Pinocchio (2022) takeaway: Three social themes that Disney the film addressed

Released on September 8, 2022, Pinocchio is an American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis. Originally based on Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, the 2022 live-action version also took inspiration from the 1940 animated film of the same name.

The plot revolved around Geppetto, a wood-carver, who carved out a puppet boy and named it Pinocchio. The film chronicled the puppet's journey after he was brought to life by a wishing star. However, to be a real human, he was conditioned with the task of becoming brave, unselfish, and truthful.

Read on to learn more about a few underlying social themes in the film.

Three social themes that Pinocchio (2022) addressed

The original tale has become a classic over time in children's literature, and has been referred to for drawing various parallels to social topics of relevance. Similarly, the 2022 film highlighted some significant social themes that were hard to miss out on.

1) Manual for child trafficking

Pinocchio's portrayal of child trafficking was to-the-point in that it highlights the intricacies that get children trapped in the circuit and how they are fooled to believe that it was synonymous with having a good time.

Pleasure Island and the Coachman in the film symbolize the agents of child trafficking. Even the method of kidnapping kids from "the deserted crossroads after dark" points towards kids from underprivileged families as potential victims.

Pleasure Island was modeled after an amusement park where children are fed unlimited root beer and are given the leeway to do as they like. It was defined as a place without police, parents, and rules. In the 1940 animated film, the children are intoxicated through a type of cigar.

While Pinocchio initially enjoyed being on the island, he started feeling scared after witnessing anarchy all around. Smashing glasses, clocks, looting shops with no consequences, and a Degrade School - all seem a part of the manual to become a deviant.

The outcome was transforming into donkeys, resulting from possibly spiked drinks, and losing the agency to think or act. Children are loaded onto ships and then trafficked to salt mines.

2) Peer pressure

An important segment from the film was the Coachman's take on peer pressure. This example was well-demonstrated when Pinocchio was peer-pressurized after the he told Evans' character with stained teeth that he did not trust him.

Moreover, Coachman called Pinocchio a "killjoy who apparently doesn't believe in having fun," and described Pleasure Island as full of "transformative experiences."

The ensuing dialogs hinted at the distance that needs to be bridged between children and their parents since returning home came off as an uncool idea. The Coachman then burst out into a song, beginning with, "It's only peer pressure, unless you are not a peer."

The Coachman continued, "If you won't be like all these kids, there's nothing for you here." This was a sensitive statement for Pinocchio, who had been trying to fit in ever since he was brought live. Additionally, this also indicates how peer pressure can often hit children in areas that matter to their age the most.

"Don't be a party pooper afraid of having fun," the Coachman sang as he took other children into confidence and continued with the words, "Real boys always want more. And real girls always like the real boys more."

In Pinocchio's apt portrayal of peer pressure, conscience was scoffed at during adolescence. The protagonist, already reeling from social rejection, gave in to fit within the expectations like a normal human being.

3) Brief focus on school education

Through a couple of situations, the adaptation discussed how formal education in schools was not only linear but also does not necessarily run parallel to one's professional pursuits.

In the first instance, Pinocchio was interrupted by the fox Honest John while he was on his way to school. When John asked Pinocchio where he was off to, the wooden boy replied. "I am going to school so I can learn a bunch of stuff to be a real boy and make my father proud."

Pinocchio's response was a testament to the norm that any "real" member of society was expected to seek formal education from the institutions at their disposal, as it validates their position as social beings.

At this point, John uses real and famous polarizing terms that seem to exist at the cost of the other. "Why on earth would you want to be real when you can be famous?" John remarked and turned Pinocchio's attention to the theater as a platform to gain popularity.

A second instance followed when Pinocchio reached school and asked Jiminy Cricket to accompany him. Jiminy told his live puppet friend that he was unacceptable at school since he was an insect. He added, "They lump me in with wasps, cockroaches, and termites."