Stitch

The Creation, The Model Citizen, and The Reality Discovered Through Exile

Abstract

Much like other aspects of life, different forms of art and entertainment are directly influenced by positive and negative life experiences, including migration and exile. Simultaneously, important topics and ideas — such as migration and exile — are shaped by the representation and language used when such stories are told (Caprio). An example of entertainment depicting a migration story is Disney’s animated movie Lilo & Stitch. In the movie, Experiment 626, later renamed Stitch, is deemed a monstrosity, doomed to wreak havoc on cities, steal “left shoes,” and generally have “no place among [the alien society]” he was born into (1:24–2:53). Yet, after escaping his harsh, seemingly unjust imprisonment, he migrates to Earth only to face further condemnation. His appearance and lifestyle are called into question by most; however, Lilo, a six-year-old girl native to the area, accepts Stitch for who he is, allowing him into her family without question. As a result, the audience witnesses Stitch questioning who he is meant to be and where he belongs. Stitch, from Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, is pulled between three aspects of himself: who he was made to be, who he is believed to be, and who he actually is. These aspects are explored through his exile from his homeland, forced assimilation into a new culture, and eventual acceptance into a found family.