Storybooks Can Hold Important Lessons For Life by Abigail

Storybooks Can Hold Important Lessons For Life by Abigail - October 2025 Scholarship Essay

As a child to an adult you read many books, as you get older the books you read tend to grow and change. A story that I read when I was little and stuck with them as I have gotten older was Mulan. I was raised on Disney movies and as many know each Disney movie and book has their own lessons that come behind it but the one that particularly hit close to me was Mulan. 
Throughout the book of Mulan it has many life lessons that are told. The Disney book Mulan teaches valuable lessons about being true to yourself, courage in the face of adversity, and the importance of family and self-discovery. 
Mulan's journey shows the power of defying expectations, finding your own unique strengths, and using them to protect what you love. I feel like in today's society this is more important than ever. Growing up in a world full of technology, social media, and strong opinions can be very hard for some people. Thinking back on Mulan for me was actually a great way to think about the new and difficult ways of our world. In this book Mulan teaches how to be true to yourself. She struggles with the societal expectations of a traditional woman, but finds true success and fulfillment by embracing her unique strengths and identity when joining the army. Everyone has their own version of expectations and what they may seem as right you may not. Mulan used that to her advantage to do what was right for her even if society didn't think it was right. 
Another lesson learned in this book was courage and bravery in the face of adversity. Even when everyone was against her and she knew no one would agree with her, Mulan changed her whole world around in hours. She had to learn new ways of doing things, even changing her whole identity just to accomplish her goal. Mulan's story is a testament and a true lesson to bravery, from the personal risk of joining the army to facing the ultimate threat to her country to the point of saving all of China. Bravery is shown as not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act despite it.
This Disney book teaches so many important lessons and values that I think everyone could think about and take into account for their own personal lives. Through her countless acts of bravery and many adventures throughout this book, Mulan has taught me many lessons that I am able to use in my life even to this day. Just as Mulan uses my experiences, my intelligence, and my hard work this book has taught me I can do anything I put my mind to.