#there's definitely cultural nuance of course but I wouldn't put displaying mental illness like this past LMM

[avelera]

IMO, Abuela's three children in "Encanto" each seem to each characterize a different mental illness.

Even when taking into account cultural differences, their behaviors are extreme and my sense as a writer is that this is deliberate to speak to Encanto's overarching theme of the effects of generational trauma:

- Bruno's appears to have OCD, in his "knock on wood" and throwing salt over his shoulder, as well as avoiding cracks in the floor. (I don't think he has multiple personalities, I think he was trying to make Mirabel laugh there). To be clear, I do think he's also superstitious, but I'm referring to this behavior as mental illness that actually worsens one's quality of life, which his hallway rituals look like to me.

- Pepa has anxiety. Probably obvious, but I don't think what we're seeing is just flightiness or mood swings. There is a worsened quality of life visible at various points when she's muttering, "Clear skies," to herself and can't seem to calm down.

- Julieta (Mirabel's mom) - not necessarily obvious but I think hers is depression. We don't see much of her in a way that would confirm this, but her character design has a sadness to it and her resting face appears sad as well. She's also shown wearing blue. More subtle and more of a leap, but there it is. (Pure conjecture but she does also come across as the most responsible and mentally "oldest" of the siblings and may have had the most exposure to her mother's pain following her father's death.)

#encanto #encanto meta #encanto spoilers #just needed to get this off my chest #there's definitely cultural nuance of course but I wouldn't put displaying mental illness like this past LMM