If you had to risk your honor, your family name, and even your life to save your father, would you do it? These are the questions which drive Mulan. For much of the story, she hides what is in her heart. In a moment of introspection, Mulan says, "Maybe what I really wanted was to prove I could do things right. So, when I looked in the mirror. Id see someone worthwhile." It is a challenge we all seem to face. As one of 12 children, 9 of them brothers, it was not uncommon to look at life around me and wonder where my place was. I remember taking some of my early drawings to my mother and her telling me how good they were. Receiving this validation certainly helped me to seek to develop my abilities in art. I can relate to Mulans reflection. There are a thousand stories in Mulan, but they all come down to the passing of the sword. Everyone is paying homage to Mulan, not just for her tremendous courage but also for the strength to follow the voice within. The story of Mulan helps us see that there is real power to affect change in each of us.