The concept of a "Utopia" is something very foreign to the real world today, and only heard of in books, myths and story. Achieving a utopia is asking for a type of happiness almost unknown to man.Ursula LeGuin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas,” shows just this. LeGuin's allegorical tale, featuring a speaker who 'walked away' from Omelas, tells of its Utopian society in which its happiness is made possible by the sacrifice and mistreatment of one innocent child for the sake and prosperity of the entire city. Tthe disney movie, "The Road to El Dorado" sends the same message to viewers as does the story of Omelas.
The movie, produced by Elton John, takes you on a journey between two swindlers, Miguel and Tulio. The pair is determined to follow a map to El Dorado, where it is rumored that when you find it, all your happiness, dreams, and wishes will come true. They do in fact find El Dorado but quickly realize that the happiness of the city is sustained by flesh-hungry gods and an evil dictator. The two realize that morals and values are more important than all the riches in the world and decide to leave.
Happiness is something that can never be fully achieved, for there is always something left unspoken. Just like Yin and Yang, there is always some evil in a lot of good. The message that LeGuin and the writers of El Dorado were trying to achieve clearly shows through and teaches a strong lesson of morals and real happiness to everyone.
While I am completley opposed to anything Disney, you make a good point. Plus, El Dorado is an old concept, used and reused to discuss utopias, so good choice.
ReplyDelete