Disney Princess Article: Why Belle Reads Fairytales

17

posted by hisblueeyes

The question, "Which princess do you think is the smartest?" is asked very often and every time it is asked, there are those people who pick Belle. There are the people who not only pick Belle, but comment, "Because she reads." Then, there are the people who think that is a dumb thing to say, and begin immediately saying stuff like, "She only reads fairy-tales." Every time this process has been repeated I have wanted to say something like what I am about to say, but never got the chance. So now I'm going to say it.

I think many people forget that Beauty and the Beast is not set in 2011. It isn't set in the 1950's, either. It is set a long while back, before laptops and iPad's and cars. Before gigantic bookstores with every book genre and every book title you could possibly think of. Belle lives in a small, provincial town, and the only "library" is a little bookshop with maybe two or three shelves. There aren't any trucks that come into town every week, with stacks & stacks of the newest books. No, in Belle's library, the books in there are probably the only books that are in there for months at a time. At the time Belle was alive, there also probably wasn't a Harry Potter or a Great Expectations. The only books that were probably in that library were fairy-tales. Not thin paperback fairy-tales with pictures, no, the thick, complicated, original versions of fairy-tales. Have you ever read the original version of The Little Mermaid? It's not something just anyone can read.

Another thing I think people forget is that Belle was a dreamer, a dreamer who wanted to escape her boring town. Books like Pride & Prejudice offer no escape. Fairy-tales? Now those are something. Reading books like those, of far of places, dashing sword fights & a prince in disguise were possibly Belle's only source of comfort in that town she so wanted to leave. They offered her adventure that she couldn't have. If you think that it is very childish of Belle to read such stories, put yourself in her place. Pretend that's all your library had. Pretend you need to flee where you are, but you can't, and unfortunately, Harry Potter doesn't exist yet. She also states that she's read all the books in

I'm going to end this article with the wise words of someone who has written a very fairy-tale like series himself:
Some day, you will be old enough to start reading fairy-tales again. - C.S. Lewis

Portia0623, Sparklefairy375 and 15 others like this

Swanpride Good argument - What people also tend to forget: Belle read all the books available in her little town. I really doubt that all of them were fairy tales (I'm sure that there were some philosophical excurses between them at teh very least). Yes, she picks out books with stories - but what kind of book would you rather reread, the book with the stories, or the sience book? My reading interests are very diverse, but for a reread, I would chose a story book too. And which book would you read to a someone else? A story book, naturally. Plus, you learn a lot, even if you read just stories - for example, I have never been to sea, but I know most of the nautic words because I had a thing for pirate stories for a while. Not just the made up ones, but also the real ones, which descripe parts of a ship.

sumerjoy11 Wow, this is very good! I really can relate to this article. I live in a boring town and my only escape for me is either reading or drawing. Of course, most of the things I read or draw are Diney related. People call me immature just because I still like Disney and I'm 16, but Disney helps me not only to escape the ridicule and boringness, it also helps me to dream. I never really looked at Belle from this perspective before, until I read your article.

DreamyGal You make a good point, but I disagree with what you said about Pride and Prejudice offering no escape. That is one of my favorite novels; one of the main reasons I love it is because it takes me to a different place; a place where men were gentlemen and women were ladies...the language was proper and elegant...people actually bowed to each other whenever they met. And actually for the longest time I have thought that Belle and the Beasts relationship is very similar to Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.

hisblueeyes ^Oh, I love Pride and Prejudice too, it's one of my favorite books. I just thought it wouldn't offer Belle much escape, because it might make her feel like her town is even more provincial - reading about such elegant towns.

Swanpride I think Pride and Predudice wouldn't mean much to Belle, because it carricates a society, Belle knows next to nothing about. We can understand the "jokes" and the critizism in the book, because we have enough second source material to understand it, but I'm not sure if that would apply to Belle, too.

DreamyGal Well, we all have our opinions, I think Belle would've liked it...especially the romance.

princesslullaby ^I think Belle would've like it a lot too. I don't remember where in the movie it says Belle read every book in the library. I know she says "Have you got anything new?" But that doesn't mean she read every book on the shelf. Maybe only the ones that interested her ran out, so she's hoping for a new one. I know quite a few stupid people who read a lot, and I know quite a few smart people who rarely read. I'm not entirely sure Belle reading thick fairy-tales is a concrete argument that she's smart. And I really doubt Belle would read philosophical books, not that she's not smart enough, I don't see it particularly interesting to her. I understand why Belle reads fairy-tales, I never found it frivolous of her to do so. But I think when people comment saying "Belle is smart because she reads" it is a poor argument, but what aggravates me is when people say Belle is the SMARTEST princess because she reads. Throughout the movie, I find Belle to be an intelligent, capable person, but she doesn't do anything extraordinarily genius. She has a sensible set of smarts, but I don't find her to be the most clever or the smartest.

hisblueeyes ^I completely agree, I'm not saying she's the smartest, and I do think "because she reads" is a stupid argument. But I also think saying "she only reads fairytales" is a stupid thing to say when your trying to tell people Belle isn't the smartest one. That's what this article is about.

princesslullaby My guess is Belle does only read mainly fairy-tales, but the occasional other genre. But yeah, I don't see how reading fairy-tales would give an indication of intelligence either way.

KataraLover I love that Belle reads fairy-tales and it's one of the reasons I like her. But I just don't think that sayings she's the smartest just because she reads, fairy-tales aren't meant to be educational, they're meant to make us happy. I don't think she's that smart. But I do know how she feels, I like to read my fairy-tales and other books to escape the stupidity of my town.

MrsEmmaPeel I love your article. I agree 100% and this is how I feel about Belle as well. I'm glad to see someone written an article on it. Great job.

Swanpride @princesslullaby Believe me, when you're addicted to books you will read anything you get your hands on. Since Belle doesn't has the luxury we have, she can't afford to be choosy. But yeah, I don't think that she is necessarily the smartest - there is first Mulan (who seems to be some sort of genius at times), then Rapunzel (who seems to be multitalented) and then Belle - but not because she happens to read (though it does play a part in it), but because she outsmarts Gaston (admittingly an easy thing to do), Cogsworth and Lumiere, and has the ability to beat the beast with words quite easily.

princesslullaby I don't think Rapunzel is all that smart, she makes a lot of dumb decisions. But, it depends on what kind of smart you think is the smartest. And I still think Jasmine is very smart, although lately I've knocked her down to #2 for a couple of less-than-smart things.

Swanpride I don't think that Rapunzel makes dumb decision, not when you consider the information she bases the decision on. It's easy to say that you would know better when you see the whole picture, but the question is, would you be as smart as she is in her situation? First outwitting Eugene (who isn't stupid himself), forcing him to bring her to the lights, and later figuring out Mother Gothel on her own? The only dumb thing she does is not keeping an eye on her, but that's the woman she has known as her loving mother her whole life. But I'm also impressed that she studied astronomy and chartered stars on her own. Jasmine on the other hand - well, she says that she is a fast learner, but if that's true, how did she manage to walk across the market without picking up on the simple concept of "you have to pay for what you take"? Why doesn't she pick up on the fact that it's nearly impossible that Aladdin was already killed when she reaches Jafar, and totally impossible that he was killed for kidnapping her, since nobody know that she even was with him? (and why doesn't she stay close to him to make sure that he is okay?) Why doesn't she notice Jafar hypnotising her father - Aladdin picks up on it nearly immediatly. For someone as cunning as her, she isn't perceptive at all!(And face-blind, but that seems to be some sort of desease in that movie).

ivebeendreaming I agree 100% with this article. I actually only read fairytales. It truly is an escape from everyday life. And I think I live in a pretty boring town. There's nothing magical about it. I miss living in New Jersey where there were big romantic victorian houses everywhere and real trees. Now I live in Arizona in the middle of the desert. There's no snow, no magic, and I don't really like any of the guys here. Everything is stereotypical and a year behind in fashion. Everyone acts the same (within their social groups) so there's no creativity. In fact, a lot of people are pretty judgmental when it comes to differences. Most people wear Abercrombie and Hollister tops with jeans and Vans or Toms every day. Even the Emos and Scenes are all exactly the same. I remember on the first day of 8th grade a few years ago I dressed up. And when I say "dressed up" I was wearing a babydoll style top with a skirt and leggings. The few friends I had at the time asked me why I was so dressed up. At least I'm a little different. But I feel like Belle most of the time. I have friends but most of them are like everyone else.

princesslullaby ^SEE? NEW JERSEY IS A MAGICAL, WONDERFUL LAND <3

hisblueeyes ^...I never said it was bad.

princesslullaby ^....I never said that you said that...??

heathersvan I agree with you that Belle's reading was the only place she could escape to her dreams, but I don't think that makes her any smarter. Nice article, though! Lot's of thought put it.

heathersvan @ivebeendreaming: YES! New Jersey is amazing! I love it around here ^_^

pretty_angel92 you have a good point, i read tons of fairytales and i actually consider myself a smart person. i just find it stupid how people's explanation is always "oh, she reads". that doesn't mean anything. i know a lot of people who likes to read but they're still pretty dumb. and it's frustrating to see belle always winning these kind of picks(with the exception of mulan), when rapunzel doesn't and she also reads. so what's the explanation now? simple, most of them are just being biased. i'm not saying that rapunzel makes smarter decisions, but she certainly seems to know more about general culture. she reads about botany, geology, math...

PrincessAyeka12 100% Agree with you! Reading this made me realise I'm so much like Belle.

magicfairydust Love this article! and yes, you make a very good point. :D

FlightofFantasy Good article! I never understand why adults who read fairy tales are looked down upon. I love fairy tales, always have. They are what got me into reading, into fantasy, into mythology. They were the first books I was able to read on my own, without help. Basically, they helped shape who I am. I'm now in my 20s and am a proud, unabashed fairy tale fan. I'm a fan of the "original" fairy tales (although it's basically impossible to say what the original version of any folk tale is) and of Disney's fairy tales, and I always will be. Is it a form of escapism? Yes. So is any fiction. There's nothing wrong with that. And yet adults who still love fairy tales are treated as if they're naive, or idiots, or children. I've found you actually get a lot more out of fairy tales when you revisit them as an adult. You pick up on things you never did as a child. Some might be negative (sexism, racism, etc.), but even that presents a fascinating opportunity to learn about the culture and society of the time. After all, fairy tales are really mirrors that reflect the cultural attitudes of their time. That's why they change over time, because societal attitudes change over time. What was once acceptable is now unacceptable. What was once unacceptable is now acceptable. Fairy tales are not only beautiful and magical, they are also a great learning experience and a way to introduce you to different cultures, peoples and historical periods. There's nothing childish or immature about that.

16

The Power Of Friendship (Chapter 18)

posted by mhs1025

Late that night, Merida snuck out of the house to mail the letter. She had to do it quick because of 2 reasons. 1. Soldiers were out. 2. Mulan would be a nervous wreck if she knew Merida was gone. She slipped the letter in the mail carrier and got out of the post office area ninja-style. "PLEASE get to Scotland!" she silently prayed. The young archer started walking slower as she got closer to the house.

"Be as quiet as possible!" Merida told herself. Just as she was heading back to her room, she heard a noise. She hid a muffled scream. As she gathered up the guts and headed towards the sound,...

The Power Of Friendship (Chapter 3)

posted by mhs1025

Merida had just come back from an archery match and went to her room. She plopped down on her bed, the fatigue slowly leaving her body. She thought about her friendship with Pocahontas and Mulan. *I wonder when I'll be able to see them.* she thought. Shang suddenly entered her mind. *I don't know why he hates me!* she quietly told herself. *John's right. It'll take some time for him to warm up to me.* she thought.

Maudi came into the room. "You got a letter from your friend." she said. "Thank you Maudi." Merida thanked as Maudi exited the room. Merida opened the letter. "From Pocahontas. Probably...

3

Anna's Typical Day

posted by snsdlover4ever

I woke up like this... FLAWLESS

I decided to make a parody based off of For the First Time in Forever. Hope you like it!

Anna:
"Ugh, I have to get ready..." *sees 7:45 A.M.*
"Oh, I'm gonna be late for work!"

Why can't I just
Open this door
And not have to go work anymore?
Because I'm just going to clean the leftover plates!
For years, I've been working with little pay.
Why can't I just go out and play?
How long will I have to wait for this sweet day?

No more taking orders from people.
It'll be totally strange.
Wow, am I so ready for this change!

Cause for the first time in forever,
I can just relax and have fun!
For the first time in forever,...

1

disney princess

added by MJ_Fan_4Life007

Source: tumblr

disney princess

added by MJ_Fan_4Life007

2

Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams

added by cynti19

Source: disneyscreencaps

1

Hercules and Ariel

posted by amandajh

Hello fellow fanpoppers! This is a short article but about something a lot of people do not even realize!As we know, Hercules' father is Zeus. Well, Zeus' brother happens to be Poseidon. Poseidon was blessed with a son named Triton. Some of you are going wait a minute....... well,for those who haven't got it yet, Triton is Ariel's father! So that makes Hercules and Ariel first cousins!!!! I guess that explains all the red hair! I thought that was interesting and thought i'd share! Thank you for hangin' in with my greek mythology lesson!

Love,
Dedicated and HUGE DISNEY FAN!
Amandajh
<3
Have a zippidy doo dah day!

EmilyNYC Presents : It's STORY TIME! #1.Mulan's unexpected TOUR

posted by EmilyNYC

It was really very difficult for Mulan to live in China,her own country only.You know,the Huns problem and all that.But what will happen when Mulan will go to Agrabah.And that to accidentally!!Find it out by reading the story coz its STORY TIME!
_____________________________________

OMG!I have no idea where I am!It doesn't look like China.Its something different.Its an another country!WOW!A country I don't even know!And a country where Mandarin is not spoken!Oh my goodness!Its Arabic written everywhere!What I will do?What I will do in a place which I don't even know!

I'm Mulan. You maybe knowing...

3

Alexandra and the Princesses Part 3

posted by sweetie-94

In the last part Alexandra, Erica, Rapunzel, Flynn and Pascal left the tower and met Maximus. Now they've just arrived to the castle where Rapunzel was born and Rapunzel now has braided hair so that she dosen't trip with her hair!

After Rapunzel got her hair fixed they decided to go around and see what they where selling at the markets and they bought apples, cupcakes and much more. Than Rapunzel noticed a picture of a queen and king holding a baby and a pair of girls that laied flowers in a fountain.
-This for the lost princess, one of them said.

Rapunzel thought the girl looked similar to her...

3

Melody's Nanny Chapter 14

posted by faya27

Chapter 14

A few days went by as the same routine. Ariel takes Melody to school, runs errands for Eric, picks up Melody from school, feeds Melody dinner, and tucks her in bed, while Eric comes home from work. On her first day-off on Sunday before leaving with Andrina for church, Eric had given Ariel her first salary. Ariel had thanked him very generously for her reward. She blushed as she remembered hugging him tenderly that day. Was she allowed to hug her boss? Maybe a handshake would have been proper? Gee, she hoped her boss wasn't mad? Was he?

Today's Thursday and Ariel was trying to find...

3

Melody's Nanny Chapter 13

posted by faya27

Chapter 13

Later at 8pm, when Eric walked out the office, he only wondered one thing. How am I going to tell Melody? I don't want to disappoint her. But I don't want to disappoint my boss, either! Despite Roy's answer, he thought of asking Walt anyway. No, it would not make much a difference. Eric know how loyal Walt is to the Red Rabbit Company-after all, he was the one who built it. Walt would say the same answer. He sighed dejectedly, got inside his jeep, and drove away. Little did he know, two pairs of yellow eyes were watching him, behind from a silver Saturn.

"He just left the building,...

2

Jeannette Thomas: Secret Disney Spy, Part Three

posted by Candy77019

When I reached the parking lot, a shiny black convertible waited for me at the curb.
"Hello, beautiful," it greeted in a British accent.
I staggered back. "A talking car?!"
"Oh, don't fuss, love. Anything's possible." The driver door opened automatically.
I climbed inside and put my hands on the wheel. "This is sooo much better than my pickup truck."
The car made a disgusted sound. "Pickup trucks. Disgusting things. It should've been a crime to invent them."
"By the way, what's your name?" I asked as I started the car.
"You may call me Car. Simple." He sounded smug.
Let's see what else this...

1

Disneyville High School part 1 First day of school and English class

posted by MadameLee

One day last week a new girl came to the Disneyville High School. Her name is Cindy. She and her step family had just moved to Orlando from Disney Town California. Her dad died in a fire to get Cindy’s stepmother (Fiona Tremaine) and stepsisters (Drizella and Anastasia) out in their old town. She has reddish-blond hair blue eyed, and attractive looking girl.

Ms Porter, a young brown hair and blue eyed women, asked is there an Ella Tremaine here? Cindy raised her hand “I prefer Cindy to Ella, Ms. Porter.”

A blond hair who has brown eyed said “Hi Cindy, I’m Rose”
A brown-hair, brown...

5

Every happy ending has a new Beginning: Chapter two

posted by THEDisneyFreak

"Adam, could you come over here please?" Belle paced back and forth in front of a mirror hanging on the wall, biting her lip unsure if she were daydreaming again or if this was a crazy reality. Adam made his way to Belle avoiding all the books, to be exact thirty-one, laid out on the floor from Belle's mid day reading, "Belle, what do you need?" Belle opened her mouth to speak, but nothing had come out, she realized explaining everything to her prince would take a long time for nothing. She'd just be sent to bed with a headache. "I just...never mind. Could I be alone please with this mirror,...

1

Why The Little Mermaid is the Best Remake

added by KataraLover

video

disney

princess

disney princess

the little mermaid

ariel

halle bailey

2

Disney Prince/Princess/Non list in my opinion

posted by Jordan67

Underrated Disney Movie List:
1. The little Mermaid
2.Tangled
3.Sleeping Beauty
4.Beauty and The Beast
5.Cinderella
6.Princess and The Frog
7.Snow White
8.Brave
9. Pocahontas
10.Mulan

Underrated Disney Princes/Guys:
1.Prince Eric
2.Prince Phillip
3.Flynn Rider
4.Prince Naveen
5.Tarzan
6.Hercules
7.Prince Charming
8.Aladdin
9.Li Shang
10.Prince Adam/Beast
11.The Prince
12.John Smith

Underrated Disney Princess/Girl:
1.Ariel
2.Belle
3.Aurora
4.Rapunzel
5.Chel
6.Megara
7.Gizelle
8.Cinderella
9.Jasmine
10.Tiana
11.Pocahontas
12.Mulan

Very Pretty Disney Princess/Girls:
1.Sofia The First
2.Ariel
3.Belle
4.Aurora
5.Aunt Cass
6.Rapunzel
7.Cinderella...

My Favorite Disney Princess Sequel/Prequel Outfits Part 2 28-18

posted by bluerose777

28. Mulan purple dress
27. Mulan green dress
26. Mulan wedding dress
25. Jasmine in Snow White dress
24. Jasmine in Cinderella dress
23. Jasmine South America outfit
22. Pocahontas dress with cloak
21. Pocahontas dress without cloak
20. Jasmine pink outfit with cloak
19. Jasmine wedding dress
18. Ariel childhood bra

My Favorite Disney Princess Outfits-Part 3 Places 40-31

posted by bluerose777

40. Cinderella pink hand-made dress
39. Cinderella night gown
38. Cinderella maid outfit
37. Tiana royal dress
36. Tiana nightgown
35. Jasmine purple dress
34. Mulan casual dress
33. Merida childhood dress
32. Merida casual dress
31. Moana childhood dress

1

Cinderella

added by jlhfan624

Source: Disney

Princess Ariel

added by belle_ami