☝️ Key Points
- The song 'Reflection' is about self-discovery and the internal conflict between societal expectations and personality.
- Mulan feels uncomfortable in the role of the perfect bride and daughter imposed by society.
- The lyrics 'Never will I be, the perfect bride, Like other girls' and 'break the hearts of all here' reflect her internal turmoil.
- The questioning lines 'Who is that girl I see, Staring straight back at me?' and 'When will my reflection show, Who I am inside?' illustrate Mulan's search for her true identity and the desire to be accepted as she is.
Interpretation
The song 'Spiegelbild' from
Disney's Mulan is a song about self-discovery and the inner struggle between societal expectations and the inner desire to be authentic. Mulan doesn't feel comfortable in the role society has assigned to her. She doubts if she can ever be the 'perfect bride' or like other daughters, as expressed in the lines 'Never will I be, the perfect bride, Like other daughters'. She feels misunderstood and as if she would 'break everyone's heart' if she were to show herself as she truly feels. This shows her inner conflict and the conflict between her true self and the expectations placed upon her. The refrain-like questions 'Who is this stranger woman inside the mirror?' and 'When will my reflection show, Who I am inside?' illustrate her search for her true identity and the desire to see herself and be accepted in the mirror, as she truly is, and not as others see or want her to be.