Is there more to life than beauty?
Is there a love that transcends time and attractiveness?
What IS attractiveness?
These are some of the themes that we explored last night at our StoryBook Club. A group for adults only that have a children's joy de vivre!
Beauty and The Beast is a traditional French tale first published by Gabriell-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740. A time when it was breaking conventional for women to be a person on their own account and their own accord. It was actually published in a women's magazine at the time.
How do we feel about beauty in our society? Is it only those who are handsome or beautiful that have worth? Or could there be something more within? Is a person who is attractive on the outside but corrupt on the inside still a beautiful person? Is a person who got hit with a fugly stick or someone who has a disability worthwhile? Of course we all as individuals must traverse this ground if we are to see people as more than skin deep.
Beauty IS as Beauty DOES.
On the other hand, there was some notation offered, off the original topic that Belle could've actually been schizophrenic. She heard voices. She was odd. She was a victim of the Stockholm Syndrome. Maybe Gaston wasn't really a cad but was trying to save her from herself. Maybe it was all a reaction to the grandiose discrepency of distribution of wealth and a class society and her need of wanting to fit in and have more. Maybe the Beast really never changed, but her attitude did when she accepted him as her Lord and Master and became wealthy too?
Who knows?
It was all fodder for discussion and discuss it we did! And ate WELL. As usual!
Being a French tale, we devoted ourselves to the task with aplomb!
Here is our table centerpiece last night at Squirrel Haven!
Complete with Books, Teapot (Mrs. Potts and Chip :) a Rose Garden, a Magickal Rose, a mirror and Luminere! A Belle doll even graced our table too.
Our menu of delights included: Soup du Jour (Black Bean Soup), Onion Gruyere Dip with baguette, fresh French bread, Coq au vin Blanc, Quiche (Cheese Souffle :), Cream Puffs, Red wine and Tea.
Dinner was followed by a showing of Disney's classic "Beauty & The Beast" which we all watched with new and more discerning eyes :)
Next month we look at a German tale and another community of characters, and try to decipher who they are, and how they are perceived, and what they have to offer us when we discuss The Bremen Town Musicians!
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