@griz i was hoping you didn’t mean literally. Wishing upon a gaseous ball of fusion is useless!
As a Metaphor, it means that whenever you “wish” (whatever that means) you can get… but i see that as a huge problem in doing so without action. Wishing without doing something is unable to accomplish… anything.
@Jear77
Agreed. (Though the matter-transformational ability of stars is a nice touch: a tie-in that the cultures popularizing this idea couldn’t have been aware of)
The “meaningful act” is in raising one’s eyes above the mundane existential struggle, wanting to participate with “something” beyond this.
In the Pinnochio story Gepetto exercised the skills he obviously had, to a level of perfection and meaning not previously exercised. And then looked beyond his own abilities with the hope it might become far more than he could logically expect from just his meager skills.
@Jear77
Disney “softened” components for his audience and the rating system
But did you find Collodi’s version differed that significantly on this point?
14 responses to “What does it mean to Wish Upon a Star?”
Literally or figuratively? You’ll get 2 completely different answers
@Jear77
Psychologically, mythologically or meta-physically.
Your choice.
Because literally a star is just an atomic conversion engine. (Though there is some traction there unto the theme of this question too)
@griz i was hoping you didn’t mean literally. Wishing upon a gaseous ball of fusion is useless!
As a Metaphor, it means that whenever you “wish” (whatever that means) you can get… but i see that as a huge problem in doing so without action. Wishing without doing something is unable to accomplish… anything.
@Jear77
Agreed. (Though the matter-transformational ability of stars is a nice touch: a tie-in that the cultures popularizing this idea couldn’t have been aware of)
The “meaningful act” is in raising one’s eyes above the mundane existential struggle, wanting to participate with “something” beyond this.
In the Pinnochio story Gepetto exercised the skills he obviously had, to a level of perfection and meaning not previously exercised. And then looked beyond his own abilities with the hope it might become far more than he could logically expect from just his meager skills.
@griz don’t look to the Disney-ified version of any of their movies. The original is always darker in some significant way.
@Jear77
Disney “softened” components for his audience and the rating system
But did you find Collodi’s version differed that significantly on this point?
@griz it was way more convoluted then the (reasonably) cut and dry moral of simply wishing. There was a YouTube video that talked about it.
@Jear77
I’ve not watched it.
Did it vary significantly from the archetype?
@griz i’ll see if i can find and get the link to you. IIRC the vlogger is john solo.
@Jear77
I’m in Northern Canada for several days: So no streaming internet.
Barely enough juice to read and reply!
It means the stars do not discriminate
@Scarlett
In the movie do you think the Blue Fairy exercised discrimination?
Wish in one hand and shit in the other…see which one fills up first.
@immortal_pirate
In the context of the movie both of Geppetto’s hands were pretty full with the wish he made!
(So was Monstro’s belly; but that’s a whole new archetype study.)