What “The Hunchback Of Notre Dame” Teaches Us About Tolerance

My wife Meg and I had the opportunity to see our son Jake and a bevy of other talented actors in the recent Texas State University production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”…OK, we saw it three times over a long weekend in San Marcos, Texas. Each time we saw it, we were reminded how the themes of fairness, acceptance and tolerance from the 1400’s are very much the same in today’s political climate. For those of you who really only remember the 1996 animated Disney version of this story (like me), it’s worth re-examining how the tale of a disfigured young man and an “outsider” gypsy woman embodies all the current issues we face regarding immigration, patriotism and what it means to create a community based on diversity rather than sameness. And check your pulse if you’re not crying by the end of the show 🙂

John Young