Introduction
Disney’s Encanto is full of minute details that give the story of the characters a lot more depth. One such feature that appears in several locations throughout Encanto is butterflies, which have unique significance. Disney has experimented with many different genres and techniques, but the company is still best known for its animated films. Its most recent hit is Encanto, which Jared Bush and Byron Howard directed. Therefore, Encanto’s use of symbols is seen both blatantly and covertly as a metaphor for the Madrigals as butterflies, Bruno, and barriers bear different interpretations of the film.
Butterflies
The Madrigal family, headed by matriarch Alma Madrigal also known as Abuela, is introduced to viewers in Encanto when they are in Colombia. Alma was abandoned with her triplets while fleeing an armed battle in the past, and she also lost her husband, Pedro. By some miracle, Abuela’s candle acquired magical abilities, protecting them from their assailants and erecting a sentient home that they adoringly refer to as Casita (Buesa 110). For many years, the flame burned, safeguarding Casita, the Madrigals, and the entire town. It also gave each Madrigal descendent a particular gift, except Mirabel, the only member of the family not to receive one during her ceremony. Mirabel felt excluded from the family, which inspired her to look into unsolved family secrets involving her late uncle Bruno.
Disney has recently studied many cultures in several of its films, and it has worked hard to incorporate as many symbolic elements, little details, and references into each film as it can. Encanto is no exception, and viewers will likely continue to notice minute elements that have significant implications for the Madrigals and their narratives. One such detail that can be seen throughout the whole film is butterflies (Buesa 110). These usually appear on Mirabel’s blouse, the walls of the kitchen and nursery where Mirabel resides, the candle, Abuela’s chatelaine, and Bruno’s dream. They are a nod to Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Colombia’s most well-known author, and Mirabel’s adventure in Encanto.
The narrative of the Madrigals, who saw their family and home fall apart and had to reconstruct not only their home but also their relationship, is one in which butterflies are symbolic of metamorphosis, hope, and in certain cultures, rebirth and resurrection. The butterflies on Mirabel’s garments represent how she is the one who provides change and rebirth to the family (Buesa 110). Still, they also have another significance, particularly those on her ceremonial outfit. The butterflies in Mirabel’s outfit during the ceremony, according to screenwriter Charise Castro Smith, stand for uncertainty because she was unsure what her gift would be. The yellow butterflies in Bruno’s vision and when Abuela and Mirabel kiss after Encanto are significant since they are seen as a sign of joy and imagination and are considered fortunate for the Madrigals.
The yellow butterflies are also a nod to Garcia Márquez’s book One Hundred Years of Solitude, which also contains similar butterflies. One Hundred Years of Solitude, like Encanto, is a multigenerational tale in which the patriarch finds a community, just like Abuela accomplished with the aid of the candle’s miracle (Buesa 110). In addition to adding to the emotional impact and enhancing the plot in Encanto, the butterflies that appear in various things and locations also provide a very subtle but intriguing allusion to one of Colombia’s most well-known painters.
Bruno
Disney’s Encanto and Pixar’s Luca also included the name “Bruno,” but neither utilized it excellently. When Encanto debuted in November 2021, it focused on the Madrigals; a Colombian family endowed with magical abilities. The song “We Do Not Talk About Bruno,” featured in the animated musical, was first heard by audiences and became the most successful song on the Billboard Hot 100. The phrase “We Do Not Talk About Bruno” relates to how everyone in the town, even the Madrigals, thought that Bruno’s premonitory visions were to blame for all the awful things that had occurred (Bahar et al. 76). This eventually caused Bruno to flee, and the locals stopped talking about him.
Even though “We Do Not Talk About Bruno” appears lighthearted, Encanto is rendered more painful by the song’s underlying real meaning. Because of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s lyrics, the pulsating Encanto tune made it possible to explore the subject of neurodiversity in greater detail. Not Bruno himself, but the unfair way his family saw his acts and habits is what makes this forbidden issue so devastating (Bahar et al. 77). The Encantos distanced themselves from Bruno. The song’s title first conveys the reluctance to confront complex parts of neurodivergent behavior, as demonstrated by Bruno, a missing member of the Madrigal family. The song’s underlying message alludes to why the Madrigals do not talk.
Nonetheless, whether on purpose or not, the Madrigal family has been gaslighting Bruno by holding him responsible for occurrences that would have occurred regardless of his prophecies. The family avoids everything they deem sad or too direct to maintain a poisonous optimism. The matriarch of Encanto, Abuela Alma Madrigal, who insists on refusing to acknowledge Bruno’s neurodiversity, exacerbates this fault (Bahar et al. 75). Bruno does not belong at the table since his brain processes differently from what the family deems neurotypical. Anything that deviates from their ideal Casita existence is regarded as forbidden by the Madrigals since they are concerned with appearances.
Furthermore, Bruno was compelled to remain hidden within the home by the “We Do Not Talk About Bruno” lyrics, which may have served as a teaching opportunity for the Madrigal family. The family perceived weakness in Bruno’s distinctions even though he was born with the capacity to predict the future. The Madrigals, who would want to live in a peaceful household free of conflicts or unfavorable prophecies, were overwhelmed by his magical abilities. The unsettling choice to keep Bruno’s Encanto secret a secret revealed how unkind Encanto’s Madrigals could be to their own family (Bahar et al. 79). Bruno’s banishment was made more tragic by this depiction of the family as image-conscious and served to humanize him. This message clarified the idea of unrestricted love and the nature of families.
The Madrigal family suffered significant damage due to this poisonous belief that Bruno should never be brought up. As was reflected in Luisa’s “Surface Pressure” and Isabela’s “What Else Can I Do,” the main character, Mirabel, highlighted the necessity for a shift in attitude in the circumstance by acknowledging the situation as faulty rather than pretending everything was all right. Mirabel’s positive approach made her even more of a hero for treating Bruno with respect than the rest of the family. The family’s reckless inactivity and imputing Bruno’s mental health problems as the cause of the disaster in “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” were the real tragedies. The true meaning of Disney’s catchy Lin Manuel-Miranda song is the challenging family conflict (Bahar et al. 78). The true meaning of Disney’s catchy Lin Manuel-Miranda song is the challenging family conflict. Bruno, played by Encanto, is a terrible character, but the most unfortunate aspect of the story is how his family ignores the problem in front of them.
Encanto’s songs, except “We Do Not Talk About Bruno,” contain deeper meanings that get more depressing the more deeply they are thought about and analyzed. Although the melodies on each Lin Manuel-Miranda song are bright and vibrant, the lyrics consistently show how the Madrigals struggle with intergenerational trauma due to the demanding standards of family matriarch Abuela, who herself experienced terrible sorrow in the past (Bahar et al. 77). Even though most conceal their troubles more carefully than Bruno does, every member of the Madrigal family of Encanto tries to uphold their idealized image and support the family in the ways Abuela sees suitable. Even with its conventional Disney happy ending and peppy, Latin-fusion-tinged music, Encanto is a far more philosophically sophisticated movie than it lets on for all of these reasons.
The design of Bruno’s chamber, both literally and figuratively, might, however, be altered. This is from the end of Encanto, where the Casita was rebuilt, Bruno made peace with his family, and the Madrigal family recovered their magical powers. It became far more likely that Bruno’s visions would be helpful with these adjustments (Bahar et al. 79), his return to the family’s core, and Mirabel’s hidden sight gift. This should put an end to his desire to keep a barrier between his loved ones and allow his gift to finally cease being a curse and live up to its name, given that the visions were the major reason for his separation.
Barriers
Based on barriers, when Alma enters, Isabela stops talking and stops being the free spirit she so dearly wanted. Instead, she becomes timid and silent, which is precisely what Alma needs from her. The family does not want to let her down, but Mirabel is unafraid to do so. Mirabel has always been a little bit of a letdown to Alma. She was usually overlooked because she lacked a gift and was viewed as less helpful than her sisters and relatives (White 30). This enables Mirabel to dismantle the barrier walls that magic erected around the family to reveal the unpleasant reality.
Naturally, there is no wreckage at the film’s end. At the side of a swiftly flowing river, where Alma found Mirabel when she was last seen there years before, Mirabel rushes away, and Alma follows her. In the same way that Alma’s argument and the destruction of the family home peeled away Mirabel’s barriers and allowed her to see her sisters for who they were, so too had Mirabel peeled away her sisters’ barriers to reveal their true selves (White 33). Alma now admits that in her fear of losing the miracle, she had lost sight of what it was for: her family’s survival and well-being.
Conclusion
In conclusion, one of those movies that people will remember ten years from now is Encanto. The movie Encanto has flawless execution, and many people may relate to its topic. Encanto is more than just a kid’s movie; it might make one cry if one has ever been in one of the characters’ shoes. On the other hand, children will like this movie and could even choose a partner for their future. Watching Encanto in the comfort of one’s home or lot is the finest option, and if one is seeking a high-quality home outside of Metro Manila, the top developer in the industry can provide one with the first house. Therefore, Camella offers a neighborhood where one is close to essential facilities like schools or busy roads and offers you round-the-clock security. The Camella community offers many things for a family to enjoy, even though the homes there may not have exceptional abilities like Casita from Encanto.
Works Cited
Bahar, Afiqah Aisyah Saiful, Md Jais Ismail, and Adi Nur Rasyid Rahmat. “Potential of Composition Market: Public acceptance in translated musical works on YouTube platform.” Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal 7.SI7 (2022): 75-79.
Buesa, Andrés. “Beyond Victimhood: Vulnerability as Resistance in Songs My Brothers Taught Me.” BOOK OF: 110.
White, Patricia. “Women Auteurs, Western Promises.” Film Quarterly 75.4 (2022): 23-33.