Summer! A Look at Olaf

Shine forever, and let that light burst through the darkness of pain and death…
You are the sun, that will shine upon a different world… …

Today, 5 May 2022, coincides with the start of summer according to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. At the same time, over in Japan, it’s Children’s Day. There could have been no better coincidence for me to make a post about Olaf – our favourite young, summer-loving, pure and indefatigable snowman.

Olaf Part 1: Heart of Ice

Olaf is, quite literally, a “heart” of “ice”. He is a reflection of Elsa’s heart up to the point she hit Anna in the head – jovial, fun-loving, warm, caring, carefree… and he’s made of ice (snow, but come on, both are frozen water). I probably was not the only one who found the ominous message in “Frozen Heart” quite ironic: “Beware the frozen heart!” But look at Olaf! So warm and fuzzy!

Olaf’s kindness tends to come in at the end of the movies with some short but impactful quote (you’ll see a few in the pictures below). I give special mention in the main text to that time Olaf gave up his sausage nose to one of the starving wolves chasing Anna and Kristoff in the short film Once Upon A Snowman, with the words “You’ll need this more than I do.”

But more importantly, Olaf at this point is young. He’s kinda stupid (loving heat as a snowman) and says the darnedest things (“I don’t have a skull. Or bones.” “Oh look at that. I’ve been impaled *chuckle*”), but his love is pure: “Some people are worth melting for.” He was willing to sacrifice his life to keep Anna going just a little longer, in the same way that Anna was willing to sacrifice her life to keep Elsa going. It’s like he’s a little part of Elsa watching over Anna, in the same way Anna is always watching over Elsa…but more on that in the next part.

Now that I’m writing this, I kinda regret not thinking about it sooner and putting it in Book I.

Olaf Part 2: Growing up?

I think the filmmakers wanted Olaf to grow into his own person in Frozen II. So his entire theme in Frozen II (2019) was growth, or maturation. His line in “Some Things Never Change” hit me deeply for some reason: “And you all look a little bit older”. I felt the filmmakers were trying to break the 4th wall here:

This theme goes a little bit further in “When I Am Older”. I don’t personally remember it very well (I have watched Frozen II media much less than Frozen media), but it’s a blatant show of Olaf trying to figure things out – much in the same way that Elsa and Anna were trying to discover the truth of Elsa’s powers and the truth of their ancestry.

I believe the filmmakers ultimately failed in this though. Olaf never really changes or develops, despite putting on that show. His death is still sad, but it’s because we understand that Olaf’s death means Elsa’s death. As I wrote in this post: “It’s a cruel moment in the movie, when the object of [Anna’s] unshakeable love and faith isn’t even there, and Anna can only express her love by proxy.” Olaf is the proxy for Elsa, and though he loves Anna deeply on his own accord, we know that Anna is grieving both Olaf and Elsa. In this way, he ends up still being Elsa’s “heart” in avatar form.

But there’s another side of Olaf that the filmmakers developed, though they might have done so unknowingly…

Olaf Part 3: Bridge of Love

Did I say Olaf isn’t linked just to Elsa. Don’t forget the short film Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, where they reveal that Anna used to give Elsa little Olaf-themed gifts by slipping them under her door every Yule. I quote:

“You were the one who brought us together. And kept us together when we were apart.”

I remember this revelation shaking me so much when I first saw it. I ended up giving this only two lines in Book I. I can only wish I gave it more.

It is in this way that Olaf has become vital to Anna and Elsa. Olaf has gone past just being the avatar of Elsa’s youthful wishes – he is also the inheritor of Anna’s exuberance and hope. It is indeed like in the musical, when Anna and Elsa build Olaf together. Olaf contains “a little of you, a little bit of me”. He is both sisters, and he is what keeps both sisters connected, anchored to one another. I wish I had a picture from the stage performance, but I don’t, so here’s the relevant scene from the film.

Explaining the Moon

As with (almost) every other time I make a big moon and share it on this blog, I will explain it, in light of everything I have discussed above.

8 crocuses burst out from the centre, framed by two sun rings, red and yellow. These are, of course, symbols of Arnadalr (crocus) and the People of the Sun (sun). At the same time, they represent Olaf, like a sun that dissipates the darkness of solitude, sacrifice, pain, death. This is why the background is black/grey.

Behind is a symbol of a bridge, taken from Iðunn’s moon. Crossed across the bridge is a blue stripe (Elsa) and an orange stripe (Anna), symbolising their link via Olaf to one another.

Lastly is Olaf himself, in the centre of the moon. He holds wheat in his right hand (a symbol of Anna), and commands snowflakes in his left hand (a symbol of Elsa), again symbolising his ties to both. Like a savior he stands, because he is one: he has saved Anna at least once by leading her out of the cave in Frozen II when he died. In the centre of his chest is the symbol of the Fifth Spirit that has given him life through Elsa – and the heart, frozen over, but radiating warmth to all.

I hope you have enjoyed this short analysis of Olaf! I enjoyed revisiting the media to make this post, especially the shorts, since they’re often forgotten! I wish everyone a lovely summer, and a lovely Children’s Day! The next summer post comes out at the next point of transition: the solstice!