Storyline: Ariel, a little mermaid princess who dislikes
living underwater, falls in love with a human prince, whom she saves from a shipwreck. Without
knowing anything about the Prince, Ariel decides she wants to give up life as she knows it for
what she believes is true love.
Teaching With This Movie:
Love At First Sight
How does Ariel's story of falling in love at first sight compare with real-life choices that
people make to leave behind their life to have a relationship with someone they've only ever met
on the Internet? How does the story compare to TV shows like the Bachelor? If you have watched
Beauty and the Beast, how would you compare Ariel to Gaston and their love at first
sight approach to wanting a relationship?
Identity Formation
Read up on Erik Erickson's Psychosocial Development Theory. Take a close look at the stages for
Identity vs Role Confusion and the Intimacy vs Isolation. What kinds of conflicts does Erikson
believe people are supposed to successfully experience so they can grow and mature in life? Where
do you think Ariel is, in regards to her own Identity Formation?
Mental Health Diagnosis
You can play armchair doctor with this movie. Look up the diagnostic criteria for Obssessive-
Compulsive, Hoarding, Dysphoria, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Narcissism. Which characters
display behaviors that suggest that one or more of these disorders may be an appropriate
diagnosis? Brainstorm a treatment plan for each character.
