An enticing silhouette; a sparkling glint of enhanced design; a subtle turning of musical key; an elaborate dance of an effigy. Images like these are ones to keep, cherish, and savor for as long as memory lasts. All too often though, images like these become worn, cracked, scuffed and finally, shattered as time takes its toll both on the physical substance and on the spirit within.
A tale of emotional complexity portrayed through the allegorical magic of animated keepsakes is what has been brought to life here. The varnish of the tale involves the magic of elves that bring to animated life their possessions in order to revel in the beauty of what they have. This animation, whether purposeful or not, gives the semblance of conscious awareness to these creations. It gives them hopes, dreams and desires. But it also subjects them to abuse, despair, and fear. This emotional minefield is the setting for our poor ballerina.
There are many, heavy themes explored in this story. Most of them circle around the effects of careless abuse. That abuse is manifested as a child who seems spoiled and careless. The casual disregard this child shows toward his possessions is metaphorically shown to us as physical effects, but represent the emotional symptoms of a one way relationship. Even the magic that animates our ballerina is limited, permitting only certain gestures, actions, and impaired vocalization. We the reader are brought on this emotional pitfall as we witness the ballerina’s feelings of inadequacy, her despairing performances of loss, her need to please, and her damaged psyche. The story isn’t about how she gets out of this situation, but how she rises above it. The owners of these collectibles are not going away. Any damage purposefully or inadvertently caused is permanent, and those scars will show through no matter how the ballerina tries to hide them with ceramic smiles. This contradictory application of forced features to roiling thoughts is artfully displayed through the prose.
Elliot takes all the best thematic aspects of Toy Story and puts a more personal, intimate spin on them. It’s a beautiful dance between the darker side of emotional abuse and the acceptance of the comforting embrace of care and love. It shows us how difficult it can be to overcome the obstacles such abuse can construct. You won’t find a deeper statement about finding yourself, about living for yourself instead of living for the expectations and satisfaction of others.
