But Maybe...A Wolf, Can.

     Before I get started on blog 10.0, I figured it'd be best to let you (the viewer) know what I'm up to. I chose to do Anna's assignment for this blog, which states that I am to explain the argument(s) found within my favorite Disney tale, fable, or etc. with a minimum post of 200 words. So, here we are. And fair warning, if you haven't seen the movie and wish to, I'll be doing quite a bit of explaining to convey the arguments.

     

 
   
     As the picture above may indicate, my favorite fable/animated movie of all time has to be Balto. Although I am highly unsure of the movie's actual accuracy in comparison to real-life events (which I should look up), the overall theme of the movie captivated me at an early age.
    For those who don't know the movie, or even for those who do, prepare for a quick explanation of events that proceed into various arguments. The movie centers around Balto, the wolf seen above with his two pups. Raised by a goose named Borris after his parent's deaths, Balto grew up in a small icy town in which both the people and dogs criticize him for his half-dog, half-wolf genetics. Jenna, a red-coated Husky, is the only dog that is nice to him. When Jenna's owner and the rest of the children in the town get sick, a sled team is sent out to get medicine before the children die. However, the sled-team gets lost, and Balto decided to venture out to find both them and the medicine the town so desperately needs. This sets up the first argument that captivated me: the idea that even with every person/creature against him, Balto was willing to try and find the medicine because it was the morally "right" thing to do (the whole children sick and dying thing is also an emotional appeal). It argued that what others think may not be the truth; society saw Balto as nothing more than a mutt, and yet his heart carried a kindness and bravery beyond measure.
     While trying to find the medicine, and even once he finds it and is on his way home with it and the sled team, Balto faces many enemies (such as a giant bare) and challenges (the man driving the sled was injured, so the dogs and Balto were left to find their way home alone). Jenna, Borris and two polar bears join Balto on his quest to find the medicine in the beginning; however, Balto eventually ends up alone, and faces his toughest challenge while presenting me with an incredible argument which helped to shape who I wanted to grow up to be. After finding the medicine, Balto and the box fall off of a steep cliff. Although Balto emerges and is fine, his hope is crushed, and he lies in the snow crying for the now doomed Rosy. However, a white wolf (later revealed as Balto's mother) soon approaches him, and howls, attempting to raise Balto's spirit. Balto is discouraged and hesitant at first, but as he discovers the crate of medicine next to him he realizes that here is hope if he can muster his courage, and make it back up the cliff. The title of my post is a quote Borris said to Balto at the start of his journey: "A dog, cannot make this journey alone. But, maybe...a wolf, can." For his entire life Balto has been trying to be a dog, to conform with what society accepts and wants him to be. However, lying defeated in the snow, Balto realizes that the only way he can move forward, is to accept himself for who/what he really, and to use that as his strength. The howls shared by him and his mother still give me chills. Even at a young age this presented me with an argument. It gave me the idea that I needed to be myself if I wanted to be strong and continue to do what was right -- trying to pretend to be anything else would just leave me alone in the snow. It appealed to my emotions yet again here. I mean, who wants to see a sad puppy?

     Overall, Balto was a great movie. I know I took a lot of time explaining the actual movie and what happened, but if read out of context, my arguments and the meaning I felt behind them might not have made sense. This one movie taught me that I should always try and do what's right despite what people think. That I should be myself if I want to remain strong, and that although friends are always important, standing alone can be beneficial. The film appealed to my emotions and made a personal connection with who I wanted to be (in a sense, since Balto's not really a "who"). Although I didn't realize it, the film was directed to children like me, to try and show us that it's alright to be ourselves despite obstacles, bullies, or society's standards. Again, sorry for my lengthy explanation, but I hope it got my point across.

P.S: ~(!Spoiler Alert!)~ Balto does make it home with the medicine and sled team, and even becomes hero of the town. Also, Jenna and Balto do end up together and have several pups, two of which are in the first picture. :)