By Brianna Edwards
(Animated School Heroines)
Stories are perfect for teaching life lessons. Even the animated stories we watch on television can be a perfect example for the real world. Here are a few episodes with lessons anyone can learn from.
Daria Episode 201 Arts ‘N Crass (1998)
In this episode, Daria and Jane submit an original poster that is later censored by their school. The poster, drawn by artist Jane features a beautiful girl gazing happily into a mirror. Rather than caption it with something cheerful, Daria writes the poem, “She knows she’s a winner, she couldn’t be thinner, now she goes in the bathroom and vomits up dinner.” Their teacher disproves and criticizes them for making fun of girls with eating disorders. Daria argues that their poster shows a harsh truth that prettiness can sometimes come at an ugly price. Their content later gets unwillingly submitted for a statewide competition after being censored by the faculty at their school. The two high schoolers end up vandalizing their own poster to protest the changes that were made without their consent. They even get threatened with disciplinary actions after they correct their submitted poster. Daria’s mom, a constantly working lawyer, becomes an unlikely savior threatening the school with a lawsuit in civil liberties.
The lesson here is you have the right to fight for your content to be original. There is a big difference between collaboration and control. If you have an original project that you care about you can stay true to yourself.
As Told By Ginger Episode 107 Hello Stranger (2000)
This is an old Nickelodeon series featuring a young girl named ginger and her group of school friends. Ginger lives with her divorced mother and younger brother Carl. Ginger invites her dad to a ceremony assuming he will come and is devastated when he’s a no-show. She performs an original poem titled Hello Stranger that pulls at your heartstrings when you realize her dad isn’t among the faces in the crowd. This episode was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program.
The lesson here is to not let disappointment define you. Ginger had an excellent accomplishment and other friends and family who were there to support her in the end. Being disappointed by her dad didn’t define her accomplishment.