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Encyclopedia Britannica defines the term "family" as "a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption". One of those comes by chance, the other two by choice. Some can be big, some can be little. And sometimes, families can be broken, also by chance or by choice. It's up to each family member to do their part in order for the family unit to succeed, blood or adopted, big or little, broken or not.
Lilo & Stitch presents an unconventional family unit, united by blood but broken by tragedy, in young Lilo (Daveigh Chase) and her older sister Nani (Tia Carrere). With their parents dead in a car accident, Nani struggles in taking care of Lilo, who seems to be handling the trauma by acting out at school. Things get more complicated, when they stumble upon Stitch (Chris Sanders), a seemingly aggressive alien that has escaped from its planet.
Obviously, Lilo and Stitch form an unlikely bond as they both help each other cope with their respective issues and traumas. It is through this bonding that they both learn to control their behavior while forming their "ohana" or extended family. It is in this concept of a broken little "family", united by choice, that the film really got to me. It is Stitch itself who says the above quote where he proclaims his choice and desire for this family unit to work.
As the parent in my own "broken little family", I won't deny the fact that this film affected me deeply. Almost five years ago, my wife and I made a choice to grow our family; a choice that has changed our lives completely. There have been a ton of great moments, but also a ton of not so great moments. Those struggles haven't been easy, but I like to think that our "broken little family" is "still good".
I saw this with my two kids a couple of weeks ago and the more I think of it, the more I fall in love with it. They also seemed to like it, and I've made a point of reminding them often what "ohana" means, to which they respond "Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten”. They were once "left behind" and "forgotten", so I pray that reassurance of not being "left behind or forgotten" ever again gets to them, and that even if our family is "little, and broken", it is "still good".
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LILO & STITCH
(2002, Sanders & DeBlois)
(2002, Sanders & DeBlois)
"This is my family. I found it, all on my own. It's little, and broken, but still good. Yeah. Still good."
Encyclopedia Britannica defines the term "family" as "a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption". One of those comes by chance, the other two by choice. Some can be big, some can be little. And sometimes, families can be broken, also by chance or by choice. It's up to each family member to do their part in order for the family unit to succeed, blood or adopted, big or little, broken or not.
Lilo & Stitch presents an unconventional family unit, united by blood but broken by tragedy, in young Lilo (Daveigh Chase) and her older sister Nani (Tia Carrere). With their parents dead in a car accident, Nani struggles in taking care of Lilo, who seems to be handling the trauma by acting out at school. Things get more complicated, when they stumble upon Stitch (Chris Sanders), a seemingly aggressive alien that has escaped from its planet.
Obviously, Lilo and Stitch form an unlikely bond as they both help each other cope with their respective issues and traumas. It is through this bonding that they both learn to control their behavior while forming their "ohana" or extended family. It is in this concept of a broken little "family", united by choice, that the film really got to me. It is Stitch itself who says the above quote where he proclaims his choice and desire for this family unit to work.
As the parent in my own "broken little family", I won't deny the fact that this film affected me deeply. Almost five years ago, my wife and I made a choice to grow our family; a choice that has changed our lives completely. There have been a ton of great moments, but also a ton of not so great moments. Those struggles haven't been easy, but I like to think that our "broken little family" is "still good".
I saw this with my two kids a couple of weeks ago and the more I think of it, the more I fall in love with it. They also seemed to like it, and I've made a point of reminding them often what "ohana" means, to which they respond "Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten”. They were once "left behind" and "forgotten", so I pray that reassurance of not being "left behind or forgotten" ever again gets to them, and that even if our family is "little, and broken", it is "still good".
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