Lessons I Learned from Beauty and the Beast
Everyone deserves kindness and respect.
I have watched the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast many times. The first time I watched it was with my only grandniece. It was her favorite movie. She is 17 years old now so it was a cartoon when we watched it together. I only watched it because she loved it and I guess I never really paid much attention to the storyline. I can vividly remember her being very young, probably about three or so, and we were having a sleep over at my house. Of course, we had popcorn and she enthusiastically sang along with all the songs. She knew not only the songs by heart but the words to the movie as well. I think I was more impressed with all she had memorized at such a young age than I was with the movie. By the time the movie was released in 2017 starring Emma Watson, my niece was 13 years old and moved to another state. I thought it would be nice to take her to the movies to see it since we spent so many times when she was young watching the cartoon together. Unfortunately, that did not work out so instead I went to see the movie with my sister. Again, I enjoyed it but never thought about the deeper meaning of it. Yes, the most obvious lesson is that, beauty is only skin deep. I did pick up that much but recently I watched it again because I couldn't sleep and I was searching for a fun, more upbeat movie to watch during this depressing time in the world.
Laying in bed at 1 a.m. watching the movie version of Beauty and the Beast, my mind wondered off and I thought to myself there really are quite a few lessons I can learn from this movie. I am not sure but maybe I am way late to the game and everyone else in the world who watched this movie picked up on these lessons a long time ago. I wouldn't be surprised at all if my niece already learned these lessons. The first lesson I learned was at the very beginning when the prince was at that extravagant ball. He was an arrogant jerk. He had all the money and possessions in the world but he treated the people around him terribly. Yes, he was dancing with many of the women in the scene but he was just using them going from one woman to the next. Not treating any person with dignity and respect. It was all about him. He was a beast even though he had not yet actually turned into "The Beast". Secondly, when the woman appeared who was seeking shelter from the storm, he laughed and made fun of her because of her appearance. Of course, the other people at the ball joined in because he was the prince and acted like a bully. We all know how that goes...follow the bully or be bullied yourself. However, that poor woman was not who she appeared to be. She offered the prince that red rose which represented beauty but he didn't accept it and instead threw it to the ground. So he had to learn the lessons the hard way...and turn in to a beast. All those beautiful women and everyone around he went running. He was no longer a handsome prince but a beast who nobody wanted to be around anymore. His servants really had no choice because they were now inanimate objects (who of course could walk and talk!) and they yearned to return to their human form. They wanted to return to their lives and families. But they still had affection for that arrogant, self-centered prince.
The lesson that "beauty is only skin deep" was front and center in this movie. After all, Belle, the beautiful young village girl, fell in love with the Beast! She was smart enough to realize that there was much more to him than his beastly looks and actions. Of course, we all know how it ended..."happily ever after". The spell was broken by the love Belle and the Beast had for each other and all those people who had been turned into "things" returned to being human and were reunited with their loved ones. I made the mistake of thinking Disney cartoons were simply entertainment for children but now I know better. This movie really does have an underlying meaning that everyone can learn from...every human being deserves to be treated with kindness and dignity regardless of appearance or position in life. I will never underestimate the meaning of a Disney movie again, that's for sure!
About the Creator
Margie Anderson
Retired attorney from Pennsylvania.
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