Introduction
It is important to note that Elsa and Anna, the main characters of Frozen, are the driving forces of the film’s conflict. Their interpersonal conflict stems from miscommunication, emotional misunderstandings, and an inability to relate to each other’s struggles. It takes the entire story arc to reach a conflict resolution arising from dangerous, life-threatening situations.
Thesis: The conflict between Elsa and Anna does not become fruitfully resolved because they attempt to utilize avoidance and accommodation styles, so they should have used collaboration and compromise strategies from the start.
Defining Conflict
To properly conduct a meaningful discussion of conflict, it is helpful to define it first. According to Bevan (2020), there must be three key ingredients for a conflict to exist. Firstly, there must be an expressed struggle requiring communication (Bevan, 2020).
Secondly, at least two interdependent parties, such as individuals (Bevan, 2020). Thirdly, there must be a perception that parties have incompatible goals or resources are scarce (Bevan, 2020). If these three elements are present, then there is a conflict.
Conflict Example
The film selected for the analysis is Frozen (2013), directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck. The conflict arises because Elsa can create ice and snow, but she struggles to control it. When she accidentally injures Anna with her powers, their parents decide to keep Elsa isolated from the rest of the world. Anna confronts Elsa about her powers, but Elsa panics and accidentally strikes Anna in the heart with ice (Lee & Buck, 2013). This incident deepens the conflict between the sisters as Elsa flees to the mountains, and Anna sets out to find her and convince her to stop the winter.
Meeting the Criteria
Firstly, there was a clear interpersonal struggle between Elsa and Anna, which led to one of the sisters’ physical injury. Secondly, two parties, Elsa and Anna, met the second criterion. Thirdly, there was a perception of incompatibility since Elsa feared hurting Anna’s feelings about the mountains. Similarly, Anna wanted to be close to her sister, while her sister aimed for the opposite.
Ineffective Handling: Avoidance and Accommodation
The conflict was handled ineffectively because it resulted in a physical injury, which is the most critical outcome to avoid for both parties. According to Bevan (2020), effective conflict resolution requires meeting three key conditions. These include:
- “the parties in the conflict decide to end the conflict,
- the parties are both satisfied with the outcome of the conflict, and
- the parties do not engage in or deal with the conflict again” (Bevan, 2020, p. 22).
Elsa flees, which indicates avoidance manifested in physical action. Anna recklessly chases Elsa to confront her, showing little concern for herself and deep concern for Elsa, indicating accommodation (Bevan, 2020).
What Should Have Been Done
Elsa and Anna should have utilized compromise or collaboration. Bevan (2020) states there should be a negotiation for the former. Elsa should have asked Anna to stay away from her so she would not get hurt, but both could meet at a safe distance and in a safe setting. For collaboration, the sisters could have helped each other by working on Elsa’s powers so she could control them. This would have helped Anna to be close to her and have a meaningful relationship without any dangers.
Conclusion
In summary, the conflict between Elsa and Anna proves ineffective because they rely on avoidance and accommodation, highlighting that adopting collaboration and compromise strategies from the beginning would have been more productive.
References
Bevan, J. L. (2020). Making connections: Understanding interpersonal communication. Zovio Inc.
Lee, J., & Buck, C. (2013). Frozen [Film]. Walt Disney Studios.