The Disney Truth

“A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes” Soundscape Analysis

Listening to this as a college student, “A Dream is a Wish your Heart makes” both drives me crazy and makes me smile for one simple reason- it portrays Cinderella’s everlasting hopefulness and her faith in her dreams. Perhaps it’s because today, my generation holds such cynicism. The American dream has been proved wrong time after time and our faith in anything nontangible has shattered. However, we all still have that tiny part inside us that so desperately wants our deepest dreams and desires to magically come true. We think to ourselves “If I am good enough, I might get what I want”, which is the ideology behind Cinderella. Basically, it gives young children the hope to keep dreaming. Ilene Woods who sings the song has a rich voice that seems to caress the auditory senses. It flows well, and while it does sound a bit mature for the character, surprisingly it works. When I listen to this song, I feel a wistful longing and nostalgia, for it reminds me of times past when I was just a wee girl sitting in front of the television with my parents, forcing them to endure Disney Princess movies, marathon-style (yes they were awesome, yes I now realize how sadistic that was). I hum along and close my eyes as it transports me, and for just a moment, I wonder if it really is possible. If I’m a good person, will good things happen to me? Can dreams really come true, or are dreams just one more heartbreak to bear? You decide, and let me know what you think in the comments!