The movie, as colorful and humorous as it is, covers intergenerational trauma, a prominent issue today. Intergenerational trauma is passed down by generations when a traumatic event affects multiple family members, or a culture, according to the American Psychological Association.
But surprisingly less attention has been given to what seems to be the key message of the movie: people do not need to be special to deserve love, security, and ultimately, rights. Through song, “Encanto” quietly teaches a powerful lesson about the flaws of U.S. immigration policy.
Encanto history is actually based on Colombian history, and the Madrigals' experience of violence and displacement is shared by generations of Colombians caught up in a seemingly endless civil war.
Colombia has more than 3,600 butterfly species (the most in the world), so the average viewer may not realize that the yellow butterflies that swarm through Disney's enchanting animated movie Encanto were inspired by author Gabriel García Márquez's frequent use of yellow butterflies as a symbol of love, hope, and peace ...
Any Disney fan knows hidden Mickeys are one of Disney's most traditional Easter eggs. It's common to find shapes emulating Mickey Mouse's head and ears in all Disney movies. Encanto includes at least three hidden Mickeys.
Film Theory: Dolores BROKE The Magic! (Disney Encanto)
Why didn't Mirabel get a gift?
As the theory explained, "Because Mirabel already had the brains to take over as matriarch, she didn't need a gift bestowed by the house, so it gifted the brawn and the beauty to her sisters so that the three of them make the perfect group to lead the family into the future." According to the theory, the reason why ...
Isabela is introduced in Encanto as an effortlessly perfect character. In Mirabel's words, she's never even had a bad hair day before. It's not until the two sisters finally have a heart-to-heart talk that Isabela finally reveals her big secret: that her perfection is painstakingly practiced.
The characters and gifts of Encanto were built upon family archetypes; Isabela represents that of the golden child. According to Bush, the archetypes made the gifts feel more reasonable, being prescribed by emotions and personality.
The ending reveals Mirabel's true gift: the miracle itself. She keeps her family's gifts alive and helps them flourish despite not having tangible powers. When she helps Isabela accept herself, the cracks in Casita heal and her sister discovers new abilities.
For example, Mirabel is striving to keep her family whole; Isabela represents the perfectionist who feels she cannot fail; Luisa feels she must carry the weight of the family on her shoulders; Bruno is the family secret that must go unspoken; and Abuela is the matriarch who unknowingly passes down her trauma.
Although we know the full context of the prophecy, later on, it's still a really sad moment. Knowing later that Bruno sacrificed years of his life to save Mirabel from being scorned by her family, for something she had no say in, it's a real dark look at the danger of expectations.
With all these real-life Colombian influences in Encanto, it's natural to wonder which armed conflict the film features in its backstory. Based on context clues, the conflict being referenced is probably the Thousand Days War.
The violence is not overt in Encanto, but some scenes may be intense for young kids. When Mirabel goes to find Bruno (who was outcasted due to his power of predicting the family) and when the house is destroyed, these scenes are dark and suspenseful which some younger kids may find scary.
Finally, Casita is a symbolic representation of the family as a whole, showing cracks every now and then, crumbling, to getting rebuilt from the ground up, symbolizing new and healthier family ties (Fig. 2). The Casita fell apart after the family's bond had broken due to a trauma that was 'passed down.
Disney's Encanto, which tells the story of the magical Madrigals, doesn't have a bad guy, but one theory speculates that Dolores was the secret villain all along. Mirabel Madrigal (Stephanie Beatriz) is the only Madrigal family member in Encanto who doesn't get a magical gift.
Mirabel's lack of a magical gift in Encanto doesn't define her worth or importance. She becomes the gift herself by bringing her family together and restoring Casita's magic. While there are theories about Mirabel's hidden gift, the movie emphasizes that her intelligence and problem-solving abilities are her true gift.
The Encanto theory about Mirabel also recalls how the pair have similar looks, which is evident when the film focuses on Pedro's portrait when the Casita cracks. There's enough evidence to make a case for Mirabel being the reincarnation of Pedro.
Lastly, there's Mirabel's door. We're led to believe that it dissolved when Mirabel was a little girl because she was denied a gift. Every other person in her family got to open their door, receive their gift, and get a gigantic magical room that's the stuff of dreams.
Though Bush seemed to put the theory that Mirabel sabotaged her gift to rest, the movie may have also debunked it long ago. According to Bush, Mirabel's hand-wiping scene was just a "character specific mannerism." And the movie apparently supports that.
However, it's not just the lie that makes Dolores a villain; it's the fact that she uses her gift to steer situations in the direction she wants them to go that likens her to one.
Abuela treasures the ceremony in which the future generations get their gift, and when Mirabel doesn't receive one, she becomes cold towards her, despite not overtly having a gift herself. She is also harsh on other members of the Madrigal family, but Mirabel becomes distinctively left out.
Abuela, then, doesn't see her family as individuals and family members but more as powerful gifts that add to the Madrigals' legacy and role in the town. Mirabel didn't get a gift because that would have rewarded Abuela for her manipulation, as she pushed for Mirabel to exist just to add more powers to the family.
Isabela especially does not get along with Mirabel. Both sisters are mutually jealous of each other's lives; Isabela envying Mirabel being unburdened by expectations whilst she bears the brunt of Alma's expectations. Unaware of how unhappy the other was than they let on, Isabela had a strained relationship with her.
As for Mirabel not getting a door during her ceremony, it;s widely acknowledged that Mirabel's “power” is as the guardian of the family's magic itself and Mirabel being Abuela's successor, so instead of getting her own room and door, Casita's front door became Mirabel's.
