Beauty and the Beast by Gaston Waters
The Beauty and the Beast is one of Charles Dickens’ most beloved books. It tells the story of how a handsome young man, Beast, arrives in a small town in England (at the time, France) after traveling through a giant hole in the ground that separates Wales and Scotland. He has a deformity that makes him look scaly on top and he has no memory of his past lives. He has been living alone in a small cottage by himself, but when a beautiful woman comes to visit, Beast becomes infatuated with her.
The Beauty and the Beast are about love and it is often said that Gaston’s love for the beautiful woman is what drove this story. In the first few pages of the book we get an idea of the kind of woman Gaston is infatuated over. She is called Mrs. Robinson and she comes from a family that appears to be very poor. This kind of background puts the reader in the position of sympathy for Beast and his plight. The way that Gaston talks about love and the process of creation in the book is impressive as well.
There are many who will disagree with me on the fact that The Beauty and the Beast are about the subject of love. It may have more to do with creating an overall atmosphere for the story. The use of slow paced, dark, and ominous music in the book is probably designed to create this mood. However, some who read the lyrics feel that the entire song is about how animals are created and how that creates a bond between man and animal. Whether or not this is true, both sides of the argument have their merits and no matter which side you are on, I highly recommend that everyone listen to and read The Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty and the Beast – The Ballad
One of the more adorable Disney Princess songs, Beauty and the Beast is a beautiful ballad about a sweet young woman’s search for her lost friend from the Beast. The story line tells us that Belle has been taken over by the Beast and becomes his intimate and most secret partner in all aspects. It also explains how the Beast can turn human emotions into food for him, as well as what it would be like to be able to eat your own soul. This song is a classic that will delight children as well as adults.
The most memorable bit of the song, however, comes after Belle is transformed by the Beast into a hideous monster. A series of odd and disturbing transformations take place, and Beauty finds herself tied to a chair as the Beast drinks her blood (and yes, this is the same drink that Belle was meant to consume at the beginning of the film). While she appears to be dead for a few moments, Belle then discovers that she can speak, and the gruesome truth about the Beast’s true nature is finally revealed…but is Beauty really dead?
The movie version of the song is quite different than what we hear in the movie. Instead of being at a dinner table discussing the events of the day, the characters in the song are splashed across the screen in splashes of blood. The lyrics tell us that Beauty has died a horrible death, but the song is also about what it means to live. It is an empowering and moving song that help us understand some of the larger themes in the story, like love and loss.
