Me and Rapunzel

I watched the Disney movie Tangled with some friends a couple weeks ago for the second time, and I realized something crazy. Aside from the glaring difference of our hair lengths, I can totally relate to Rapunzel! She was singing that one song “When Will My Life Begin,” (for my fellow Disney fans, that’s the one she sings near the beginning of the movie while dancing around the tower) and she lists all the things she does in a day since she can’t go outside. With the aid of modern technology, I’m fortunate to have quite a few more options at my fingertips (literally) than she did, though surprisingly I do participate in many of the same activities, such as cooking, reading, and exercising. She prances around whereas I lift weights and play the Wii Fit, but you get the idea.

But the song addresses another much deeper feeling to which I can relate, which is that life is passing you by as you’re stuck inside, unable to participate in the normal day-to-day activities that take place outside of the home which we all take for granted. I never thought I would miss grocery shopping this much. I’m grateful to be able to have visitors at least! She just had that one lizard, who you must admit is pretty darn cute.

Disney, I love Tangled, but I do have one bone to pick with you. As a fellow light-skinned person, I can speak from experience when I say that Rapunzel’s skin would NOT be that color if she lived inside her whole life. Mine is practically transparent and it hasn’t even been four months. Come on, be realistic. Would your movie have less appeal if you made Rapunzel’s skin somewhat pasty? Probably. But us Caucasian bone-marrow transplant patients would applaud your realistic portrayal, which we all know is Disney’s highest priority. I mean really, doesn’t every woman look like Jasmine or Sleeping Beauty??