“Happiness is a choice”. It’s a phrase that mom and dad would utter again and again as I toiled through my angst filled years. But did I really have a choice? Was it up to me? For Riley, the protagonist of the film Inside Out, the delegation of emotion was far beyond her control. In fact, the catalyst for Riley’s emotions comes from Joy, the physical representation of the emotion happiness. The people who inhabit Riley’s brain and control her emotions and memories are the characters: Anger, Fear, Sadness, Disgust, and Joy. These characters emulate the emotion that their names would suggest, and with Joy at the helm, the team does their best to guide Riley through life.
So, was it up to me? Was it up to Riley? Do we really have complete control over our own emotions? As professor Molly Helt, and others, would explain during the discussion that followed the film, the answer is not quite black and white. Through the pioneering work of Dr. Paul Ekman and many others it has been found that our emotions, which are largely defined by our facial expressions, provide the basis for our perception of the world. For example, if we are angry we are most likely to nitpick and find qualms with any incoming situation. Conversely, if we are happy we are more likely to find the upside in our life. However, emotions do not only affect our perception and interpretation of our surroundings. Ones interpretations of memories can be largely based off the emotions that you feel while you are recalling the events.
At its core the film centers around Riley’s struggle with her transition to a new city. She fights her way through her first days of school, her first hockey tryouts, and the loss of old friends. All the while Riley feels immense pressure to keep her head up, adapt, and enjoy her new home. However, all Riley wants to do is go home. She pressures herself to make the choice to be happy, even though straying from her emotions worsens her situation. It is not until Riley embraces her underlying sadness that she is able to start her progress towards happiness. The film stresses the importance of how our emotions, especially sadness, hold the key to moving towards something better, something positive. Ultimately, it is Riley’s sadness that brings her the greatest joy.