There is a scene where the Toaster runs into the forrest in order to get away from the animal's who are using him as a mirror, and he sees this flower, that seams to... Hold onto him.
He realizes that the flower is reaching out to it's reflection - and he tells it that he's "Not a flower" and runs, and a moment later he looks back and sees a dying flower (Not sure if it's the same one, but I doubt it).
Can some please explain the reason for this scene?
To tell you the truth I never really understood it either. But thinking back to it now, I can see it in my head and I'm going to try to come up with some sort of explanation.
Ok, if you look again, you'll notice that the flower is all alone in a clearing surrounded by walls. Total isolation. There is only a single ray of sunshine, which could represent something as well. Toaster may have been the only thing it has ever had an interaction with. So naturally, it reaches out for it's own reflection (it may have never even seen itself), only to be pushed away. Much like the appliances had been pushed away from "The Master". Toaster does not know how much harm he/she caused to the flower (a fragile thing to begin with) until he/she sees the flower dying. This may be a reference to suicide, heartbreak from rejection or how delicate the human spirit can be (much like a flower).
I'm sure theres more to it, but I look at the movie again and see if I can pick anything up. Wow I've never thought of such a lengthy explanation for such a short scene. Hope this helped! :)
That makes a lot of sense, judging the theme of the movie. Thank you.
BTW: The Toaster is male.
I always was near tears over that scene...
sharei realize this was posted a few years ago, but i want to point out that the toaster is female.
shareWho says the toaster is female?
shareWho says the toaster is female?he's not... when they are in the river, kirby asked where toaster was and either the lamp or radio said "he sank" All 5 were male character, even the girly sounding blanket. The lamp, radio, and kirby obviously were male characters.... the toaster tells the others to "leave him alone" when talking about the blanket
I concur with the explanation. The flower dies of lonliness.
shareI agree it dies of lonliness, but what did it have to do with the rest of the story? It was a little 'random'. Also it is so sad it always depressed me!
shareIt had absolutely nothing to do with the story......nothing at all. It was just trown in. However I will never forget that scene, I havent seen the movie in years but I remember that scene used to tear me up everytime and to me its one of the saddest moments I've ever seen in a movie.
shareIt's funny how it's the only scene that shows that shows a "moving flower". I don't think there was any other scene that shows "moving plants".
I too find the scene pointless to include in the movie, when the whole story only talks about "moving electronics" and not about "moving plants".
That's true, but I think they wanted to throw that scene in because they wanted the viewers to know that not only the appliances were alive.
"This sh!tty gutiar only knows three chords"-Freddie Mercury
I agree with the previous comments that the flower died of loneliness.
BTW, this is the exact scene that really made me <i>hate</i> this movie as a kid. I would have to leave the room, it was too horrible. The poor flower...
Actually now I know what the scene was for I can say you are both mistaken about it having "nothing to do with the story. It had everything to do with the story.
The flower was on it's own and then the toaster was there but abandoned the flower - the whole them of this film is being abandoned.
that scene always made me sad. just stay toaster! stay and love the flower!
sharesomething to note is that the flower is a narcissus. if you are familiar with the mythology of narcissus, it adds an element of drk humor to the scene.
shareI think that's going a little too far.
The flower just wanted some love/company, and it didn't receive that.
(I guess Toaster got freaked out or confused or something and amscraid.)
Good observation fireborn999.
A little background.
The story of Narcissus is a Greek myth about a young man named Narcissus. One day, he saw his own reflection in a pool of water and fell in love with it because he thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Narcissus became so obsessed with his own reflection that he couldn't tear himself away from the pool. He stared at himself day and night, neglecting everything else, including eating and drinking. His obsession led to his downfall, and he eventually died by the side of the pool, still gazing at his reflection.
In the end, the gods turned Narcissus into a beautiful flower known as the narcissus or daffodil, which blooms by the water's edge, forever capturing his image.
You can seen by yourself the resemblance between the scene in the movie to the Greek myth.
This scene had bothered me for years. There was absolutely no need for this scene in this movie. The only thing I can think of is that this scene is the reason why Toaster starts to treat the Blanket nicer because he felt sorry for the lonely flower.
shareThe entire movie is much deeper than I think any child who watches it can grasp. I think the lasting influences of the film are left in subliminal seeds of emotion that manifest later in life. The film is also a parable about appreciating what you have as well as the effect growing technology is having on the way humans interact with one another. The flower is a representation of a living thing that has this desperate inexplicable desire to make a connection with another, thats the whole point of that scene.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GODLESS MUPPETS
The flower scene is still the most upsetting in the movie. I always wished they could have taken it back with them! =(
so sad.
"Just close your eyes...but keep your mind wide open."
The scene always bothered me when I was a little kid, but I never understood why. The same can be said about the meaning behind the cars in 'Worthless'. It's so deep and powerful, and I still cry my eyes out when I see the scene.
"I'll go,because I am Cinema!" - Ben (Man Bites Dog)
The flower plays a slightly bigger role in the novel the film was based on (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brave_Little_Toaster). I'd bet the scene was mainly included to stay true to the source material, though I do like the theory posited by others that the experience led Toaster to treat Blanket differently from that point on.
shareHonestlt this scene still breaks my heart everytime I watch it. When I was a kid I used to think the flower had found love in the other flower (reflection) and then it just went away. I always thought it died of a broken heart, and it made me really sad. This scene still makes me feel damn sorry for that flower!
It's better to be judged by 12, then carried by 6.
Gotta agree with Scotty here. The flowers acts as both an analogy to the overall theme of the story and an item of plot-convenience (getting Toaster to re-evaluate his relationship with Blanky).
shareThe flower made Toaster realize how much others need company and love, and as some have said before his feelings for Blanky also became more affectionate after the flower scene. Toaster always pushed Blanky away who only wanted affection, and when he pushed the flower away and actually got to see how much pain he caused it he realized he could be doing the same to Blanky, therefore he and Blanky had a deeper connection for the rest of the film.
IT IS NOT POINTLESS. It's a beautiful scene.
And it being the only "living" flower is kind of like the separation from others that Blanky has being the only one like himself; a very young child while the others were all older.
Rorschach is coming...
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Wait, don't the flower pedals have seeds that make more flowers? I can be wrong, but if it sheads a pedal and if that pedal somhow ended up into the ground, with the right amount of rain, it could grow into another flower? Or is that something different?
I love this scene and tear up every time I see it, totally can relate to it and what it's great purpose is made for the account of lonliness and in-need-of-love, as all of us do whether we know it or not.
Just figured I'd make up something to where even though something is so lonely it'll someday have company, but like I said I could be wrong about the pedal thing, I feel sad for the poor hand-drawn animated thing that's an imagination on nature.
"You know what's funny? People. People are funny."
The flower scene almost sums up the entire movie if you think about it. As random as it seems, considering it's right in the middle of a big, happy song and dance scene, it's there for a reason and it proves that there's a much deeper lesson in the story than you think. This whole movie actually has a lot of references to suicide/sacrifice if you think about it. The flower dies from feeling completely lonely and unloved, the air-conditioner pretty much kills itself in the beginning from feeling so angry and left out from the group of appliances, the lamp nearly kills himself to help the others during the lightning storm, some of the cars during the junkyard scene actually drive themselves into the compactor while the others just accept their fate and don't try to fight their ways out of dying. And of course, the toaster nearly kills himself as well to save the master when he jumps into the gears of the compactor. And you'll notice that the blanket was clutching onto the master, ready to die with him. Really, this is one of those childrens' movies that has much more meaning. If you look at the big picture, it's all about needing love in order to live. Most of the characters by the end of the film have found the love they were looking for that they didn't feel they had in the beginning, including the air-conditioner who didn't think the master truly loved him. It's a great movie to look at more deeply when you're older. There's a lot of stuff you miss when you view it as a kid.
shareI'm sorry, but I can't believe how many people in the topic have said the scene is pointless or have no clue as to why it was in there. Compare how the Toaster treated Blankie just 5 minutes ago to the scenes immediately after. Even the dang lamp brings this up later on! The flower had everything to do with the Toaster's 180.
Friendship, togetherness, and camaraderie is one of the main messages of the movie. This scene of immense character realization was probably the most important scene in the movie!
This whole movie was Pixar, pre-Pixar, as it focuses more on making you feel than think (though it does both).
Just my one cent since I can't afford two.