The Secret World of Arrietty

The core plot functions as a clear metaphor for the struggle of a marginalized, unseen minority, the Borrowers, living under the constant threat of a dominant population, the humans. The story highlights a class struggle and a power dynamic, where the tiny community must live in fear and secrecy. The human villain, Haru, personifies the oppressive, predatory elements of the 'big' world who seek to capture and eradicate the Borrowers like pests. However, the protagonist's ally, Shō, is a human who judges Arrietty by her character and risks his own safety to help her family, reinforcing the principle of individual merit transcending group identity.

The narrative presents the large human civilization as a destructive force that threatens the simpler, intimate existence of the Borrowers. The Borrowers must flee their constructed home, which is a place of 'Shinto-like domestic harmony,' due to the destructive curiosity and actions of the large world. The film subtly criticizes the human world's consumerism and scale by contrasting it with the sustainable, resourceful life of the Borrowers, suggesting a preference for the 'Noble Savage' trope over 'civilization.'

Arrietty is established as a tenacious, courageous, and proactive female protagonist who embodies the qualities of an emerging 'Girl Boss.' She embarks on her first borrowing mission, takes necessary risks, and is instrumental in the climactic rescue of her mother. Her father, Pod, is the established provider who gets injured and is momentarily incapacitated, while the main male friend, Shō, is passive and restricted due to his heart condition. This structure places the female character as the primary agent of action and growth relative to her immediate male counterparts. The themes are focused on her personal coming-of-age and survival, not anti-natalism or careerism.

The film focuses entirely on the adventures and survival of the small, traditional nuclear family unit. The relationship between Arrietty and Shō is a chaste, platonic friendship between a boy and a girl. No themes relating to sexual ideology, centering of alternative sexualities, or the deconstruction of the male-female pairing or the traditional family structure are present in the narrative.

The movie is a secular fantasy set in Japan, and it does not contain any criticism or demonization of traditional religion, specifically Christianity. The story focuses on objective moral themes like compassion, mutual respect, and the will to survive in the face of mortality. The narrative acknowledges the serious realities of life and death, particularly through Shō's health issues, without resorting to moral relativism or attacking a higher moral law.