Beauty and the Beast Analysis Essay

In August of 2009, Jaycee Lee Dugard was found alive after she had been abducted in 1991, and she was still with her original captor. Sources possess stated that Dugard had developed a case of Stockholm syndrome with the man who kidnapped her eighteen years ago. A psychiatrist named Keith Ablow stated that To maintain ones desperation and grief and rage for many years, would be too damaging to the human mind so the human mind tells itself a story about prophylactic and contentment to safeguard itself thats the essence of Stockholm Syndrome (Engel).For decades, Stockholm syndrome has made an appearance in dozens of films sometimes the entire plot focuses around it, sometimes its a vague reference. However, one instance of Stockholm syndrome that is incredibly pronounced, yet never addressed occurs in Walt Disneys Beauty and the Beast (Trousdale 1991). found on a French novel, Beauty and the Beast was critically acclaimed as being one of the best love stories ever told, as it taugh t to love what is within, instead of being consumed by vanity it was considered so successful that it was commit up the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for best picture.However, even with its critical and box office success, no one has really addressed what kind of love story Disney is promoting. The film Beauty and the Beast does not deliver a story of true love and admiration of inner beauty, but instead promotes the idea of Stockholm syndrome and falling in love with your kidnapper. When Belle goes on a quest to save her father, she ends up at a secluded castle, where she finds her father locked inside the dungeon at the top of a tower. The Beast, who rules the castle, offers to let her father go if Belle takes his place as prisoner.His reasoning for making her stay as his prisoner is his hope of making her fall in love with him (and him with her) in order to hurly burly the curse upon him, his servants, and his castle. Right there we see that the Be asts entire character motivation is focused around Stockholm Syndrome, as he is seeking to make his prisoner, who he is holding against her will, fall in love with him. He is not kind at first he roars and yells, effectively scaring the woman of his desires, and demands she follow his orders, a lot like any captor would.Belle, on the other hand, is at first adamant about keeping her distance from the Beast, even when his enchanted furniture servants attempt to convince her that hes really a good guy. Belle begins to have a change of heart after the Beast saves her from being eaten by wolvesshe was almost eaten because she was attempting to escape. Even though the Beast saves her from the mean and scary wolves by bringing her back to her place of captivity, shes so grateful for his rescue that she begins to judge that he has the potential to be good.A montage of cute interactions between the two characters then takes place, showing how the two are beginning to bond and line up so mething for one another, with barely a whisper of the fact that Belle is still being held against her will. The Beast lavishes upon her with food, music, and clothing the gracious captor even deems a huge program library in the castle to be hers, and she can access it any time she wants. How kind of him to give her full access to books inside a castle that she has no choice but to spend all of her time in.He later creates a fancy date night for the two of them (still inside the castle) that even contains dance palace dancing. He finds out she is homesick, figures out he is in love with her, and lets her go free. However, she later returns to the castle of her own free will in order to save his life. She professes her love, he turns into a handsome prince, and they live happily ever after at a castle that he now has permit to leave any time she wants.Perhaps by the end of the film Belle really did love the Beast. Even so, her love was shaped and influenced by her self-created tale of sentry duty and contentment altered opinion of him during her captivity in his castle. Disneys version of this tale of Stockholm syndrome-based love seems to contain a great moral kernel for young girls if youre held captive by a hideous monster who is vying for your affection, just go ahead and fall in love, because hell turn beautiful.Belles happy ending meant she never had to sue the beast for kidnapping, luckily for him. Its a shame real life doesnt follow Disney cartoons as lots as it should. Just ask Jaycee. Her beast is still a beast there was no prince at the end of her story. She got her freedom, yes, but no prince. Thats believably a good thing. Its definitely better that beastly captors dont change into rich and handsome men once their imprisoned physical object of desire returns their feelings the justice system would never get anything done.