Toy Story 2 IN FOCUS

TOY STORY II

FOUR STARS - Uplifting


Like the storytellers of old whose fables created talking animals to teach the moral of the story, the
modern story tellers of Toy Story and Toy Story 2, create talking toys in a computer-generated world. And
like their ancient predecessors, these talking messengers also get beneath our usual defenses and deposit
their morals deep within our hearts and minds, enriching our lives.
Created with a simplicity which children can understand and a morality which parents can applaud, the
witty humor and cultural allusions make it a flm for adults to enjoy as well.
The depth of this second flm, Toy Story 2, is not only obvious in the advancement of the quality of its
images but also in the depth of messages. Where the frst flm dealt with such feelings as insecurity,
jealousy and competition, this sequel deals with the larger issues of rejection, life purpose and mortality.
The answers given generate an intriguing tale and leave us with enriched lives.
Toy Story 2 begins where the frst flm leaves of, with Andy (John Morris) having accepted both the
cowboy doll of his earlier years named Woody (Tom Hanks) as well as the new space doll of his developing
world named Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen).
Woody is excited to go with Andy on their annual visit to Cowboy Camp when Andy accidentally tears
Woodys arm and decides to leave him behind. This tear begins the adventure at every level of the flm.
Symbolic of the aging process in which the physical body sufers wear and tear, Woody is literally put
on the shelf by Andy and left behind from this cherished experience of going to camp with him.
This is the frst of the major themes of the fable: Everyone gets old and left behind. Unable to function
as he had when he was newer, Woody is kept behind for his own good, as Andy explains later that at camp
Woody could have been hurt further. It becomes clear that it is Andys love for Woody that gets him
shelved.
This depiction of the paradoxical nature of aging is inspired. The fact that our aged threads and bones
can get hurt by doing the robust things we love often causes those who love us to shelve us from such
activities. Thus, it is their very love for us that ends our active lives. The fear that they will then forget us is
also symbolically portrayed as Woody meets a little penguin toy who is covered with dust from having been
shelved earlier because he lost his squeaky whistle.
Having set the stage, the tale then starts down a path of exciting adventure. Woody, through the heroic
attempt to save the little penguin from the toy-death of a yard sale, comes under the greedy control of Al
McWhiggin (Wayne Knight). McWhiggin is a toy collector who knows the inestimable worth of Woody as a
collectors item to an overseas buyer.
This is the second moral of the fable. Some value us only for what we can do for them. McWhiggin is
not interested in Woody for himself, but for what he can gain by selling him. The antithesis of Andys love,
McWhiggin stands for all those who would use us for their own purposes.
What makes Woody so valuable is that he is a part of Americana in which he was the star of his own
television program along with his horse, a cowgirl named Jessie (Joan Cusack) and Stinky Pete the
Prospector (Kelsey Grammer).
It is here that we hear the third moral of the fable: Not only do we get old, shelved and left behind, but
those who love us can outgrow their love for us.
Jessie, a cute, spunky female version of Woody, had been deeply loved by her owner, just as Woody
was loved by Andy. But then Jessies owner grew up and discarded her in the donation box of a local
charity. She had been replaced by make-up, phones and teenage interests.
But into this world of shelved and discarded lives comes the love, loyalty and courage of Woodys
friends. With a creativity that matches their self-sacrifcing love, these toys master a major boulevard and a
highrise apartment complex to come to Woodys aid.
This brings us to the fnal moral of the fable: Love, for however long it may be experienced, is to be
chosen over any other option.
Having been convinced by jealous Pete the Prospector that Andy does not love him any more because
he shelved him, Woody has decided to not try to return to Andy but to go to a toy museum with the others in
Japan. But when Buzz leads his toy friends to his rescue, Woody realizes how much he is loved and that
love is his choice as well for infnity and beyond. We agree.