Family
What Does Religion Say About Family?
Family is a very important concept in the Bible. Family members are meant to take care of one another and look out for each other (12).
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Two out of the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament refer to familial values and family cohesiveness. The fifth commandment ("honour your father and your mother") is meant to maintain the authority of parents pertaining to family matters. The seventh commandment ("you shall not commit adultery") is meant to preserve the sanctity of marriage (12).
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In the New Testament, many of the same commandments and prohibitions are made. In Matthew 19, Jesus comments on frivolous divorce and the sanctity of marriage. He says that "whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery" (Matthew 19:9).
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While the physical family is very important to many religious groups, the idea of a spiritual family is too. The Christian spiritual family, for example, consists of the Church, with God being the Father, and is comprised of all people who accept "Jesus Christ as Saviour." (12) This spiritual family made up of people from "every nation, tribe, people and language." (12)
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"Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond torn by pride." - The Witch
This video shows Queen Elinor in bear form attacking the evil bear Mor'du in an attempt to protect Merida from harm
Family in Disney's Brave
Ultimately, Brave is a film about a mother and a daughter. The film portrays the mother-daughter relationship between Merida and Elinor in a way that is very realistic and rings true with many viewers.
Elinor wants the best for her daughter and has plans for her and her life, and it is these plans she pushes on Merida with love, albeit with a lack of understanding. On the other side of things, Merida is struggling to find her place in the world and to find her independence. She rejects her mother's plans and wishes to make her own decisions in life.
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The spell that turns Elinor into a bear is a result of Merida's attempt to rebel against her mother and create her own path in life. In order to reverse the spell, Merida and Elinor must first mend their strained relationship. As can be seen in the video to the left, the two must repair their mother-daughter bond which has been broken because of their pride and unwillingness to understand one another.
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By the end of the film, Merida and Elinor have mended their relationship and understand each other more than ever. When Elinor turns back into a human, Merida tells her that she's changed and Elinor replies "we both have" (10). This signals the new understanding they have for one another.
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The film focuses on the importance of love and understanding between family members. Even when fighting, Merida and Elinor love and care for each other. On many occasions, Elinor protects Merida and attempts to shield her from harm, at times even at great risk to her own life. This can be seen when Elinor shield's Merida's body with her own when the Witch's cottage explodes, and at the end of the film when Elinor breaks free from her bonds and attacks the evil bear Mor'du before he can kill Merida (this scene can be viewed in the video to the right).
Even Merida's three little brothers love their older sister and help her when they can. Queen Elinor and King Fergus are also shown to be in love and to care for one another and their children greatly. The film puts a big emphasis of the importance of family, similarly to the importance of family in the Bible.
