Character Symbolism

Character Symbolism in The Lion King

Simba

The character of Simba is comparable to Moses. Both Simba and Moses are forced to leave their home after being accused of murder. Feeling like they do not belong anywhere and with nowhere to go, they both wander until they are discovered and in some sense, rescued. Simba is found by Timon and Pumba, and Moses is found by Jethro. After being rescued, both Simba and Moses go through periods of learning. Timon and Pumba teaches Simba their philosophy of "Hakuna Matata," which means “no worries.” The duo also teaches Simba to leave the past behind, which helps to relieve the guilt he feels for his role in Mufasa’s death. Like Timon and Pumba took Simba under their wings, Jethro consequently invited Moses into his home and offered him hospitality. Jethro, being a priest, teaches Moses all about his religion and way of life. Moses then served as a shepherd for Jethro for forty years.

For both Moses and Simba, after they had spent a period of time away from home, they experience a revelation that changes the course of their life. For Simba, this moment occurs when he sees Mufasa in the clouds. Mufasa tells Simba that he has forgotten who he is and that he must return home to serve as King. For Moses, it is when he speaks with God. God tells Moses that he must return to Egypt to free his people, the Israelites, from Pharaoh and slavery. Both Simba and Moses return home to save their people. Simba confronts Scar, who finally admits to having killed Mufasa himself. Simba can finally accept who he is and takes over his role as king of the Pride Lands. Moses also returns home where he confronts the Pharaoh. Moses is able to free the Israelites from slavery and ultimately facilitates their safe escape from Egypt, where they travel to the Promised Land.

Scar

The obvious antagonist throughout the film is Scar, the younger, jealous brother of Mufasa. Scar believes he should be King of the Pride Lands and stops at nothing to try and make that happen. The character of Scar is comparable to Satan. In Revelation 20:10, Satan is also described as The Deceiver. Satan is a misleader, who lies and/or tricks people. On numerous occasions throughout the film, Scar deceives Simba and leads him into dangerous situations. For example, Scar uses manipulation to trick Simba into entering the elephant graveyard where he is surrounded by a pack of hyenas. In John 8:44, Satan is described as a murderer. Scar murders his brother, Mufasa and tries to murder Simba on multiple occasions.

Mufasa

Despite only being alive within the film for a short period, Mufasa has a strong presence throughout The Lion King. The character of Mufasa is God-like. Mufasa is an all-knowing, full of wisdom type of character, similar to God. Mufasa appears in the sky, offering Simba guidance. In the Book of Exodus, God appears to Moses in a burning bush to offer guidance in helping Moses save his people from slavery. In Christianity, a commonly held belief is that God is always within you. For example, in the Corinthians 3:16, it says, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Rafiki informs Simba that Mufasa always lives within him and everything he does, just like God.

Rafiki

The character of Rafiki is comparable to that of a priest within Christianity. One of the duties as a priest is to perform baptisms. In The Lion King, Rafiki performs two baptisms. The first baptism is Simba’s at the beginning of the film, and the second is Simba’s daughter’s, which is at the end of the film. During mass, the priest carries the “Holy Crucifix” throughout the church. Simply put, it is the Holy Cross on a stick. Throughout The Lion King, Rafiki carries around a stick with fruit hanging from it. Rafiki's stick can be compared to the Holy Crucifix.