The Stranger

Okay, I know this is another famous moment in Frozen, when Anna claims to Kristoff that Hans is no stranger, but her answers to Kristoff’s questions are somewhat shallow and lacking enough info. But that’s beside the topic I want to bring up.

When we are children, our parents teach us the warnings against strangers or people we don’t know. Now there is really nothing wrong when a teenager or young/older adult smiles and says hello to you. But outside of that, if this person is someone you have never met before, you should never talk to or go anywhere, by foot or by car, with that person nor should you accept gifts or treats from said person. These rules are particularly important if you are very young and alone when a stranger tries to approach you and/or do any of these things to you. If they do, you should rush home quickly or wherever your parents may be and tell them what happened, or almost happened.

The danger of strangers comes from the fact that you do not know who they are; therefore, you do not know if this person is good or bad, trustworthy or untrustworthy. The lesson of never judging things or people by their appearances is especially important for strangers. Even if a stranger acts and seems friendly, you shouldn’t rush to conclusions, good or bad. They could be genuinely friendly, but others may be putting on an act.

I have a feeling that as kids, people keep the rules about strangers in mind in order to stay safe. When our parents can’t be with us during the day, we are or have to be at school, which is an environment where we still be safe. When we go out with friends, we have curfews and have to be back before dark. But I also wonder if that, as people grow up and become teens, then young adults, they forget or even disregard the rules they were taught. Now I say that because as we get older, we develop into individual people. We become more independent of our parents and want to make more of our own decisions instead of having the parents do it for us. Dating and finding boyfriends or girlfriends happens to many teenagers. When we learn to drive, we tend to go out more easily and to new places where we encounter lots of new people we have never met.

My idea that some people no longer take the warnings about strangers into account when they get older is just because we grow up. There are so many things that change for us as that happens. Children are much more vulnerable and at risk for a lot of dangerous things than most adults are. Adults have more freedom and independence than children, and during their lives, they find themselves having to interact with a lot of new people, including co-workers and superiors at jobs. Interacting with a lot of new people is just something that cannot be avoided, so we will and do have to talk to many new people and maybe form relationships with them.

However, even when we grow up, I still think that rules we were taught about strangers should apply, but in a different way. When we first meet someone new, it’s good to be friendly and courteous, and even to make pleasant conversation if possible. But being wary, though without showing it so much or being hostile, is also a good thing. It’s still important not to judge new people based on their appearances or what they say (even though, I admit, it’s hard not do that). It’s not a smart idea to believe everything they say, even if they sound sincere about it. Whether we are children or adults, there are always going to be people who might lie and manipulate to get something they want. I don’t think we should be paranoid, but just to be on the safe side, I think that we should provide some space and time before forming relationships with new people. Rushing into things is not a good idea, and that includes relationships, whether they are friendships or ones of romance.

So I’ve gone through this before, but my insight on why Anna believed that Hans was not a stranger was because he appeared and acted just like the dream prince (and overall man) that she envisioned. The fact that she is an adult now and not a child, meaning that she probably thought rules about strangers no longer applied to her, may have also been a part of it. Anna’s naïveté and inexperience with a lot of people clouded her judgment and inability to recognize signs about Hans that didn’t seem right or genuine, especially his hasty marriage proposal. (Remember Kristoff said that he didn’t trust Anna’s judgment, and he had a good reason. Though ironically, and humorously, Anna slides away from him after he asks if her parents ever warned her about strangers.) Another flaw about her is just how open, friendly, and willing she is to anyone and everyone; she’s not wary at all. Anna’s optimism is strong, but almost too strong to the point that she seems unable or unwilling to accept the idea that not everyone is good. She didn’t judge Hans’s behavior and looks in a bad way, but still in the wrong way, because he gave her a false impression that he was as good on the inside as he was on the outside. But of course, she was completely wrong. Her inability to be wary and look past his superficial charm is why Anna was completely shocked when he revealed his true, sinister nature. This also proved to her how foolish she was for rushing into a relationship, especially one of (false) romance, with a man she didn’t even know.

I’ve just been thinking about this moment and the rules about strangers for some time, and how they tie together, so I wanted to share this. I hope a lot of you think that what I said makes sense.