing, you see. They’re hidden in her grotto. Ariel may be the daughter of the sea-king, but the sea-king hates and fears humanity. Part of Your World is the most heartbreaking rebuttal to anyone who sees Ariel as a shallow teenager because it shows how alone she truly is. Except for Flounder, she has no one under the sea she can genuinely confide in. (She confides in Sebastian, of course, but he was sent by her father to spy on her and he does betray her trust
– by mistake, but he does). Her sisters and the rest of Atlantica presumably do not question the prejudices that cause the human world to be forbidden to the sea folk.
Ariel is an outcast, forced to hide who she is from the people who should love her unconditionally.
The more Part of Your World goes on, the more devastating and resonant Ariel’s collection of artifacts becomes.
These artifacts represent a void in her life and, at the same time, are the only means she has of filling that void.
She longs to have knowledge, but her society imposes ignorance on her. She longs to see the human world herself, to ask questions and finally be answered – but it is all denied her. The imposed ignorance forces her to live vicariously through the artifacts she collects.
She cannot see a couple dancing, so she must content herself with a music box.
She can only experience the shadow of fire on oil and canvas.
Her collection perpetually reminds her that there is a world beyond her reach. At the same time, it is her central way of interacting with that world. Yes, she can go up to to the surface and talk to Scuttle, but her collection is something so much more personal. These are items she saved from the ruins of ships, sometimes at the risk of her own life… so she could study them, learn from them, and lament the unjust rules of her society that prevent her from learning more…
Her courage, her curiosity, her thirst for knowledge are all bound up in these precious possessions.
And yes, they are objects. Yes, she wants more than a collection of objects. But this collection is all she has. And, as far as Ariel knows, it is all she will ever have…
When you’re all but alone in the world and you have only meager scraps to cling to, those scraps mean the world to you.
And, I remind you, Ariel cannot even openly enjoy her collection of scraps, the shadows of a world she cannot touch. She has to hide even them, guard them, keep them secret.
Ariel’s grotto is a place of solace and security where she can be herself without fear of judgment.
There is a reason the destruction of Ariel’s grotto harrowed me more as a child than any other scene in a Disney film. I could hardly watch it. I hid my face. I begged my family to skip scene. I was reduced to a sobbing mess. On a personal level, it harrowed me more than the destruction of Cinderella’s dress.
That reason is because, in watching the scene, I felt the pain of a place of refuge being invaded.
By the time we reach the destruction of the grotto, we are as emotionally invested in Ariel’s collection as she is because we see that the objects are more than objects. They are extensions of herself, encapsulating all her feelings of hope and hopelessness.
Destroying those items is like annihilating a part of her soul.
That is why I hate the “she gave up her voice for a man” line of thought so much. Because it so blatantly disregards the context of the film. Because it paints Ariel as a shallow teenager. Because it places blame for what follows solely on Ariel’s shoulders and absolves Triton of any wrongdoing.
I want to tread carefully here because, like Ariel, Triton is a nuanced and complex character. He has good intentions and cares about his youngest daughter.
Yet, even a well-intentioned individual can be in the wrong. Even an individual who is right about certain things (Ariel is indeed impetuous and reckless at times – though I hope my analysis reminds readers that those are not her sole character traits), can be wrong about other things.
And Triton’s confrontation with Ariel highlights his failings and his faults.
Look at Ariel’s face when she first sees her father in the grotto:
The enhancement of expression in animation allows the audience to clearly see the fear in her face.
Triton has created an environment where his own daughter is afraid of him.
No parent should do that to their child.
Confronting Ariel, Triton says, “I consider myself a reasonable merman. I set certain rules and I expect those rules to be obeyed.”
On one level, Triton is right to expect his children to respect the rules he sets in place.
What I feel Triton misses, however, is that respect is not the same as intimidation.
Since Triton wants Ariel to accept his rules based solely on his authority as her father, he makes it impossible for there to be any communication between himself and his daughter.
This dynamic means that he will not listen to Ariel even when Ariel is in the right and he is not. Children should listen to their parents, but in the same way, parents should listen to their children.
Triton may be in the right to worry about his daughter’s safety, but his fear is still born of bigotry – bigotry that Ariel recognizes and rejects.
Triton, after all, grows angry at his daughter because she wouldn’t let another living being die. He specifically calls her out because she “rescued a human from drowning.”When Ariel counters that allowing someone helpless to miserably drown is cruel, he shuts her down with:
When Ariel points out the illogical nature of her father’s brutal line of thought and says, “You don’t even know him!”, Triton responds:
Even if a viewer is largely sympathetic to Triton, that viewer cannot ignore Triton’s prejudice in this moment.
He generalizes millions of people.
And if the rules he sets down include the tacit understanding, “Let innocents die because, by virtue of their humanity, their lives have no value,” then maybethose rules deserve to be broken.Maybe those rules need to be changed.
Ariel may be a teenager, but she is wiser than her father here.
(Also, can I say that Ariel’s body language here breaks my heart every time I see it? She’s swimming away from her father, recoiling…
…until she’s cowering behind Eric’s statue. She looks like she’s about to cry as her father pours forth more vitriol…
…and after she bursts out with the exclamation, “Daddy, I love him!”, she’s terrified that she’s said it.)
Triton believes that he alone is in the right and destroys the grotto because he feels it is “the only way” to “get through to” his daughter. He believes he must be cruel only to be kind.
Yet, in the end…
…he only succeeds…
…in being cruel.
Triton’s unwillingness to listen to his daughter
– his unwillingness to treat her with the same respect he demands of her –
only widens the gulf between them.
Ariel does not go to the sea-witch because she has been mooning over a man.
Ariel goes to the sea-witch because she has no voice in her own home. Becoming human, she gains the ability to live life on her own terms. Becoming human, she ironically gains the voice she has been denied for so long.
Ariel goes to the sea-witch because her father sends a message to her – a message that she does not matter, that there is no place for someone like her in Atlantica.
Triton may never have meant to send that message, but send it, he did… and he should be held accountable for that.
Indeed, the film does hold him accountable for that.
After destroying the grotto, Triton realizes he has done a horrible thing.
Look into his eyes after Ariel falls to weeping:
Look at the regret in his eyes. Look at the remorse. He knows he has gone too far. He never meant to hurt his daughter like this.
And when Ariel vanishes from Atlantica, Triton takes responsibility for his actions. What does he say when his daughter cannot be found? Does he say, “What folly has my daughter gotten herself into now?”
No. He says:
Simply saying that Ariel ‘gave up [her] voice for a man’ ignores the painful complexity of the situation in which she finds herself. It ignores the depth of her motivation. It ignores Triton’s culpability. It ignores her best character traits and only highlights her flaws (and yes, she has flaws, for she is a multifaceted, well-written character.)
But Ariel’s rejection of prejudice, her ability to see beauty in a group that nearly everyone around her demonizes, her courage and determination and love, are all venerable traits…
…and Ariel’s courage, determination, and love are what inspire Triton to open his heart and change.
Some people say that The Little Mermaid is more Triton’s story than Ariel’s. I disagree and feel that assessment unfairly dismisses Ariel’s emotional journey. Triton has a compelling arc in the film – but that arc is only set in motion because of Ariel’s agency.
He learns from his daughter’s example.
He grows because of her.
Why don’t we talk more about Ariel, the young woman who always challenged her father’s prejudice? Why don’t we talk more about Ariel, who actively spoke out about the flaws she saw in her society? Why don’t we talk more about Ariel, whose actions helped change that society for the better? Why don’t we talk more about Ariel, who formed a bridge between two worlds and enacted positive change?
Why don’t we talk more about that Ariel?
I know Ariel can be impulsive, but she is sixteen years old, and her impulsiveness only makes her character realistic. She makes mistakes but, like her father, she owns up to those mistakes and learns from them:
There are critics of Ariel’s character who want to make the story of The Little Mermaid black and white. Because Triton recognizes Ariel’s impulsiveness, they ignore Triton’s faults and trivialize Ariel.
Yet, the story the film presents is not so black and white. Ariel and Triton are not so one-dimensional.
They both learn from each other and grow together.
This embrace is so meaningful because, by the end of the film, Triton finally shows Ariel the same respect he asks of her and in so doing, he earns her respect.
Ariel, meanwhile, recognizes her own mistakes and gains a new appreciation for her father.
The Little Mermaid is a beautiful film and Ariel is a brave, inspiring, complex heroine.
Sorry for the very late reply my friend, I don’t even know if you’re still pregnant, but I hope you’re feeling well and I hope your baby is too!
But let’s begin with your ask (I decided to go with UT, US, UF and HT bros :D)
Sans: Sans has had absolutely no understanding of human anatomy. Sure he knows blood is normally a bad thing, sneezing is not a sign of dying so he shouldn’t worry, and that the reason we have to wash our clothes so much is that of dead skin (Which he finds really disturbing) But how monsters have kids is very very different than humans. Being the more curious of the skeletons and a protective one to be sure, Sansy will probably be lingering at your bedside. He’ll ask questions, and get so caught up in your answers that if you ask him to do some task he’s often ‘too lazy’ to do, he’ll do it without thinking. Of course, being that he’s caught on every single word you say; expect him to trip or tumble or spill water on himself due to his focus on your answers. And forgive him, but he doesn’t know how often humans ask mothers to touch their stomach, he’s definitely going to ask… More than once.
Papyrus: Who are you kidding? Telling Papyrus has spurred some level of motherly instinct in him that you had seen a few times but never to this degree. He’s in and out, checking your temperature (with a steak thermometer… He has no idea how to take care of humans), asking if you’re alright. He’s brought in puzzles and snacks, spoiling you with all of your favorites, pickles and ice cream and anything you might crave. He’s literally been running to the store and buying gallons of your favored snacks – taking pretty much all your fridge and cabinet space. You’ve been spoiled often, but it’s very surprising to find him absolutely throwing his and your exercise regimes out the window in order to keep you and your baby happy and comfortable. Don’t be surprised to see him lugging in some of his old toys from when he was a kid, though he refuses to hand over all his action figures, he’ll sacrifice a few and some of his fluffy bunny books if it means he can give something to your kid.
Uf Sans/Chops: Chops isn’t one to hang around up close and personal, despite he’d probably be worried and protective like the other Sanses. He’ll probably be in and out, accompanying his brother when he visits, or simply walking past your open door to check on you with the hopes you don’t notice him. When the boys have work or sleep, he’s the one who’s probably posted outside your door like some personal guard. He won’t tell you that he’s there, or that if you need anything all you have to do is call… Instead its more likely that you’ll find yourself stepping out of your bedroom only to incur his wrath. “back in bed! you shouldn’t be running around dumbass!” he’s not one for kind words when it comes down to it. He’ll usher you back into your room, growling and scolding you to the point you might be too distracted to notice him tucking you into bed and refilling your water. When he leaves, which will be after he gruffly says “Don’t be stupid and just fucking call me if ya need somethin’” … It’ll be when you say that you had gotten up to go to the bathroom, and the red that washes over his face followed by the slurring curses of anger will probably make you laugh more than Sans’s stupid puns will.
UF Papyrus and HT papyrus/Vic and Sugar: The minute you say that there’s a bun in the oven, the two creative skeletons are always thinking it. It’s no secret one is a fashionista, and the others a seemster. The collaboration takes a couple of days, and during the time they aren’t designing and putting together their gift for you and the baby they are bringing food to your bedside. Vic brings every sort of dish you can imagine, all tasting like they are straight from Paris, the palace of food. On the other hand Sugar… Well, He tries his best. His sugar cookies turn out right, and a few of his other deserts end up being favorites of yours. Unfortunately, he really needs to work on not getting things mixed up in the kitchen, even if a few of the desserts he makes end up satisfying one of the odd pregnancy cravings. When the two end up finishing their projects, you wake one morning to find your bedroom filled with sweets and snacks made or bought by the two, along with baby clothes of every color and design. You can tell who worked on what designs, clearly shown by the patches on one onesie and the edgy holes in the other.
US! Papyrus/Mac: Mac is going to be like snasy in that he doesn’t leave your bedside. After all, your his friend and no way does he leave his friends by themselves where they could get bored or hurt by their lonesome. He’s probably the easiest to get along with. He’s not necessarily fawning or fussing over you, holding in his curiosity because you probably are getting questioned by your monster friends at all angles. Instead, he’s the one who is laying beside you on your bed, his arms behind his head and his legs outstretched. He’s willing to help out here and there, but only if you ask for it; Yeah, your pregnant but it must be tiring to be treated like glass all the time! But even if you aren’t asking for it, he’s still lingering around making sure you’re not falling or struggling. While the others panic, no doubt he’ll be cool and collected, telling everyone to chill out and help you relax during the stress. Out of pretty much everyone he’ll also be the most understanding of your mood swings when they come and go. Though he doesn’t have too much experience with pregnant women, he’s spent plenty of time around Vic… So he can handle the switch between happiness and anger.
US Sans/Jukes: Jukes is unusually quiet when he first gets told your pregnant, most of the skeletons seem to get a loose understanding of what it means to be pregnant, but with jukes? He’s swimming with open water on this one. So you settle down and explain it, and he’s still a little quiet. That is till he gets his hand on a computer and swiftly discovers WebMD. Then, well, you thought Papyrus was motherly – you really didn’t expect a full-blown overprotective worry filled mom from Jukes. He’s hovering, a total puppy guard. The only thing is… Rather than feeding you snacks that you would well want, he’s instead a health mom. Every meal he prepares is made with the knowledge it’ll help get your protein up, that it’ll ensure the safety and health of your baby. He removes all alcohol from the apartment, burns his brothers cigarettes a block away from your house in order to save you from the risk. He buys books and movies about pregnancy, unfortunately picking up some mislabeled parenting movies and incidentally watching a horror movie called “It’s Alive”. The weeks following Jukes baby proofs your house… you decide not to question why he’s wearing Undyne’s armor and keeps assuring you that your set is being made as you speak.
Ht!sans/Jaws: The aloof and skeleton may seem like he wouldn’t, but upon you telling him you’re preggers the skeleton becomes your at-home-physician. With his knowledge of the human body, he pretty much takes up the job of actually helping you. Sure Jukes and Papyrus think their helping, but let’s face it: One is going off of internet articles and a scary movie for parental guidance and the other is spoiling you to bits. Jaws steps in and actually helps out in the areas you so need it! Good rubs for your sore soles, heat pads and a good back massages… Can’t really help with hair maintenance because of those cursed fingers of his, but he’s more than willing to help out when it comes to anything else. Oh, but don’t think just because he’s being a total sweetheart with the taking care of you that he’s going to neglect that you still have to get exercise. Even if he doesn’t want to do it, he’ll walk alongside you to show that if his lazy pelvis can do it, then so can you. When it comes to the end of the day, he knows a little more about pregnancy than everyone else… But he’s just as curious as the other Sanses, and definitely wants to know what it feels like when a baby kicks… But unlike Sansy, he’ll never get up the nerve to ask.
(okay so I’m wicked tired, I got uh…. Caught up in some uh stuff, and basically, the art I had planned to be tied with this won’t be up till tomorrow. So, for now, have this, tomorrow, I’ll have the drawings all done :D)
okay Im drop off the face of the earth for a hot minute.
So, while drawing up the previous ASK stuff, this somehow turned into a full blown comic. (Also, I forgot that Asriel DID in fact have some merch in the form of a couple of stickers. Oops.) Anyway, enjoy!
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