The Incredibles’ Elastigirl: A Mom for All Moms on this Mother’s Day
Posted: Friday, April 04, 2008
by Jeff Brown
Inner Projection
Bob Parr, alias Mr. Incredible, is the average dad, happy and content when maximizing his talents and can be a true provider for his family. However, in The Incredibles, things go wrong when the people being saved begin suing the supers. Aided by the government in getting mundane jobs while keeping their identities secret, the supers are forced into hiding. Bob gets a job working for an insurance company and immediately begins to lose interest in life and sight of his feet as his midsection expands. Typical male. But why? We'll get to it in a moment.
Eventually, Mr. Incredible gets back in the swing of things in a big way by working for what he believes to be a legit organization (it's actually his soon-to-be arch nemesis Syndrome) and over the coming weeks begins anew his relationship with Helen, gets a fancy new car, and works himself back into shape. He's a man again, one who feels good not only because he's useful again but because he's doing what he was born to do.
But before Bob gets the great news that he has "an assignment," we see him at home distracted and detached. At one point, Helen is struggling with the kids stretched thin in patience and in arm span as she holds them at bay while yelling for her husband: "Bob! It's time to engage!" Bob's response? A dispassionate and distracted "Listen to your mom, kids," as he goes over the materials of his yummy new assignment. A male finding excitement in his purpose re-found.
But who eventually has to take over not only the care of the family but save her husband as Bob's life is jeopardized by Syndrome's attempts to eliminate him? Syndrome has successfully snuffed out most of the other supers in an effort to monopolize the super's market. He's an inventor who has learned how to duplicate the powers of the supers to eventually enable all un-supers the ability to be like supers, and he'll make millions in the process. But who's taken over the Incredible family now that Bob is emotionally incapacitated? The same person who took over the family some years ago, way back when the supers had to take regular jobs: Helen, Mrs. Parr, the super Elastigirl. But why Elasticgirl? What happened to Mr. Incredible? Where's dad gone?
Well, in non-cartoon land, the woman, on average, is emotionally stronger and innately more focused on the family's preservation. It comes to her more naturally. She is the strength, the center of the family. As a matter of fact, toward the end of the story, after thinking that his entire family has died at the hands of Syndrome, we find the invincible, muscle bound Mr. Incredible telling Helen that he's "not strong enough," that he can't lose her or his family again.
A key scene, where we see Elastigirl stretch emotionally, takes place when the jet Elastigirl is piloting (Dash and Violet, her stowaways, along for the ride) is shot down. She and the children evacuate safely into the ocean, yet they have lost control. Here, the strength of super mom comes trough as she settles the children with masterful skill and sets the tone while outlining a plan to rescue their incapacitated dad, Mr. Incredible. Here we see emotional strength trumps physical strength ten to one. Maybe why men throughout time have feared women. The stronger sex?
Ah, tell me Mr. Man, who is the weaker sex? If only more men knew the truth. Statistically, over time, more men have taken their lives from long-term job loss than women. And even though women may be more emotional (maybe there's a lesson here for the men, that related to purging frustration and angst) they are, on average, of greater emotional strength. Why do you think they are the center of the family? Every college football player on Sunday who yells into the camera "Hi mom!" knows the truth.
The great nurturers of life, hope, and mankind: Moms! May they have more than their day.
Happy Mother's Day Mrs. Parr . . . errrr Elastigirl. May your love stretch around your family and around the world embracing the hearts of millions looking to learn of you and your understanding of what's most important in this life. God bless all the Mrs. Parrs.
Happy Mother's Day!
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi Jeff, this is one of our family's favorite movies. Thanks for pointing out the obvious strengths in a mom. HA! Happy Mother's Day to mom's everywhere! Blessings to you. TeresaTeresa, Yes, a masterful accomplishment: entertaining, creative, visually captivating, fun and funny, and ooooooohhhh so true in its portrayal of the family. Our family has probably watched it a couple dozen times. Just the other day, as a matter of fact. My inspiration for celebrating moms in mom season. Blessings to you and yours too. Jeff
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