From the representation of Colombian and Afro-Latin characters to the catchy music composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Disney’s Encanto (2021) is an engaging film for children and adults alike. In “Narrative Matters: Encanto and Intergenerational Trauma” (2022), Sydney Conroy highlights how the film explores intergenerational trauma in an accessible and age-appropriate manner. This chapter builds upon Conroy’s work by examining the gifts of Isabela, Luisa, and Mirabel—the three Madrigal sisters who are central to the narrative and represent different trauma responses. Isabela is personified as perfectionism, or the perfect child, whereas Luisa is personified as the strong one through her physical strength and revelations in the song “Surface Pressure.” She is responsible for carrying the physical, emotional, and caretaking burdens of others while neglecting her own needs. The youngest sister, Mirabel, does not believe she has a gift and is blamed by her family members throughout the film for the repercussions of intergenerational trauma. It is revealed, however, that Mirabel is actually the personification of the cycle-breaker—a challenging role that is not always welcome. By embracing the gift of cycle-breaking, Mirabel is able to help her entire family recognize and heal from the intergenerational trauma that reverberates through their lives and relationships.

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“The Perfect Child, The Strong One, and The Cycle Breaker”: Personifying Intergenerational Trauma Responses in Disney’s Encanto

  • Julie Thompson

摘要

From the representation of Colombian and Afro-Latin characters to the catchy music composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Disney’s Encanto (2021) is an engaging film for children and adults alike. In “Narrative Matters: Encanto and Intergenerational Trauma” (2022), Sydney Conroy highlights how the film explores intergenerational trauma in an accessible and age-appropriate manner. This chapter builds upon Conroy’s work by examining the gifts of Isabela, Luisa, and Mirabel—the three Madrigal sisters who are central to the narrative and represent different trauma responses. Isabela is personified as perfectionism, or the perfect child, whereas Luisa is personified as the strong one through her physical strength and revelations in the song “Surface Pressure.” She is responsible for carrying the physical, emotional, and caretaking burdens of others while neglecting her own needs. The youngest sister, Mirabel, does not believe she has a gift and is blamed by her family members throughout the film for the repercussions of intergenerational trauma. It is revealed, however, that Mirabel is actually the personification of the cycle-breaker—a challenging role that is not always welcome. By embracing the gift of cycle-breaking, Mirabel is able to help her entire family recognize and heal from the intergenerational trauma that reverberates through their lives and relationships.