I’m not sure where to start. I have a problem, but no one will stay long enough to hear the whole story. Once they realize who I am, they think they know who I am, and they judge me. But, there are two sides to every story.
My name is Gaston. I’m not a villain, though that's what Disney would have you think. Let me start from the beginning. Disney took everything so out of context! He was so bent on defining me as a bad guy that he didn’t think about what he was doing to me, or my reputation! See, there was a girl. She was beautiful, the only girl in the town who’s as beautiful as me. The first time I met Belle will forever be in my memory. A year before everything happened, there was talk of a new girl in town. I was intrigued, mainly at the idea of a new girl to adore me ( as I said back then I was vain). She was just walking out of a book shop and, too busy reading her new book, she ran into a lady who dropped her basket. Belle quickly set down her book to help her. I could tell right away she sincerely cared about other people. Her kindness struck me, as well as her beauty and intelligence. Every time I went into the town after that, I hoped to see her and have a chance to talk. Sadly, I didn’t see the error of my ways, as I drove her away from me with my misogynistic and haughty attitude. She repeatedly refused me, and I didn’t see why. I was raised being praised by my family for being arrogant. I was handsome, well liked, athletic, and this made me appreciated with my family and friends. It also all went to my head. I kept this idea of superiority with me as I grew up, and I was pretty oblivious of it, until Belle.
This is where the lies begin. Disney said Belle hated me, which in the beginning was true, but we worked out our differences. I finally confronted her about why she hated me. When she told me it was my personality, I refused to believe her. But, being away from her felt wrong. It… it hurt. So I decided I wanted to change. I found her, and begged for her forgiveness. She forgave me, but part of me always has wondered if she just felt bad for me but when I proposed she accepted. We were going to be married, the wedding date was set, and everything was worked out.
A few days after I proposed, Belle and her father were nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere. I figured maybe she went out of town. But another day passed and still nothing. She was skipping out on the wedding; she didn’t want to marry me. The thoughts kept running through my head. My heart was broken. So, upset, I went out with some friends. They were cheering me up, but Disney thought I was just being self-centered. Then, halfway through the night Belle’s father came rushing in claiming that she was kidnapped by a monster. Now, the version you know says we called him crazy; that he was insane and we weren’t worried about Belle. That’s not true, Maurice was crazy! This wasn’t the first time he’d claimed to see a monster in the woods outside the village or talking animals or even ghosts.
Another few days later, Belle’s father was starting to scare everyone, still raving that there was a giant beast in a castle in the forest. Finally, I decided to find him help, so I gathered some other villagers to help get him to a doctor, but he refused go and ran off. I told my trusted friend to go to his house and wait for him to show up so we could catch him and take him to an asylum. After that incident, Belle returned and of all things, told us the same story her father said. Reality hit everyone that there was a beast with the mind of a human in our area. He’d kidnapped Belle and her father, what was to say he wouldn’t do it again? So, many of us gathered to go find the beast. Disney said we were going to kill him. We were ready if that’s what was needed, but were really weren’t intending to do so.
Hours later, we finally found the castle. Disney says we busted the door down and ran right into his house. Not true! We did break in, but it’s not like we busted the door down! It was unlocked, so we just went in. It wasn't that dramatic. The next scenes however, were exactly as shown.
Once inside, we were met with a grand castle, and a bunch or random furniture laying on the floor. It was strange, but then the furniture came to life! Some sort of demons must have possessed the furniture, because suddenly it came to life and began to attack us! We were caught by surprise and so it was hard to fight back. We lost three men that night, and several more were injured, but of course, you don’t know that because Disney didn’t say anything about it.
I’ll admit, I did do some things I’m not proud of. When Belle returned to the town after being kidnapped, she insisted the beast wasn’t dangerous, but I didn’t listen. I do admit, I was jealous of the way she talked about him. She was in awe of him, and she’d never acted this way about me. I cared though! I loved her and I wanted to hurt the beast who thought he had the right to hold her captive. So I admit, I locked her in the basement of her house, but it was for her well being! I didn’t want her to get involved in any of this and get hurt. And of course at the time I didn’t think about the consequences of doing that. She somehow got out of the house, and came to the castle. Her version was she came in right as I was about to kill the beast. But he attacked me first! Of course, you probably don’t believe me, but it's true! Once I had gotten away from the ambush of the furniture, I ran up the stairs to find the beast. I found him, or rather he found me. He threw me out a window and onto the roof. I had to fight back, he was going to kill me!
Everyone blames me for my death. They said I instigated it, and that it wasn’t the beast who killed me but my own clumsiness as I tumbled off the roof. All I wanted was to make sure the village was safe, that Belle would be safe. On the roof we fought but, of course, the beast won. He was a monster, and I was just a man; I didn’t stand a chance.
When Belle rejected me, I could have given up and chosen any of the other girls in town. But I stayed committed to Belle, because I knew she was the right one for me. I admired her because she was different, and unlike everyone else, never hated her for it. I loved that she loved to read. Disney said I threw her book it the mud, when I simply dropped it on accident. Furthermore, I risked everything to go after the beast and make sure he never hurt anyone again. So imagine how I felt when I learned she was the one who told the known version of the story to Disney. Now, they think they know me. But I am not a villain.