Bedtime Stories

We are told many stories as girls in society where the princess must be rescued by the prince, but never when the prince needs to be rescued by the princess. Many childhood stories for young girls show women as weak and delicate, yet in the instance of Beauty and the Beast, Belle defied society's expectations. Belle was a simple girl who enjoyed reading and other activities that other women and men deemed weird. She didn't want to be locked in a world where she was just used to do the more "feminine" responsibilities of life as a housewife. This was always my favorite story since Belle was independent and vocal, doing what she wanted for herself rather than what society expected of her.

When Gaston arrived to confront the beast near the end of the story, Belle did not sit quietly and fought back for her prince. This story inspired me because it shows young girls that they don't need a guy to tell them what to do, what to wear, or to fight their battles for them. This narrative served as my childhood motivation because it showed me that no matter what society believes, you can be whoever you want to be. Men are intended to save women, but what if the ladies do not require the assistance of a man? The Beast saves Belle from the wolves who are attempting to attack her, but Belle saves the Beast from an eternity of misery by simply being herself and showing him that love may be expressed in ways other than what society considers suitable.

Many people despise this narrative since she was forced to live with the beast, although she could have left when Gaston arrived at the castle to slay the Beast if she had wanted to. This timeless tale continues to influence young girls' perceptions of who they are and what they desire in life. This narrative not only demonstrates how women can be anyone they desire, but it also teaches us from a young age not to criticize others based on their appearance. Because he was enormous and strong, Gaston, the male antagonist, was the definition of an ideal man in society's eyes. Many of the women in town wanted to be with him, but he preferred Belle because she presented a challenge. While the Beast was horrible because of the curse, Belle saw past his outward appearance and into who he was as a person.

I want to tell my children and granddaughters about this story since society still tries to convince them that they are inferior to males when this is not the fact. I want my girls to know that having a male in their lives isn't required, and that being different doesn't make you abnormal. Also, so they understand that just because someone is attractive on the exterior does not mean they are attractive on the inside. This is the terrifying element of our world: all these monsters hide behind what they appear to be on the surface, and I want my children to be aware of the dangers that wait behind anyone's mask. Children are incredibly persuasive at the age when they want to be read bedtime stories, and I feel that telling them stories about how strong they can be and how moral they can be would help them grow up to be strong and independent individuals. I hope that my daughters and their future daughters would understand that the presence of a guy is not more vital than their own happiness. I've also told this story to my younger relatives so that they may understand the value of independence as well as being kind to others, regardless of how they appear on the exterior.