I'll Make a Man Out of You

The song "I'll Make a Man out of You" from Disney's "Mulan" was vocally inspired and high-quality, although through that piece, the audience caught but a hint of hard work, discipline, and hustle—anything that suddenly shapes Mulan and company during the comprehensive training before getting into the battle with the Huns. Constructed to be an anthemic piece for his soldiers, the song was not aimed just to tell the story of the film but to tell the story of the theme of identity, strength, and gender roles. Constructed for his soldiers, the song was not meant to carry the story of the film but to carry the story of the theme: identity and strength, gender roles, come face to face.

It opens with Shang's determination to "defeat the Huns" as he vents frustration with the bumbling of his troops, whom he may be under the impression are not cut out for the harshness of warfare. However, in the process, he starts setting this stage of Mulan being the fish out of the water by pointing out what is expected by the societal gender role, more specifically, from military valor when he asks this rhetorical question: "Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?

"I'll Make a Man Out of You" talks about the transformation that needs to take place to be equipped for what is expected on the battle lines. It puts physical strength and agility on par with such qualities that fall into the same category as bravery, determination, and search for the "center" of a human being. It means that real power is within the fact of being both physically able and internally strong. It is a message that rings familiar within the odyssey of Mulan in finding herself and empowerment. No one could take the references to the coursing river, great typhoon, raging fire, and the dark side of the moon at face value, but rather as powerful metaphors for qualities with which the soldiers must equip themselves. In turn, each one represented true heroism of manifold nature—in power, strength, resilience, and character.

The device in this factual crossing of the bridge by Chien-po, Yao, Ling, and Mulan is the personal struggle and fears that they all are undergoing. It hence develops the characters more and shines more light on the themes of the song, self-doubt, and adversity. Mulan fears that if she is to go in front of the whole wide world, they will all see right through, meaning, find her out. Still, it also reflected a universal struggle of needing to prove oneself in the face of skepticism.

After all, "I'll Make a Man Out of You" never really was about turning the underprepared into a warrior; it was a challenge and furtherance of the concept of being a "man" or, in more universal terms, a real hero. Sung, of course, to an inspirational tune and rousing lyrics, hailing triumph at self-improvement and breaking through the snare of societal boundaries, it was poised to be one of the most memorable and influential songs in the Disney musical canon.