"Are you here
alone ?" "We shouldn't be alone, I'll protect you."
Such words and such a voice made no one want to trust him, no wonder Mowgli fell. What's more, such a giant python is actually the incarnation of the image of motherhood. Mowgli is just a child, and it is naturally difficult to resist.
Frye's archetypal criticism theory holds that readers should discover the true meaning of a work through the messy cues of archetypes. And there are many images in "Fantasy Forest" adapted from Kipling's "The Jungle Book", which undoubtedly provides the possibility for us to dig out the true meaning of the work.
It's not the first time that the serpent's intent has been used to symbolize women. Empress Wa, the mother of the earth in ancient Chinese mythology, has a snake body and a human face; the snake spirit Bai Suzhen in "The Legend of the White Snake" is affectionate and righteous; in Keats' "Lamia", people are deeply in love with the snake girl; In "Flower", the figure of a snake always appears in a large number of texts praising women's posture. But this image is not always good, and in some works the snake also becomes a cunning and evil seducer. In the Bible, Adam and Eve were tempted to eat the fruit of wisdom by a snake incarnated by the devil; Medusa, one of the three Gorgon banshees, had a serpent hair; in The Little Prince, the snake who lured him out of the world was even more so. Many children's nightmares; Lu Xun's unforgettable is the "beautiful snake" who can eat human flesh. It is worth mentioning that it is not uncommon for women to be linked to snakes in ancient and modern times. It's not that the writers are complicit, but that dangerous and beautiful women do conjure up images of seductive snakes.
Speaking of the snake in "Fantasy Forest", I have to mention "Trust in me" sung by Sister Widow at the end of the film. Compared with the casualness of "trust me", "trust in me" strengthens the tone and promotes trust and dependence.
Trust in me/ just in me/ shut your eyes/ trust in me
You can sleep/ safe and sound
Knowing I am around
…
Just relax/ be at rest / like a bird/ in a nest
Trust in me/ just in me/ shut your eyes and trust in me
Mowgli was no doubt at a loss when he met the python. Human child raised among wolves. Kipling deliberately coined a term for him that did not exist, "manling", as the animals called him. It can be seen as a combination of "man" and "wolfling", and the translator in the book translates him as "human cub". From the point of view of natural attributes, Mowgli is human, with human appearance and way of thinking. Culturally, Mowgli is a member of the wolf pack that shares values and lifestyles. This kind of contradiction made him have no sense of belonging, and when Sherkhan came to chase and kill, he had no choice but to escape. You Qi lost with his companion Leopard, which made him even more confused.
At this time, the appearance of the giant python undoubtedly broke through his fragile heart defense. Being surrounded by a giant python like a "bird homing home", it is hard to say that at this time he did not have a sense of intimacy and dependence on his mother for the giant python.
Unfortunately, the widow python was knocked over by the big black bear Murray. Mowgli and his comrade-in-arms Xiong officially connected successfully.
So far, the evil female character is defeated.
But we have two other secondary female intentions, kinder female characters. One is the wolf mother and the other is the jungle.
As a kind and positive female character, Mother Wolf gave Mowgli a lot of care. Under Sher Khan's repeated threats of prostitution, Mowgli has not been betrayed. Always assist the wolf king and protect the cubs. Mowgli thrives under the protection of Mother Wolf, a traditional wife and mother.
As a seducer on Mowgli's growth path, the python attempted to capture Mowgli with a gentle trap. With the help of his friend Black Bear, Mowgli escaped from the python's mouth. Since then, he has started the Homo sapiens mode and quickly became a young man with mobility and attack power.
When Mowgli returned with the "red flower", burned Shere Khan, and spread the red flower all over the land symbolizing the mother of all things, Mowgli overcame the obstacle (Shere Khan) for the first time, and also realized the right Conquest of the jungle. So far, Mowgli has completed his coming-of-age ceremony.
From the analysis of the relationship between Mowgli and female characters, we can see the growth process of Mowgli. In short, it is a process from "dependence on women (wolves), to confrontation with women (python), and finally and conquering women (the jungle)."
That's it.
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