5 Teachings Of “Mogli The Wolf Boy” For Children

The new version of “Mogli: The Wolf Boy” by Walt Disney enchanted children and adults alike. A well-known story that has followed very different generations and that never seems to fail, even if they change the shape of their songs and characters. But actually, why do we like this story so much? Why does it thrill and inspire people of any age?

The answer lies in the grandeur of its message:  a story of respect for our environment and the beings that live in it,  full of adventures and with a profound message about friendship and the fighting spirit that children enjoy so much.

A fantasy story that has a certain parallel with reality. We can recall cases   reminiscent of Mogli, such as the story of the wild boy in Aveyron or the passionate story of Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja,  the boy who grew up surrounded by wolves in the Sierra Morena, in Córdoba. These stories were transported to the cinema.

Going back to the movie “Mogli: The Wolf Boy”, if any of us are willing to see it, there is something that will make us enjoy it even more: watching the movie with children, enjoying how the characters’ adventures have become classics and, with them, their teachings. Let’s look at some of them:

1. We are part of our planet

The film explains how  human beings are one species among many that occupy the Earth and, as such, they must respect their environment and the rest of the species that inhabit it. Each species fulfills its role in the life cycle, each species is capable of some things and incapacitated for others.

When we are children we understand this, but as we grow up, we realize that we hardly respect the environment or animals,  but rather exploit and mistreat them frequently. It is a way of acting where ambitions and power struggles are hidden in which the environment is sacrificed.

Humans can take advantage of their rational side, a key difference from other species. Unfortunately, this logical ability extols personal motives over benefits to our species and those around us. We forget that we are not the owners of the nature around us, that we are only its guests.

2. Family is much more than being of the same blood

Little Mogli arrived in the jungle protected by the panther Baguera and was adopted by the wolf Raksha, who raised him as a member of the pack. The Jungle animals know that he is human and that in theory it is not their responsibility, however they decided to take care of him anyway.

Mogli feels that this is his mother, the one who licked his wounds, the one who cared for him, the one who advised him and guided him along safe paths so that he wouldn’t get hurt. Without being a mother of blood or of the same species, Raksha perfectly exemplifies how a happy child has to be raised: with love, tenderness and education. The rest of the variables are secondary.

3. Nature is out there, enjoy it and be happy

If there is anything we should appreciate it is the beauty and resources that nature gives us. A luxury of life, health and joy that gives us calm and tranquility, which offers help to structure our ideas and captures the most important moments in our lives.

When we are children, we enjoy it to its fullest, without looking at the clock and excited because the days of the year have arrived that have more light to enjoy even more.

The film’s message in relation to nature is the same one that we continually receive from her: “We have to look for it, we have to follow it and put the problems aside”. Enjoy its light and its calm, as this life is only lived once, and if you do this surrounded by nature, you will have a happier and fuller life.

4. Anger destroys lives

Shere Khan’s character is that of a tiger who had a bad experience with humans, precisely with Mogli’s father, and for him all humans are his enemies. He warns the wild animals that they must hate Mogli, because the “human offspring” will grow out of being a child, and when that happens it will be as cruel as the rest of the humans.

Shere Khan is unable to understand that some humans have hurt him at one point, but that doesn’t mean everyone else will do the same. However, the rancor is such that the tiger sets as its main objective to kill the human cub, whatever the cost. Children have to understand that rancor is a very heavy burden.

5. Be faithful and honest in your friendship until the end

There is nothing better in this life than having friends, and if we have your company in an environment as authentic as the jungle or nature, those bonds will be much stronger. When we were little, that’s how we felt. Mogli will encounter several species during the film, but his faithful friends will be the bear Balu and the panther Baguera. 

They all look out for each other to feed and are united to prevent Shere Khan from ending Mogli’s life. All together challenge their own abilities, put their lives in danger again and again, and most importantly, they never betray each other.

Mogli knows that his knowledge as a human can be used to either improve or destroy the entire ecosystem,  and he is not willing to destroy the environment where he and his friends live.

Doing good or bad is just a decision.