Human beings are bundles of beliefs. Beliefs are important to us, so we often verbalize them with statements like, “I believe in loving my neighbor,” “I try to tell the truth,” “It’s more blessed to give than to receive,” or even, “I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth . . . .” Yet, a more accurate way of conveying our beliefs is through our behavior. The film Monsters, Inc. illustrates this truth. In fact, it’s a bundle of beliefs.
You may be thinking, “Monsters, Inc. is a children’s story. There’s nothing there for me. It’s mere entertainment.” That was my attitude the first time I watched the film. Then I witnessed the conclusion to the story and my opinion changed dramatically.
Spoiler alert: I will be discussing details about most of the film. If you haven’t seen Monsters, Inc., you may want to watch it before finishing this review; but rest assured, I’m not going to give away the ending.
For those who haven’t seen the film and wish to continue reading, here’s a quick summary. The story takes place in Monsteropolis, a city filled with happy monsters. Most of the action takes place in the municipal power plant called Monsters, Incorporated. Its workers enter our world to tap a renewable energy source, the screams of little children. Yet there is a growing energy crisis in Monsteropolis. It exists for two reasons: Children aren’t scared as easily as they used to be, and their monster-scarers are becoming more fearful.
So let’s consider some of the beliefs expressed in Monsters, Inc.
Belief #1: The employees at Monsters, Inc. believe that human children are toxic. The source for this conviction is Mr. Waternoose, the CEO of the company. In the opening scene Waternoose tells one of his student monsters, “There’s nothing more toxic or deadly than a human child. A single touch could kill you.” One of the film’s co-directors commented in a bonus feature, “A little kid getting into the monsters’ world would be like a cylinder of pure uranium somehow getting out of a nuclear reactor and tumbling into our world.” So when a scarer named George Sanderson returns from a child’s room with a little girl’s sock stuck to his back, another worker hits the panic button prompting a 2319 Red Alert. Child Detection Agency workers rush to the scene, destroy the sock and decontaminate George. Thus we are duly prepared for the reaction another child receives when she enters the monsters’ world.
Belief #2: James P. Sullivan (a.k.a. Sulley) and Mike Wazowski believe that a human child, who comes into their lives, is toxic. Sulley freaks out when he meets a little girl who follows him from her room onto the Monsters, Inc. scare floor. He quickly returns her to her room, but, like a boomerang, she keeps coming back. Then Sulley places her in a duffel bag and takes her to a restaurant, where Mike and his girlfriend are having dinner, to ask for Mike’s help. Sulley and Mike’s panic quickly spreads to the others in the restaurant, for the child has escaped from the duffel bag. Someone calls the Child Detection Agency. The CDA tries to locate the child, but is unsuccessful. Whenever she is spotted by restaurant diners, pandemonium breaks out. The child even yells “Boo” to an assembled crowd which disperses in fear. Sulley and Mike have no choice but to take the child home with them that evening. So their lives are totally disrupted as they wonder what to do with this outrageous threat to their otherwise happy and well ordered lives.
Belief #3: Some unseen force believes that the child belongs with Sulley and Mike. The little girl’s staying power is truly mysterious. Until the proper time, some circumstance or force always prevents her exit from Monsteropolis and her detection by the authorities. Yet there doesn’t seem to be any intentionality on the part of the child. She is simply an innocent little girl. Monsters, Inc. is fantasy literature, so we naturally suspend our disbelief and accept the child’s uncanny ability to stay in this alternative world and to remain incognito. I can only conclude that some behind-the-scenes force wants her to accomplish some predetermined purpose.
Belief #4: Sulley eventually believes that the little girl is not toxic. After spending an evening with the child, Sulley says, “Hey, Mike, this might sound crazy, but I don’t think that kid’s dangerous.” Sully’s behavior changes accordingly. He is devoted to the child and becomes an affectionate uncle-figure, always protecting her. He even gives her the appropriate and endearing name, Boo.
Belief #5: Sulley and Mike believe that laughter is more powerful than screams. Whenever Boo cries, she produces manageable levels of energy; but when she laughs, she blows the circuits. Sulley and Mike observe this and use it to their advantage later in the film.
Belief #6: Mr. Waternoose believes that his company is of utmost importance. After the George Sanderson contamination episode, Mr. Waternoose is discouraged about his company’s misfortune. So he says to Sulley, “James, this company has been in my family for three generations. I would do anything to keep it from going under.” At that point, Sulley had no idea what Mr. Waternoose’s belief would mean for him and for the company.
Belief #7: Near the end of the story, Sulley believes that he has ruined Monsters, Inc. Mr. Waternoose shouts, “I hope you’re happy, Sullivan! You’ve destroyed this company. Monsters, Incorporated is dead! Where will everyone get their scream now?! The energy crisis will only get worse because of you!” That is perfectly believable to Sulley, for he has long entertained doubts about harboring Boo. That first night, when he and Mike took Boo to their apartment, Sulley had yelled out in frustration, “How could I do this? How could I be so stupid? This could destroy the company.”
Belief #8: Roz, the Dispatch Manager at Monsters, Inc., believes in hushing things up. So, after Boo is sent back to her world and after Boo’s door is shredded, Roz tells Sulley and Mike, “None of this ever happened, gentlemen. And I don’t want to see any paperwork on this.”
Belief # 9: Sulley eventually believes in the power of joy. After Boo has safely returned to her world, Mike and Sulley walk out of the plant with Sulley looking dejected. So Mike says, “Hey, you all right? Come on, pal, cheer up, we did it! We got Boo home. Ah, sure, we put the factory in the toilet, and . . . hundreds of people will be out of work now. Not to mention the angry mob that’ll come after us when there’s no more power, but, hey . . . at least we had some laughs, right?” That word “laughs” gives Sulley an idea. It gives him hope and a new belief.
Belief #10: Mike Wazowski believes that Sulley and Boo should be reunited. I’ll not explain the details of this belief because I promised not to reveal the conclusion to the story. But rest assured, Mike turned his belief into reality.
For Personal Reflection
1. How have your beliefs changed over the years? What factors influenced those changes?
2. Consider your behavior for one full day. What beliefs did you express through actions?
3. What beliefs would you consider changing? How would your behavior be altered in accordance with your new beliefs?
4. Judging from your actions, how do your professed beliefs match up with your real beliefs?
You may be thinking, “Monsters, Inc. is a children’s story. There’s nothing there for me. It’s mere entertainment.” That was my attitude the first time I watched the film. Then I witnessed the conclusion to the story and my opinion changed dramatically.
Spoiler alert: I will be discussing details about most of the film. If you haven’t seen Monsters, Inc., you may want to watch it before finishing this review; but rest assured, I’m not going to give away the ending.
For those who haven’t seen the film and wish to continue reading, here’s a quick summary. The story takes place in Monsteropolis, a city filled with happy monsters. Most of the action takes place in the municipal power plant called Monsters, Incorporated. Its workers enter our world to tap a renewable energy source, the screams of little children. Yet there is a growing energy crisis in Monsteropolis. It exists for two reasons: Children aren’t scared as easily as they used to be, and their monster-scarers are becoming more fearful.
So let’s consider some of the beliefs expressed in Monsters, Inc.
Belief #1: The employees at Monsters, Inc. believe that human children are toxic. The source for this conviction is Mr. Waternoose, the CEO of the company. In the opening scene Waternoose tells one of his student monsters, “There’s nothing more toxic or deadly than a human child. A single touch could kill you.” One of the film’s co-directors commented in a bonus feature, “A little kid getting into the monsters’ world would be like a cylinder of pure uranium somehow getting out of a nuclear reactor and tumbling into our world.” So when a scarer named George Sanderson returns from a child’s room with a little girl’s sock stuck to his back, another worker hits the panic button prompting a 2319 Red Alert. Child Detection Agency workers rush to the scene, destroy the sock and decontaminate George. Thus we are duly prepared for the reaction another child receives when she enters the monsters’ world.
Belief #2: James P. Sullivan (a.k.a. Sulley) and Mike Wazowski believe that a human child, who comes into their lives, is toxic. Sulley freaks out when he meets a little girl who follows him from her room onto the Monsters, Inc. scare floor. He quickly returns her to her room, but, like a boomerang, she keeps coming back. Then Sulley places her in a duffel bag and takes her to a restaurant, where Mike and his girlfriend are having dinner, to ask for Mike’s help. Sulley and Mike’s panic quickly spreads to the others in the restaurant, for the child has escaped from the duffel bag. Someone calls the Child Detection Agency. The CDA tries to locate the child, but is unsuccessful. Whenever she is spotted by restaurant diners, pandemonium breaks out. The child even yells “Boo” to an assembled crowd which disperses in fear. Sulley and Mike have no choice but to take the child home with them that evening. So their lives are totally disrupted as they wonder what to do with this outrageous threat to their otherwise happy and well ordered lives.
Belief #3: Some unseen force believes that the child belongs with Sulley and Mike. The little girl’s staying power is truly mysterious. Until the proper time, some circumstance or force always prevents her exit from Monsteropolis and her detection by the authorities. Yet there doesn’t seem to be any intentionality on the part of the child. She is simply an innocent little girl. Monsters, Inc. is fantasy literature, so we naturally suspend our disbelief and accept the child’s uncanny ability to stay in this alternative world and to remain incognito. I can only conclude that some behind-the-scenes force wants her to accomplish some predetermined purpose.
Belief #4: Sulley eventually believes that the little girl is not toxic. After spending an evening with the child, Sulley says, “Hey, Mike, this might sound crazy, but I don’t think that kid’s dangerous.” Sully’s behavior changes accordingly. He is devoted to the child and becomes an affectionate uncle-figure, always protecting her. He even gives her the appropriate and endearing name, Boo.
Belief #5: Sulley and Mike believe that laughter is more powerful than screams. Whenever Boo cries, she produces manageable levels of energy; but when she laughs, she blows the circuits. Sulley and Mike observe this and use it to their advantage later in the film.
Belief #6: Mr. Waternoose believes that his company is of utmost importance. After the George Sanderson contamination episode, Mr. Waternoose is discouraged about his company’s misfortune. So he says to Sulley, “James, this company has been in my family for three generations. I would do anything to keep it from going under.” At that point, Sulley had no idea what Mr. Waternoose’s belief would mean for him and for the company.
Belief #7: Near the end of the story, Sulley believes that he has ruined Monsters, Inc. Mr. Waternoose shouts, “I hope you’re happy, Sullivan! You’ve destroyed this company. Monsters, Incorporated is dead! Where will everyone get their scream now?! The energy crisis will only get worse because of you!” That is perfectly believable to Sulley, for he has long entertained doubts about harboring Boo. That first night, when he and Mike took Boo to their apartment, Sulley had yelled out in frustration, “How could I do this? How could I be so stupid? This could destroy the company.”
Belief #8: Roz, the Dispatch Manager at Monsters, Inc., believes in hushing things up. So, after Boo is sent back to her world and after Boo’s door is shredded, Roz tells Sulley and Mike, “None of this ever happened, gentlemen. And I don’t want to see any paperwork on this.”
Belief # 9: Sulley eventually believes in the power of joy. After Boo has safely returned to her world, Mike and Sulley walk out of the plant with Sulley looking dejected. So Mike says, “Hey, you all right? Come on, pal, cheer up, we did it! We got Boo home. Ah, sure, we put the factory in the toilet, and . . . hundreds of people will be out of work now. Not to mention the angry mob that’ll come after us when there’s no more power, but, hey . . . at least we had some laughs, right?” That word “laughs” gives Sulley an idea. It gives him hope and a new belief.
Belief #10: Mike Wazowski believes that Sulley and Boo should be reunited. I’ll not explain the details of this belief because I promised not to reveal the conclusion to the story. But rest assured, Mike turned his belief into reality.
For Personal Reflection
1. How have your beliefs changed over the years? What factors influenced those changes?
2. Consider your behavior for one full day. What beliefs did you express through actions?
3. What beliefs would you consider changing? How would your behavior be altered in accordance with your new beliefs?
4. Judging from your actions, how do your professed beliefs match up with your real beliefs?
Very good.
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