A Treatise on Belle

 Reposted from FB from 09JUL09

A Treatise of Belle

I'm quite certain that some of my readers will wonder why in the world I am writing about this particular subject.  The subject was brought up in class the other day and I've been thinking about it--off and on. The subject, you ask? The Disney movie, 'Beauty and the Beast.'

One of my classmates (whom I like very much, by the way--just in case you are the phantom reader who reports my posts) mentioned her dislike for this particular movie. In her opinion, it is a terrible movie for young girls to watch because it teaches them several bad lessons and because some bad things happen in it.

For example:

a) A young girl is imprisoned by someone throughout most of the film.

b) Her love 'saves' him in the end.

c) Several other things that I can't remember cos It has been about two weeks since we had this conversation.

I will admit that I can see from where some of her concern comes. It is kind of a dangerous lesson that-if you love someone--they will change their bad behavior.  Most of the time, that doesn't happen. However, I think there are several great lessons and examples from this film. They are:

a) Belle is intelligent--a reader, and thinks for herself. These facts are evidenced by the fact that she sees beyond the conventionally good-looking veneer of Gaston, and she sees his ugliness.  Later, though she is scorned by many people in her town because of it, she rejects him because he is not the kind of man with whom she wants to spend her life. She wants someone who will love her for both her beauty AND her brains. Gaston is only interested in her beauty, and--in fact--encourages her not to think too much.

b) Belle is selfless. This fact is evidenced by the fact that--though she sees the horrible beast with whom she will have to spend the rest of her life--she stays in the castle to take her father's place because he is sick and needs medical care. Add to this the fact that she assumes that she will have to spend the rest of her life in the dungeon because that is where she finds her father.  The fact that the Beast allows her to live in a comfortable room in a four-poster bed with a talking wardrobe--well, that is just a fringe benefit. She does not know the situation will change when she decides to take her Daddy's place.

c) She sees beyond the ugliness of the Beast into the beauty of his character which he EVENTUALLY develops. Most people will not look beyond the ugly or the fat or the disfigured to see the beauty of the real person underneath. Belle really should get some credit her. Additionally, it was another fringe benefit that he turned into a cartoon hunk just after the last rose petal fell. She was willing to accept him as he was--hair and all.

d) You know, I was thinking that very few people change without the influence of someone else. So, I'm not really sure Belle's love saved the Beast, anyway. I just think he was influenced by her gentler nature. He saw an example of the kind of person he would rather be, so his attitude changed. With that change of attitude, Belle was able to see what was underneath his ugly exterior and fell in love. In the end, however, no matter how great an influence one person is, the other person will NOT truly change unless that person WANTS to change. Someone can wish and hope and plan and dream that the one they love will change, but their loved one wont' change unless he wants to do so. That is a fact. Plain and simple.

Just a few thoughts, my peeps, in defense of Belle and the general message of the movie. By the way, none of this was meant in any sort of aggressive or angry way. I'm just expressing my feelings. I hate to have to add that sort of proviso, but it seems I am misinterpreted by most of the people with whom I've come in contact lately. It is a little frustrating.