Made of Stone (Disney song) facts for kids

"Made of Stone" (aka "Wie aus stein") is a song written for the 1999 (German) and 2014 (English) stage adaptions of Disney's 1996 animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, based on the book of the same name by Victor Hugo. It is performed by Quasimodo and the Greek chorus of gargoyles.

Synopsis

The song depicts Quasimodo at his lowest moment as he interacts with the gargoyles. It illustrates his pain and suffering, knowing that his crush Esmerelda loves another (in the German version) and knowing that his friend is about to die thanks to his actions (in the English version). In the context of this version of the musical, this song is the 11 o'clock show stopping number and "major anthem", taking place just before the finale while Quasimodo watches Esmerelda be burnt at the stake. He pleads with the gargoyles - figments of his imagination created due to loneliness - for answers. He is angry that they gave him bad and naive advice and realises that his master's words were harsh but true: the world is cruel and wicked. The gargoyles explain that while they may only be made of stone, they thought he was "made of something stronger". He defeatedly concludes that he no longer wants to know what's "out there", and wishes that he, like the gargoyles, were made of stone so he wouldn't be able to feel the pain anymore.

Quasimodo self-examines his inadequacies and misplacement of his faith. He has gone out into the world and become one of the people, but "at what cost"? By the end of the song the gargoyles turn to stone and Quasimodo is left alone to face the future on his own.