The Little Mermaid (1989 film)/Analysis

Theme one: The unknown.
Ariel's desire to join the surface world is rooted both in her love for Eric and her fascination with humanity. Ariel is captivated by the unknown.

Triton's fear of humanity, at least on some level, a fear of the unknown. When he finds Ariel's secret collection of surface-world objects, he destroys it.

Theme two: muteness.
Ariel spends the middle third of the film completely mute. Even when she reaches the man she loves and the world she longs for, she is isolated by her silence.