If you compare Melody to Ariel, she was less selfish than her mother.
Ariel left the sea because she was in love, she was angry at her father, she was curious, and she wanted more in life than what the sea offered her. She kept wanting more. Yes, the main reason she became human was for love, but she also accepted Ursula's offer for these other selfish reasons.
Melody originally left for the sea solemnly because she wanted answers about the locket and her past. Her whole life she had been an outcast, lied to, had secrets kept from her, and never felt like she belonged. No one could or would offer her any answers, nor could they explain why she could talk to fish. After speaking to Morgana, she was given the answers she sought, and offered an opportunity she had dreamed of all her life. She wanted the freedom and simplicity of the ocean, where she felt more at home, away from all the troubles and isolation she got on land, unlike her mother who wanted the more worldly and advanced things that life on land offered. And don't forget, this was also after she had discovered that her parents had been lying to her and isolating her her whole life. Her experience as a mermaid was brief, but it seemed like the happiest she had been her entire life. I know she chose to remain human at the end, but I think that's because she wanted to stay with her parents, but that she'll become a mermaid again once she grows up.
I'm not saying that Melody wasn't being selfish with her decisions, but looking at this, who had been more selfish, Ariel for becoming human, or Melody for becoming a mermaid. Melody's reasons were more numerous and more understandable than her mother's, so you can't put her down for her decision while glorifying Ariel for hers.
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otness_e
10 years ago
Actually, I wouldn't call either of them selfish in their motives. Selfish would be, you know, actually wanting to hurt others (think Dr. Weil from Mega Man Zero, or if you want a non-villain example, Emperor Kuzco from The Emperor's New Groove or the Beast in Beauty and the Beast), and it's clear Ariel did not want that at all. Heck, even when undergoing the deal, it was pretty clear that Ariel had huge reluctance to undergo the deal, something that wouldn't happen with a selfish person (take Jafar basically wishing to become a Genie, he jumped at the opportunity when Aladdin tricked him). Heck, the only reason she even agreed to F&J taking her to Ursula was because they flicked the statue at her and they caught her in a very vulnerable time (remember, she was emotionally distraught due to Triton destroying her collection in what was obviously a temper tantrum. Not to mention she actually did attempt to refuse when F&J initially asked during this time. This makes it a bit obvious that, had it been any other time, she would have refused F&J.). And I'm doubtful that spell would have worked when she (almost) kissed Eric had it been selfish in nature (and it was pretty obvious that it would have worked because Ursula panicked and had Flotsam and Jetsam knock the boat over at the last second, and the conditions for the spell explicitly state that only the "kiss of true love" can make her permanently human. In other words, anything less than that, such as selfish love, would not work at all even if she did succeed in kissing Eric.). Now, were her actions reckless and naive, yes, they were. But they weren't selfish.
Melody, same reasons you stated.
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MyNameIswha
9 years ago
ursula told her that she has had to rake people across the coals after her deal. she knew her father would do anything to protect her. so she risked herself, and her father, and for what? for a human male she saw for five seconds? she was selfish in my opinion. at least melody believed morgana was good, Ariel knew ursula was bad and still made the deal.
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otness_e
9 years ago
No, she's not. Do you honestly think a selfish person would risk her life to save her friend from a shark when she had the ability to get away, save a man she doesn't even know, or even save a crab from becoming someone's meal when she was still upset with him for squealing on her? No.
And BTW, true selfishness would be like how Dr. Weil behaved here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLRNaCkHXyA
Or how Kefka Palazzo behaved here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JwJq8VFEAcM
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MyNameIswha
9 years ago
Just because a person isnt selfish in all aspects doesnt mean they cant be selfish. i have read of serial killers saving peoples lives at times. Does that mean they are not killers still?
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otness_e
9 years ago
Big difference, as you don't necessarily need to save someone to be a killer as you just need to kill to be a killer.
In this case, the definition of selfishness is someone who doesn't care at all about anyone except themselves and their own needs, perfectly willing to abandon their own friends for their own goals or to save their own skin, so no, Ariel is definitely not selfish at all. You want an example of a true selfish hero, look at Emperor Kuzco in the beginning of The Emperor's New Groove (where he has an old man thrown out the window of a high-story palace simply because he was unfortunate enough for him to be in the way while Kuzco was dancing, callously firing Yzma because she had to man the throne and even mocking her age, and basically not caring if his construction of Kuzcotopia actually would make Pacha's village homeless, and in fact it can even be viewed that Kuzco actually enjoyed the prospect of making the villagers homeless in order to have his luxury summer retreat for his own selfish purposes, meaning he was arguably a sociopath as well). Ariel would need to reach his level before she can qualify as selfish, and keep in mind, that's the kid friendly level. I could easily cite Francis Wilkerson from Malcolm in the Middle. That would be how Ariel would have to behave at WORST to be selfish.
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