The Lion King

According to Stanton, every good story provides a promise.  In Disney's film The Lion King, that promise is that Simba, a young lion and heir to the throne, will one day become king and reign over the Pride Lands.  This promise is initially hinted at in the opening sequence when Simba is presented to all of the Pride Lands by Rafiki.  The promise is solidified when Simba's father, the current king, takes him for a tour of the Pride Lands and tells him that the land will be all his one day.

I feel personally connected to this story because it explores many different themes, including what it feels like to be an outcast.  After Mufasa's death, his brother Scar drives Simba away from the community and he is left on his own.  Two outcasts, Timon and Pumbaa, raise Simba and have a tight-knit family together.  I have two friends like this back home and it makes me feel more connected to them, too, because we have always been outcasts in some respects.

In addition the theme of being an outcast, the film is also about redemption and even touches on certain spiritual themes like reincarnation.  In the broadest sense, this film is about life and coming-of-age.  It starts with Simba's birth and deals with death and growing up.  It deals with Simba's refusal to act on his destiny to become king and ultimately his maturation to become king and face his past.

The spine of the main character, Simba, is ultimately revealed when he decides to mature and take on his uncle Scar to become king and fulfill his destiny.  Initially, the character wants to be king and then wants to be left alone as an outcast.  We see at the climax of the film that Simba wants the Pride Lands to be what they used to be when his father reigned.  The character is very likeable and also easily to relate to.  He is funny, charming at times, and also can be stubborn.  The viewer feels empathetic and connected to him throughout his different stages of growing up.

Image Source:  http://www.lostinthemultiplex.com/images/Lion_2.jpg