Revolution of animation, Frozen

Boom! 2013.11.27. A huge fever swept the whole world. People enjoyed themselves, sing, and danced. You know it well. The movie ‘Frozen’ by Walt Disney created a massive trend. Even the songs from Frozen have gained in popularity over recent years. But some people don’t like Frozen. They say it was so boring, obvious, and childish. Actually, the story of Frozen is bad compared to its popularity. Most people probably agree on that, including me. However what if we change our point of view. By view through structuralism, Frozen is creative and unique among other animated movie.

So what is Structuralism? Structuralism means meaning of something is not defined apart but defined by relationship among others. So do not just defined each characters as main character, supporter, and villain, defined as Protagonist – Antagonist relationship is structuralism. Almost all animation follow that conventional narrative structure.

             The typical example is when the main character is both the protagonist and the anti-hero. So, what is a protagonist? Protagonist is the main character in literature, plays and movies. The most identified with and immersed in character by audience is protagonist. Also protagonist is competed with antagonist (“Protagonist”). So, protagonist is defined as in conflict with antagonists. In most case, protagonist lead the story, but not always.

For example, in the phantom of the opera, protagonist is Christine Daae, but the ghost mainly led the story. Usually the protagonist is described as main character but not always. For example, In Sherlock Homes, Sherlock obviously seems to be the protagonist. There are few parts that goes only by Watson’s thinking without Homes (A Study in Scarlet, The Hound of the Baskervilles). Also almost stories don’t have Homes’ thinking so audience hardly feel sympathy to Homes.

And ‘Anti-hero’ is a subcategory of Protagonist. Anti-hero is a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, as nobility of mind and spirit, a life or attitude marked by action or purpose, and the like (“Antihero”). For example, Shakespeare's tragedy’s main characters are anti-hero. Romeo and Juliet are too impatient. Othello has too much envy. Hamlet is lacking in decision. In most animation or movie, the main character comes on as anti-hero and becomes a hero. And describe them as period of growth.

And in most movie or animation, antagonist who is against the protagonist is villain. Antagonist is the character that must be against with protagonist. So, there is a destiny that the fight each other. So antagonist is not defined by alone, but defined as the relationship between protagonists. Almost all literature describes antagonist as villain (Harry Potter, Laputa-Castle in the sky, Big Hero 6). So they seem to have the same meaning but actually it is different meaning. Antagonist is unrelated to good or evil. It is only defined by relationship between protagonists. But most animation or movie, Antagonist = Villain formula is correspond.

As I said before, the protagonist and antagonist is defined by conflict. In literature, ‘Conflict’ is defined as the incompatibility between the goals of each characters. In other words, one of the goals of characters must be adjusted or eliminated. This conflict can be internal or external. Internal conflict happens in his/her mind. External conflict is visible. Conflict between two people is external conflict. This is especially it is noticeable among Protagonist, Antagonist, and villain. Also if these conflict is transparently related to theme of story, more than two people, you can say it is Protagonist-Antagonist relationship.

According to those passage, most animations are Main character = Protagonist = Anti-hero (Process of overcoming the crisis, anti-hero becomes hero) formula and Villain = Antagonist is corresponded. Even the animation “Wall E”, “Wreck it Ralph”, and “UP” which are called novel and original follow these formulas. There are some animations that are outside of the conventional box. For in example, “Brave” and “How to train a Dragon 1”, the antagonist and villain is not exactly the same. In “Brave”, protagonist is Merida and antagonist is Eleanor, but villain is big dragon. And in How to train Dragon, the protagonist is Hiccup and antagonist is Stoic but villain is Urdu. (In Brave if the main topic is “Fate is on you”, that formula can be right. But if the viewpoint is changed it could be different. ※ The message from ‘Brave’ is vague, So it has some trouble)

According to this point of view ‘Frozen’ is out of conventional box. In short, there is a character that is both protagonist and antagonist. “Frozen” has many conflict composition, but the main conflict is between Elsa and Anna. This conflict is caused by the way of love that is different from each other. In other words, because the way of love that each person believes is incompatibility, the conflict is caused. Anna’s way is “love is open door” (Frozen, Anna&Hans’ song). It can be called as general way to love, Close with lovers. Elsa’s way is “Love is putting someone else’s needs before your own.” (Frozen, Olaf). Think as self-sacrifice. However Elsa’s way of love has some trouble. Elsa chooses that way not by herself but by her fear by trauma. So the message to show us through “Frozen” is “The power of true love over fear” (Lee Jenifer. Interview. Web.). This is actually opposed from Elsa’s way of love. So this mean is Elsa is doing love far from the theme of movie. It is not the problem whether Elsa’s way of love is wrong or not, but the problem whether her way is agreed with the theme of “Frozen”. Considering that one of the firstly character is Anna, Elsa and Anna’s relationship could be defined as Protagonist – Antagonist relationship. Because as I said before two main characters’ goals are incompatible and conflicted. In this point, Elsa has an antagonist’s face. BUT! Even Elsa is an antagonist. She cannot be described as villain or negatively. On the contrary, it brings audiences’ sympathy and empathy. Quiet naturally, all the act of Elsa ultimately can be explained as altruism, kindness, and sisterly affection that is based on ‘true-love’. So, it is obvious that Elsa has Protagonist’s face also. So, we can say Elsa has both protagonist and antagonist’s face.

But maybe you have some questions.

1.Why Anna is not an antagonist?

2.Even if Elsa’s love has trouble, how can you sure she is an antagonist?

The answer of first question, Anna is not an antagonist but an anti-hero. Because the theme of Frozen is “The power of ‘true’ love over fear” But at the early phase of story, Anna’s love is far from ‘true’ love. Contrast to Elsa, it is not against the theme but not enough to impersonate the theme of the movie makes Anna to anti-hero. And the second question as I said before it is obvious that Elsa’s way of love is against the theme of the movie. And it was not willing, but Elsa has serious conflict with other people. So at this point Elsa can be protagonist and antagonist. And one of the main trait of antagonist is acting against Protagonist's act. In other words, when the protagonist does something, the antagonist against about that.

So, if protagonist do A, antagonist do ~A. And, if protagonist do B, antagonist do ~B. For example, if Anna knock the door (A), she doesn’t open it (~A). Anna chased Elsa (B), she throws her out (~B). And at the coronation and whatever trivial things. Elsa against with Anna many times. So we can say Elsa is Antagonist, not an anti-hero.

So Anna who is protagonist, and anti-hero, and Elsa who is antagonist, and protagonist go via ‘Dialectical Development Process*’ and overcome fault and grow up. Set two protagonist and go via ‘Dialectical Development Process’ is common things, like Toy story, UP. But what kind of ‘character’ leads the story determined unique or not. So existence of the character who has both side of protagonist and antagonist in story is actually totally out of basic box and great novelty. Not just in animation but also in other movie that structure is so unique. In other word, Walt Disney create the best relation between two princesses.

(* Dialectical Development process of defining the value of some Antitheis against the rules and it struggle between the new transcendent and create value through in the process of development Series)

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