--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the thing that strikes you when…" description: "\"I think the thing that strikes you when you come back to 'The Little Mermaid' after all of these years is the simplicity and innocence. That's in the l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cf/alan-menken-8351_i-think_i-think-the-thing-that-strikes-you-when_247915.jpg" --- # I think the thing that strikes you when you come back to… ![“I think the thing that strikes you when you come back to 'The Little Mermaid' after all of these years is the simplicity and innocence. That's in the look of it, and that's in the sound of it.” quote by Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cf/alan-menken-8351_i-think_i-think-the-thing-that-strikes-you-when_247915.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cf/alan-menken-8351_i-think_i-think-the-thing-that-strikes-you-when_247915.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cf/alan-menken-8351_i-think_i-think-the-thing-that-strikes-you-when_247915.jpg) > “I think the thing that strikes you when you come back to 'The Little Mermaid' after all of these years is the simplicity and innocence. That's in the look of it, and that's in the sound of it.” [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on how revisiting a classic work reveals its pure, uncomplicated charm in both visuals and music. **In simple terms:** Returning to a classic shows its simple, innocent beauty. Key Takeaway Appreciate the simple joys in familiar works. Themes nostalgia artistic simplicity music visuals Mood warm reflective Type analytical appreciative When to use this quote - watching the film again - listening to the soundtrack - teaching film history - analyzing music composition Key Concepts Aesthetic appreciation emotional resonance Questions to Reflect On - What simple element of the film resonates most with you? - How does innocence affect your perception of the story? A Different Perspective May overlook deeper themes or cultural context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Simplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity/) ## Related quotes > [“We often hear, almost invariably, however, from superficial observers, that guilt can look like innocence. I believe it to be infinitely the truer axiom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/we-often-hear-almost-invariably-however-from-superficial-observers/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“Ignorance and stupidity are given the names of simplicity and innocence...Idleness appears as desire for a quiet life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/ignorance-and-stupidity-are-given-the-names-of-simplicity-and/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [Oh that simplicity and innocence its own unvalued work so seldom knows!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/oh-that-simplicity-and-innocence-its-own-unvalued-work-so-seldom-knows/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Thus pride wears the mask of loftiness of spirit, although You alone, O God, are high over all. Ambition seeks honour and glory, although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/thus-pride-wears-the-mask-of-loftiness-of-spirit-although-you-alone-o/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [Rosemary bubbled with delight at the trunks. Her naivete responded whole-heartedly to the expensive simplicity of the Divers, unaware of its complexity and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/rosemary-bubbled-with-delight-at-the-trunks-her-naivete-responded/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“It’s a training camp,” Leo realized. He looked at Aphros in awe. “You train heroes, the same way Chiron does?” Aphros nodded, a glint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-a-training-camp-leo-realized-he-looked-at-aphros-in-awe-you/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Then your tail will divide and shrink until it becomes what the people on earth call a pair of shapely legs. But it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/then-your-tail-will-divide-and-shrink-until-it-becomes-what-the/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [I saw 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Little Mermaid,' 'The Lion King,' 'Mary Poppins' - I saw all of those before I was introduced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zegler/i-saw-beauty-and-the-beast-little-mermaid-the-lion-king-mary-poppins/) [Rachel Zegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zegler/) > [Like all my poems, 'Negotiations' has several sources. It deals with aging lovers and the often silent deals they make. Thinking about bargains made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/like-all-my-poems-negotiations-has-several-sources-it-deals-with/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [The Little Mermaid was basically a hoarder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-little-mermaid-was-basically-a-hoarder/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Aphros nodded, a glint of pride in his eyes. “We have trained all the famous mer-heroes! Name a famous mer-hero, and we have trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/aphros-nodded-a-glint-of-pride-in-his-eyes-we-have-trained-all-the/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I think every little girl is fascinated with mermaids whether you are familiar with 'Splash' or 'Little Mermaid' or things like that. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo/i-think-every-little-girl-is-fascinated-with-mermaids-whether-you-are/) [JoJo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo/) > [Every step you take will feel as if you were treading upon knife blades so sharp that blood must flow. I am willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/every-step-you-take-will-feel-as-if-you-were-treading-upon-knife/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [“A memory: Isola as a toddler, sugarlump teeth, skin still smelling of milk. Hair that curled without use of an iron and sweet dresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyse-near/a-memory-isola-as-a-toddler-sugarlump-teeth-skin-still-smelling-of/) [Allyse Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyse-near/) > [The other day when we were reading The Little Mermaid again, at the part where it says that only human souls can go up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ekaterina-gordeeva/the-other-day-when-we-were-reading-the-little-mermaid-again-at-the/) [Ekaterina Gordeeva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ekaterina-gordeeva/) ## More by Alan Menken > [I'm not interested in being the producer of somebody else's song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-m-not-interested-in-being-the-producer-of-somebody-else-s-song/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Every time I play 'Part of Your World,' a whole part of my life comes back to me. 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Going back for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/my-favorite-thing-is-a-brand-new-project-from-scratch-because-you/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Truth be told, of course, what I enjoy most is reinventing myself and doing new projects where I work in new genres, or I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/truth-be-told-of-course-what-i-enjoy-most-is-reinventing-myself-and/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I love 'The Gospel Truth,' the song that opened up 'Hercules.' I thought that song was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-love-the-gospel-truth-the-song-that-opened-up-hercules-i-thought/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Collaboration is all about rewriting and rewriting and rewriting and helping each other to constantly improve a piece. And, it's also about spurring each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/collaboration-is-all-about-rewriting-and-rewriting-and-rewriting-and/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I have the ability to clear the decks and focus on what's happening in the moment. And I get to spend my life doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-have-the-ability-to-clear-the-decks-and-focus-on-what-s-happening/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Movies, there are moments when you're writing a song or demoing, a moment in the recording studio. Musicals much more just eat up your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/movies-there-are-moments-when-you-re-writing-a-song-or-demoing-a/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [For a while now, I try to ignore the hoopla, because if you buy into that, you have to buy into the criticism. 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