Wednesday’s story began back in 1938 as stand-alone cartoons, which evolved into a sitcom and later became a selection of movies. Most recently, a stand-alone Netflix show following Wednesday was released. As the daughter from the rich, eccentric family, she is equally eccentric but is more than just bizarre and fascinated with the macabre. Wednesday stands on her own feet and has a cache of lessons to aid in finding one’s identity. Her lessons in the show are as follows:
1) Learn to navigate yourself in this world “full of treachery and prejudice”.
Wednesday tries to learn things like martial arts, fencing, and excellent communication skills. She sees life as an activity that must be patiently suffered through. For her, the world is a cruel and dangerous place where one has to learn to be tougher than the circumstances.
2) Stomp on the face of “what will people say”.
This is one of Wednesday’s most remarkable features which make her truly unique and inspiring. She represents her opinion sharply and boldly with confident body language and tone. Though she can sometimes come across as rude and sarcastic, one of her features that defines her strength is that no one can break her strong mindset. “When someone dislikes me,” she says, “I function as if I don’t care. Deep down, I secretly enjoy it.” She has been called crazy, but she does not waste a second of her life doubting herself.
3) Stand by your values.
Values guide our lives. Whether consciously or unconsciously, all actions are influenced by our values. When it comes to knowing her values, Wednesday has it all worked out. She knows who she is, and she trusts what she knows about herself. She knows exactly what she likes, and she goes for it with confidence, regardless of what people might think or say about her,
Wednesday stands up for things that she believes in. She knows her values and lives according to those values. Personal values are unique and are different for everyone. Values highlight what you stand for, they shape your beliefs and principles, and define who you are as a person. They reflect the things that are important to you, and they help you to stay rooted and grounded as you go through life. Most importantly, knowing your core values enables the building of a life that feels authentic and true to you.
4) Embrace your weirdness.
Wednesday embraces her nonconventional “weird” side and is never discouraged from being her true self. Wednesday refuses to be something she is not; she ventures out into the world showing everybody how beautiful it is to be yourself. She is an inspiration for all of us. She also reminds us that no matter how others perceive us, we can still love who we are.
5) Trust your intuition.
Everyone is born with some form of intuition, but as society introduces confusion and doubt, intuition is lost. Wednesday knows that she can trust herself and her instincts, and she proves repeatedly that this self-trust is the right path.
6) Find your tribe.
Wednesday prefers to be alone rather than in the company of those who pressure her to conform. But this does not mean that she is a loner. She comes from a tight-knit family and values loyalty. Wednesday only extends her friendship and protective care to people with similar values.
When her complete opposite, girly and cheerful Enid, accepts her no matter what, Wednesday lets her in. Once her friendship is won, we know it is complete and irreversible. Wednesday starts in the new school, determined to keep herself separate, yet by the end of the year she ends it by building a little tribe of her own. Her key is in staying true to herself.
7) Family is where you always belong.
Family is a complex story. It means different things to different people. It does not have to conform to the traditional view, but rather it means that you have a support group and people who care. The Addams family are a mix of what society would call “weird characters”, but they are close, and they love and accept each other for who they truly are. Although Wednesday acts against her parents, they still love her. Both Gomez and Morticia are concerned and saddened by her rejection, but they continuously reach out and leave their arms open for her. They do not mirror Wednesday’s negative attitude – which causes conflict – but they do not dismiss her either.
Although Wednesday stays solemn and menacing, she is kind and loyal to the people she cares for. This comes from the same place as her confidence and straightforwardness – a loving, positive, affirming home, albeit with some (possibly real) skeletons in the closet.
Despite her quirky and sometimes frightening behaviour, Wednesday provides life lessons and ways in which we can become better versions of ourselves. If we listen to some of the lessons Wednesday has to offer, we will be able to find our truth and become our best selves. What if our truth, our “weirdness”, was our superpower?
