The ‘Finding Dory’ Line That Teaches the Most Important Lesson About Resilience

I can't help but scoff when people refer to Pixar movies as children's movies.

In my opinion, one of the greatest first aids for any heartbreak is a Pixar movie. Got dumped? Watch Wall-E. Missing your family? Watch The Incredibles. Feeling lost? Watch Brave. Trouble with a friend? Watch Toy Story. Unsure whether to follow your passion? Watch Ratatouille.

There's something for every adult problem. You get it.

But it’s not just entire movies; Pixar enlightens you in simple scenes.

In this article, let’s analyze how “just keep swimming” from Finding Nemo and Finding Dory defines resilience in its truest sense.

To Give You a Little Context

The line “Just keep swimming” originates in Finding Nemo, whose backstory is revealed in the sequel, Finding Dory, when we see Dory’s parents singing to her.

A worthy spin-off to Finding Nemo, Pixar’s Finding Dory follows the journey of the forgetful blue tang fish, whom we saw in the original film, as she sets out in search of her lost parents with Marlin and Nemo.

The story starts about a year after Nemo was lost and found.

The Scene

Dory and Hank, the seven-tentacled octopus, are stuck in the touch pool, a designated area at the Marine Life Institute where kids can touch the aquatic animals. The kids are as wild as you would imagine, plunging their hands into the water in the hopes of grabbing a fish—any fish.

Honestly, it’s such an accurate reflection of how mankind uses animals for entertainment that the scene won my heart right there. Hank, who’s not exactly brave, runs into safety under a rock to protect himself from the reckless grabbing. Dory takes shelter with him.

Seeing his friend fear-stricken, Dory is triggered by a certain memory. She remembers how her parents told her never to be sorry and, “Just keep swimming.”

Since Dory suffers from memory loss every 10 seconds or so, they even make a song about it just to ensure that the three words stick. Lo and behold! It actually does!

“Just Keep Swimming”: The Song of Resilience in Finding Dory

Whether it's Dory or us, giving up seems easier than fighting for what we want. In Finding Dory, Dory showed immense courage as she set out to search for her lost parents, despite her unreliable memory.

However, Dory’s journey implies the higher power of love and how we tend to hold on to memories that matter to us, even against the greatest odds. Dory’s condition means failure is likely; however, it is love and resilience that enable her to “just keep swimming.”

Here’s what else the scene highlights.

1. Parental Influence

The world is still learning the right parental habits. For the longest time, civilization refused to acknowledge how parents' actions and perspectives influence kids.

Dory’s journey shows us how deeply our parents influence our psyche, especially in our early years. Dory suffers from memory loss, but she still retains the memory of a lesson that her parents taught her. The fact that it is triggered when she needs it the most just proves the point further.

2. Fear Holds You Back

The catchphrase makes way more sense when you take the entire dialogue into context.

In a flashback, right after Dory manages to save herself from bumping into a passing fish, little Dory is all apologetic for not knowing better while moving ahead. Her mother comforts her by saying, “You don’t need to be sorry. You know what you need to do? Just keep swimming!”

Her father chimes in, agreeing with his wife. This teaches us that we’re bound to take a misstep every time we get into action; however, we need to “Just keep swimming!”

Being sorry for yourself won’t land you anywhere. Brush past it, and say it again. “Just keep swimming.”

Finding Dory, like every other Pixar movie, is a must-watch for adults, too. Have you watched the movie yet?