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Remember Johnny Lingo? I recall as a youth convincing our sunday school teacher to skip their lesson to let us watch it. I remember rooting for Mahana as she faced the villagers snarky remarks. I remember thinking how handsome Johnny Lingo looked in that toga. And who could forget when Mahana revealed herself at the end of the movie as the eight cow woman she truly was. On the surface, it appears to be the tender story of a wealthy polynesian trader who boost’s his wife’s confidence by purchasing her hand in marriage for eight cows, instead of the typical three or four. That’s nice and all, but it never seemed quite enough for me; why did the church produce this movie? It seems like the butt of every church film joke. Is the message really as shallow as a person’s worth being what other people enumerate it to be?
For years, I thought this was just a cute love story about self worth, but then I realized that this story is a great parable for Christ’s love. Let me set this up for you. Johnny arrives to Mahana’s door to discuss her dowery with her father, Moki. Moki doesn’t expect much from Johnny for his homely daughter but knows that he has great wealth. He asks Johnny for three cows for his daughter in the hopes he would settle for at least one. The interested villagers observing the negotiations burst into laughter, knowing it’s a ridiculously high price for such a skinny, ugly wife. Johnny silences the crowd and responds to Moki; “Three cows is many, but not enough for my Mahana! I will give eight cows for Mahana.” The villagers were stunned! Eight cows? No one had heard of such a high price for a wife! True to his word, Johnny brings the eight cows to Moki’s door and takes Mahana to wife. Later, the villagers are shocked to see the transformation of Mahana at the side of the great Johnny Lingo. She is beautiful, radiant, and always smiling. She is the perfect partner for the great trader. Johnny later remarks that he wanted a wife that knew she was worthwhile. He recognized the potential in Mahana but wanted her to recognize her own self worth.
Wait a second. So he bought his wife for a super high price and that is what made her feel good about herself? I wouldn’t call myself a feminist but that’s a little much for me. Thankfully, the message isn’t that the worth of a woman is dependent upon what a man is willing to give for her. I think the meaning goes deeper than even the filmmakers had intended. Let’s say that Mahana represents each of us on the Earth. The villagers represent the narrow perspective of the world. Moki represents the natural man who brings us down and is focused on selfish things. Johnny can represent the Savior, who bought us with a high price to help us realize our potential.
Our Savior loved us so much, that even in our ugly fallen state he was willing to purchase us for an unimaginable price. He did it so He could show us just how precious we are to Him. Johnny said, “I wanted Mahana to be more than happy; I wanted her to be an eight cow wife.” The Savior as well atoned for our sins so that we could obtain happiness in this life, but more than happiness, Jesus Christ wanted us to become heirs of the Kingdom of God. “Many things can happen to make a woman beautiful,” continues Johnny, “but the thing that matters most is what she thinks of herself.” In the same way many things can happen to help someone progress, but what matters most is that we each understand our own individual worth and divine potential. He wanted us to recognize our worth so we could realize that potential, and he did that by paying the highest price. Christ’s Atonement is the driving force of our progression, and if we didn’t have Him we would still be the “ugly”, obscure girl hiding out in that tree. It is Christ who can make us into the beautiful and happy spirits He wants us to be.
I am so grateful that the church produced this movie because it really has brought me a better understanding of Christ’s love for me. So the next time you watch this short little story or hear someone comment on Johnny Lingo, I hope you can feel the love your Savior has for you. I hope you can remember His great Atonement, and the incredibly high price He paid for you, and I hope you feel like an eight cow person.
If you want to watch Johnny Lingo it’s available for free on YouTube and on the Mormon Channel. Their version also has interesting facts about the film you may not have heard before.
Comments
19 responses to “The Message You Might Have Missed in Johnny Lingo”
I learned at 40 that I was a 10 cow woman thanks to the man that taught me the Gospel. And I am forever grateful.
I don’t think it had to do with what a man pays is what makes a woman worthwhile. It’s more about basic human psychology. Mahana was so beaten down by constant criticism that she had come to believe that she wasn’t worth anything. That can happen to anybody, female or not. Johnny was only doing the best he could to help her see her own intrinsic worth, that he ALREADY saw in her long before cows became involved.
And yeah, the Christ analogy is also awesome. 🙂
Very well done. It’s good to see the more meaningful side of what Johnny Lingo represents. Christ changes our hearts, which in turn changes us.
Um, nice try.
I’m glad to see this written out–it was I always thought the story was actually about and wondered why no one ever brought that symbolism out. Maybe because it’s story usually shown to kids? and back in the day when it was made, we tended to think that kids couldn’t handle deep doctrine? (my how things have changed–thank goodness!) Thanks for writing this–it is a great story!
Your insight is beyond profound. You were truly inspired. I understood the principle, but could never put it into words until now. Thank you.
When this film came out, it was very well known that it was about Christ’s Atonement and our worth to Him and Heavenly Father. I remember many discussions about this.
I loved this film as a child. I even showed it a few times on my mission to amuse myself! On the surface it could be viewed as a superficial appraisal of the value of a human being. The Saviour views each of us as having a high value. This is not based on surface values but what makes us who we are. As a husband and father. My wife is beyond price; so are my children, my grand children and great grand children.
Thank you for your thoughts on Johnny Lingo. I will be saving these notes for thoughts to share with my grandaughters. Thank you again.
When I was studying elementary education, we were given an assignment to make a presentation about increasing self-esteem. I showed the class “Johnny Lingo.” I thought everyone got the point … but one of the coeds asked — in front of everybody — “Do you think a high-class prostitute gets the same feeling?”
Very nice, insightful comment.
However, there is another message that I’m sure is unintended by the movie and is potentially unhealthy, and that is that we have the power to transform our spouse. “Just treat them as you want them to become, and they will become that.” I think the movie, if it is shown, needs to have that disclaimer – don’t go into a marriage thinking you’re going to reform your spouse. A lot of marital conflict and disappointment is caused by that notion. Take your spouse as they are.
What an awesome way to look at it… I love that analogy! Thank you for sharing it!
Beautiful reminder. Thank you. One of my mission companions and I showed this filmstrip quite a lot in one of my areas (back in the day we had filmstrips & projectors) and would relate it to the atonement, having been purchased at such a high price and the love of our Savior. The lesson brought several of the people we taught to tears and helped them feel the Spirit and Our Savior’s unconditional love for them as children of The Most High.
Sandy! I actually made this realization on my mission watching it for a family home evening on a filmstrip. Thank you for sharing your experience!
I am a later-in-life convert, as is my beloved eternal companion.
Some years ago, we were visiting her sister. Apropos of nothing, the sister asked “What is ‘an eight-cow wife’?”
“I’m glad you asked that!” I exclaimed. A few minutes later, I played the videodisc. “That’s what ‘an eight-cow wife’ is,” I explained.
She promptly turned to her husband and asked “Am I an eight-cow wife?”
Really? I thought it was about the Atonement the first time I saw it when I was about 12. I’m surprised that others don’t see that right away and I am annoyed when people make fun of it.
The 8 cows Johnny paid for Mahana have been replaced by a large and costly engagement ring. A woman who wears a big rock on her wedding ring finger seems to have more status than those with a small one
I love your profound and inspired and meaningful insight Stephanie!
I saw that deeper meaning in the story the first time I watched it. It’s such a beautiful message, Christ feels we are ALL worth whatever price he needed pay to redeem us. Love this story!