In a time when politics are divisive, Paddington Bear, a humble immigrant from Darkest Peru, offers a refreshing lens through which to view our shared societal challenges.
Resonating far beyond a children’s movie (which we all eagerly watched this November), it seems our country’s leaders may benefit from a watch along with us!
Currently, Paddington would be deported to Rwanda (as an illegal immigrant, arriving as a stowaway in a lifeboat) under the newest proposal for anti-immigration policy.
Instead, he has become an emblem of ‘British’ values - the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
The most poignant lesson is perhaps that Paddington thrives not by assimilation but by retaining his unique identity, sharing his culture (and marmalade sandwiches) with those around him. This speaks to the ideal of multiculturalism, where differences are celebrated rather than erased.
Yet Paddington’s experience is not without adversity. Characters like Mr. Curry, the suspicious and self-serving neighbor, embody the xenophobic attitudes that many immigrants encounter.
Curry’s mistrust of Paddington, often expressed through baseless complaints or attempts to exclude him, reflects broader societal tendencies to otherize those perceived as different.
Through humor and perseverance, Paddington counters Curry’s hostility, but the interactions highlight the extra effort expected of immigrants to go above and beyond in order to overcome prejudice.
Additionally, he also faces systemic barriers akin to those encountered by immigrants in real life.
Whether it’s navigating bureaucratic processes or defending his integrity when falsely accused, Paddington’s struggles parallel the challenges of immigrants contending with legal systems that often feel indifferent or adversarial to a voice that speaks in a different tongue to them (both in terms of language and familiarity).
Even his light-hearted misunderstanding sequences can be viewed as a political allegory because although Paddington himself is an inquisitive and delightfully smart individual, he initially struggles to understand it, often overwhelming at first! Many who first complete their degree in one country must then repeat it after a move - an often redundant barrier forcing qualified doctors to be rendered useless.
He is chiefly awarded blame almost immediately in the second movie - a result of misunderstanding is again similar to the experience of migrants.
On a related tangent, it provides a subtle yet impactful critique of the justice system. By befriending the gruff chef Knuckles McGinty and encouraging other inmates to work together, he turns a grim institution into a space of shared purpose and creativity, simply by treating them with respect and humanity.
This storyline highlights the potential of rehabilitation over retribution, a key issue in modern prison reform debates. His story aligns with calls to rethink prisons not as punishment factories but as places where individuals are given opportunities to reform and reintegrate into society.
Back to the matter at hand,immigrants, historically, have been an economic boon to England (propelling them to dominate various manufacturing industries, such as cutlery making in Sheffield, and investment to begin the Bank of England),yet regardless, they are blamed for every problem the country faces.
Fired from your job? Immigrants. Inflation rising? Immigrants. Can’t get an NHS appointment? Immigrants.
We must end this rheteoric. It is time to recognise it is not immigrants or prisoners responsible for your lack of resources, but rather those who control the quantity of resources we circulate. In place of fighting for retaining your sliver of the marmalade sandwich, we must simply grab another jar and make a bigger one.
