I was 8 years old and it was the first time I had ever been to the movies. I still remember the wonder, emotion and excitement of watching The Lion King on the big screen. One such theme that permeates the original film and is further highlighted in the remake is that of masculine identity. Of all the movies I have seen, The Lion King has one of the best examples of a father figure.
While many fathers in film are portrayed as being ignorant, absent, incompetent, abusive, fearful or unloving, the character of Mufasa offers a beautiful example of a just, wise, virtuous and loving father. From a very young age Simba wants to be like his dad and looks up to him both as a father and king.
One of the most striking scenes in the film highlights this dynamic. After Simba disobeys his father while trying to prove his bravery, Mufasa takes Simba aside and educates him on what it truly means to be brave. This moment of fatherly love also shows a spiritual maturity and leadership that all fathers are called to for the sake of their family.
After running away from the kingdom at the advice of his evil uncle Scar, he is saved by the comic duo, Timon and Pumbaa. As Simba is ushered into his new way of life, his diet change from meat to grubs acts as a symbol of what happens to him as a man; he forgets who he is and starts to live as someone less than who he is called to be. We forget the greatness we are called to and settle for a life of mediocrity.
As the trio reflect on the stars together, Simba shares what his father once taught him about the great kings of the past. His friends ridicule the idea, refusing the call to look beyond their physical nature.
