Senior Level for Readers [AL]
[WF]: Writing Festival, [CV]: Class Video, [TP]: Teacher's Party
Teacher: Mike
Inner Beauty in “Beauty and the Beast”
Have you ever seen any Disney princess movies such as "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," or "Snow White"? Many children watch these movies and love them, including me. Well, of all the Disney movies, my favorite is “Beauty and the Beast”. I like this movie because it teaches us about inner beauty.
Many Disney princesses are the prettiest girls in the movies. For example, in "Snow White," there is an envious queen who is jealous of Snow White’s beauty. Eventually, the Queen decides to kill Snow White because Snow White is prettier than her. Of course, Snow White is pretty as well as kind, but the movie is more focused on her outer beauty. It’s the same in "Sleeping Beauty" and "Cinderella," the princes fall in love with the princesses just because of appearance. However, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a little different compared to the others. The Beast falls in love with Belle because of her beautiful mind.
According to the story, Belle’s father was captured by the Beast and, in order to bring him home, she decides to live in the Beast’s castle in exchange for her father. The Beast looks ugly and scary but, as the movie progresses, Belle falls in love with him despite his ugly appearance.
Nowadays social interests are focused on outer beauty instead of inner beauty. We can easily find this narrative in the Disney movies I mentioned before. Many children grow up with the idea that princesses must be pretty and, if so, they will get the awesome prince. Like movies, TV programs are also focused on outer beauty. Most TV stars are pretty or handsome. They also must have a nice body. So, many teenagers and ordinary people make the conclusion that outer beauty is very important.
Therefore, most people want to be pretty or handsome like the stars they see in movies or on TV. Some women feel the need to have plastic surgery or go on diets and men work out to have a nice body. But this mentality has caused a lot of social problems, such as bullying people who are ugly, and has created a hierarchical society according to people’s looks.
I think we should make more movies and TV programs similar to "Beauty and the Beast" which are focused on inner beauty. Although the main character may not be pretty or handsome, children can be taught about the importance of inner beauty.
Discussion questions:
Tell me what you understood from the story!
1. The writer told us that most Disney princesses were very pretty. What do you think they are so extremely pretty in these movies?
2. Some Disney movies also try to underline the importance of inner beauty, even though the princess is very pretty. Can you explain it in the case of 'Snow White'?
3. Why do you think outer beauty is so important in our society?
Inner Beauty in the “Beauty and the Beast”
Have you seen a Disney princess movie such as "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty", or "Snow White"? Many children watch these movies and love them, including me. Well, of all the Disney movies, my favorite is “Beauty and the Beast”. I like this movie because it teaches us about inner beauty.
Many Disney princesses are the prettiest girl in the movie. For example, in Snow White there is an envious Queen who is jealous of Snow White’s beauty. Eventually, the Queen decides to kill Snow White because Snow White is prettier than her. Of course, Snow White is pretty as well as kind, but the movie is more focused on her outer beauty. It’s the same in "Sleeping Beauty" and "Cinderella", the princes fall in love with the princesses just because of appearance. However, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a little different compared to the others. The Beast falls in love with Belle because of her beautiful mind.
Belle’s father was captured by the Beast and, in order to bring him home, she decides to live in the Beast’s castle in exchange for her father. The Beast looks ugly and scary but, as the movie progresses, Belle falls in love with him despite his ugly face.
Nowadays social interests are focused on outer beauty instead of inner beauty. We can easily find this narrative in the Disney movies I mentioned before. Many children grow up with the idea that princesses must be pretty and, if so, they will get the awesome prince. Like movies, TV programs are also focused on outer beauty. Most TV stars are pretty or handsome. They also must have a nice body. So, many teenagers and ordinary people make the conclusion that outer beauty is very important.
Therefore, most people want to be pretty or handsome like the stars they see in movies or on TV. Some women feel the need to have plastic surgery or go on diets and men work out to have a nice body. But this mentality has caused a lot of social problems, such as bullying people who are ugly, and has created a hierarchical society according to people’s looks.
I think we should make more movies and TV programs similar to "Beauty and the Beast" which are focused on inner beauty. Although the main character may not be pretty or handsome, children can be taught about the importance of inner beauty.