Harmony in Zootopia

           In his essay Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “All natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence.” I think this statement accurately describes all aspects of nature. Any animal, plant, or object that makes up the natural world can be viewed as beautiful. However, they also can be viewed as savage, detached, or cold. For example, the ocean can be seen as a beautiful and vast body of water that holds a whole, wonderful world of sea animals and coral reefs below it. However, the ocean can also be seen as a sea of monstrous, uncontrollable waves that cause death, and as a home to vicious predators that kill humans and other animals. Similarly, animals can be viewed differently as well. Lions can be seen as gorgeous, regal cats or as cold-blooded predators. Emerson says, “Yet it is certain that the power to produce this delight, does not reside in nature, but in man, or in a harmony of both.” Every aspect of nature can be seen as beautiful if we look for the good in it. We can recognize that danger or evil exists as well, but that does not mean we should overlook the good.

            The movie, Zootopia, is a good example of this, as it displays how it is possible for all aspects of nature to live together in harmony with one another. Zootopia is the ideal city in the movie because predators and prey live together in harmony. Every ecosystem that makes up the city and every animal living there are looked at as equal. I think the movie truly displays Emerson’s point that how nature is viewed depends on the mindset of the person looking. For example, many of the prey in the movie viewed Nick as sly and tricky when he, in fact, ended up being one of the most helpful and trustworthy characters. Also, Zootopia shows that nature does have the capacity to be both evil and good. It was easy for the characters in the movie to believe the predators were becoming savage on their own as opposed to by a serum, because they viewed them as savage already. The prey’s narrow-minded view of the predators made it impossible for them to see them as anything but evil. As Emerson would say, there is no open mind to their influence in the case of the predators.

In the movie, the city of Zootopia is known as the most successful city because all of nature lives in harmony together there. Emerson says, “the greatest delight which the fields and woods minister, is the suggestion of an occult relationship between man and the vegetable.” This relationship between two completely different aspects of nature displays how nature is most peaceful when every aspect is in harmony with one another. The city of Zootopia completely falls apart when the predators and prey begin turning on one another. When Judy first comes to Zootopia, the city is like a wonderland. However, after the divide begins, the city looses the beauty it once had, as it no longer has the various animals and ecosystems living in accordance with one another. Emerson describes nature as “manifold natural objects.” He highlights on the fact that nature is one thing made up of many parts. The city of Zootopia greatly reflects this view, as it is one city made up of many different creatures and ecosystems.

Overall, the movie, Zootopia, truly displays that nature is all about one’s view of it. If a person views something negatively, it is harder for them to see the good in it. If a person views something positively, it will look beautiful and wonderful to them. Emerson says, “this delight, does not reside in nature, but in man.” It is humans’ view of nature that can make it beautiful or terrifying. Just as the prey’s view of the predators made the predators nice or evil in Zootopia, to truly find beauty in nature, humans must keep an open mind to it, for anything can have both a dark and a light side. With this open mind, nature can be seen as a beautiful thing. We can view nature in the way Emerson claimed it should be viewed- as a whole and complete unit, where every part is in harmony with one another.