Themes
friendship
A persistent theme in Finding Nemo is friendship. Marlin is only able to succeed in finding his son with the help of Dory. Nemo also makes friends with his fellow Tank Gang members. They assist him in returning to the ocean and reuniting with his father. It is the power of friendship that allows everyone to achieve their goals.
Trust
The overarching theme in FInding Nemo is trust. Marlin must learn to trust his son. It is his misplaced trust in his son, that leads to the adventure. Marlin learns to trust others throughout his journey, especially when he is in the belly of the whale with Dory. This is a turning point because Marlin learns to trust. This is evident when he lets Nemo assist Dory in escaping her captors.
Family
In the beginning of the movie, Marlin's wife and other children die in an attack. Nemo is the only family that he has left, causing him to become overprotective of his son. Nemo learns the importance of family once he is separated from his father. This is when he appreciates his father's protectiveness.
During Marlin's journey, he meets Dory. Dory assists him in finding Nemo and becomes a part of their family. Both Marlin and Nemo grow to appreciate and care for her. At the end of the film, Dory returns to Marlin and Nemo's home with them.
During Marlin's journey, he meets Dory. Dory assists him in finding Nemo and becomes a part of their family. Both Marlin and Nemo grow to appreciate and care for her. At the end of the film, Dory returns to Marlin and Nemo's home with them.
PERSEVERANCE
Throughout his journey, Marlin shows his anxieties and fears concerning the open ocean and the unknown. Dory helps Marlin to persevere and achieve his goal of finding his son. Nemo also perseveres by not giving up trying to get back to the ocean. Marlin and Nemo learn that their goals can be achieved by learning to face their fears.
Independence
Both Marlin and Nemo's journeys begin by Nemo wanting to be more independent. While it is Nemo's drive for independence that is the catalyst for the adventures, Marlin learns an important lesson. Marlin learns that it is important to let his son grow and become more independent. Nemo proves that he is capable of having more independence by saving Dory from the fisherman's net.