This weekend, I watched Meet the Robinsons for the first time. It was a great film–a little crazy, but hey, I’m not the target audience. Kids probably loved it. But it got me thinking. I’ve shared (sparingly) about the fact that I was adopted as an infant, and every once in a while, I’ll come across a movie with an adopted protagonist.
The first movie that comes to mind when talking about adoption is actually Disney’s classic Tarzan. I grew up watching this movie and still love it. My parents also used it to discuss adoption. See, I’ve always known that I was adopted. How I’ve felt about it has changed over the years, but I’ve always known. My mom would point out the scene where Tarzan gets mad at Kala and says, “Why didn’t you ever tell me there were creatures like me?” as a rationale for their choice to tell me as early as possible. They didn’t want me to get mad and feel that they were hiding something from me. Another thing I love about this movie is Kala and Tarzan’s relationship.
It was a long time before I watched another children’s movie with themes of adoption is actually Kung Fu Panda 3. (I know that the second movie also discusses this, but I haven’t seen the second movie. Plus, it mostly focuses on Po finding out that he’s adopted as an adult, which isn’t something I personally can relate to.) In the third film, Po meets his biological father and a bunch of other pandas. I can’t remember if I watched this film before or after meeting my biological mother at the age of 19, but I certainly found the actions of Po, Shan Li, and Ping relatable. I loved the way Ping was worried about “losing” his son, the way Shan Li only wanted to protect Po and teach him about where he came from, and Po’s eventual integration of both “sides of his family,” if you will. The only thing I disagreed with was the fact that Po immediately started calling Shan Li “Dad.” I have never, and likely will never, refer to my biological mother as “Mom.” She’s a virtual stranger to me, despite our uncanny similarities, and that title will only go to the woman who raised me.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 is not specifically about adoption, but I wanted to share a story here. When I first watched the movie, I was irked by the way Valka briefly greeted Hiccup and immediately introduced him to all her dragons. It didn’t feel realistic. However, hen I met my birthmother for the first time, she briefly greeted me and immediately introduced me to her four cats. This movie does a good job of capturing the thrill of meeting someone who, despite not really knowing you, has that biological connection and is eerily similar to you in terms of interests and personality.
Finally, we come to Meet the Robinsons. Lewis spending much of his childhood in an orphanage is something that sets his story apart from mine. Nevertheless, the fear of rejection Lewis displays is something that is very common in all adopted kids. The discussion he has with the head of the orphanage (who, by the way, is actually portrayed as a kind and loving person) about his birthmother wanting him, but not being able to provide for him, is a discussion I’ve had with my own parents.
Who are your favorite adopted fictional characters? Let me know in the comments below! God bless you, dear readers, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!