7 Timeless Lessons from Beauty & the Beast


With a dreamy far off look, and her nose stuck in a book. . . It’s no fable that I relate to Belle on many levels. Even more so as I grow older. Her love for literature is one thing we have in common. 😉

I rewatched Beauty & the Beast (1991 version) recently, and I fell in love with it all over again.

Disney blew me away by the beauty and rawness of the story. Something I’d forgotten it possessed.

Furthermore, I found a few invaluable lessons in this tale as old as time. ✨

1) Don’t Judge a Book By its Cover

“She warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.”

~ Narrator, Beauty & the Beast ~

The deception of looks is a strong theme in this film. The surface of a person is not what matters, it’s the inside that counts.

Take Gaston, for instance. The handsome, narcissistic jerk who fancies Belle, and attempts to sweep her off her feet. Belle, unlike the blind girls in her town, sees past his attractive exterior to his rotten core and coolly deflects his attentions.

Why Beauty and the Beast Can Change Your Life - Stuart McDonald ...

Then, there’s the Beast. From the beginning, he’s cursed for his bitter heart and proud nature. The enchantress transforms the prince into a monster–a reflection of his soul.

No one imagines that any virtue can hide beneath his layers of melancholy. That is, until Belle comes along. Belle is able to overlook both men’s deceiving facades and perceive their true character. The character radiating from within.

2) Stand Out from the Crowd

“She’s nothing like the rest of us. Yes, different from the rest of us is Belle!”

~Townspeople, Beauty & the Beast~

In the movie’s opening scene, Belle strolls through the town, amidst the frequent shouts of ‘bonjour’ and remarks of Belle’s strangeness. Though seemingly oblivious, it’s later depicted that she does notice how different she is from the townspeople. Yet, despite her individuality, she does not alter herself to fit in. She chooses the road less traveled.

In spite of the apparent oddness of her pastimes, she continues to read. Brushing off others’ nags like dust.

Related image
I can’t get over his gloves.

Later, when she returns to the village to rescue her father, she challenges Gaston’s view of the Beast. She defends the Beast, despite the harsh opposition she receives from the town. Belle’s not bothered by others’ opinions of her.

3) Love Sacrifices

“I let her go. . . Because I love her.”

~The Beast, Beauty & the Beast~

Beauty & the Beast is a story of sacrificial love. ❤

Belle takes the place of her father, sacrificing her liberty and longing for adventure. By freeing him, she chains herself to an unknown future. But she does it willingly.

The Beast recognizes this, and later, once his character develops, he mirrors her action. At the moment when he is so close to securing her love, he frees her from imprisonment, allowing her to leave to find her father.

He is inches away from lifting the curse, yet he allows her to go. Therefore showing that he has learned to love someone more than himself.

4) Gentleness is Undervalued

A characteristic of Belle’s that stuck out to me is her gentleness. She faces each battle in a soft yet firm manner. Her gentle spirit influences the beast and heals not only his external wounds, but internal as well.

Possessing a soft nature is not a weakness, though often viewed as so. It is an invaluable asset, and Belle embodies this truth.

5) Grow from Mistakes

“Bittersweet and strange. . . Finding you can change. . . Learning you were wrong.”

~Beauty & the Beast~

Both Belle and the Beast change over the course of the movie. Each has their share of mistakes and misjudgments and grew from them. The same goes for our lives. We all have to pick ourselves up, learn from our mistakes, and move on. 

My heart. <3

6) Hospitality Should Not Be Limited by Someone’s Background

“Be our guest, be our guest. . . “

~Lumiere, Beauty & the Beast~

When Belle stepped into the castle, no one knew a thing about her. And even after she was confined to her room by the Beast, Lumiere disobeyed his master’s orders and invited her to dine.

The servants’ delight to serve engulfs her social status and past. The whole household warms up to her, and they charm Belle with their cheeriness and pleasant manners.

Lumiere is priceless.

7) Tea Cures Everything

“How would you like a nice spot of tea, sir?  It’ll warm you up in no time.”

~Mrs. Potts, Beauty & the Beast~

Ah, yes. Wouldn’t we all like a nice, hot cup of tea from Mrs. Potts on a bad day?

Clutch Characters: Mrs. Potts | News

And can I just take a moment to point out how adorable Chip is? 😍

What about you? Do you see any other messages embedded within Beauty & the Beast? What do you have in common with its characters? Comment down below. ❤

Farewell!


19 responses to “7 Timeless Lessons from Beauty & the Beast”

  1. I never read “Beauty and the Beast” or “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” but I wonder if there are some similarities there. Perhaps to get to know the true person before making judgments about them.

    • Both are raw and wonderful stories. I think they are similar in that way. Have you seen the movie?

  2. Great lessons. I especially love “Gentleness is Undervalued.” The trend in entertainment is to feature fierce, independent heroines that can stand on their own. But gentleness can be a form of strength, one that doesn’t rely on presenting a dauntless exterior.

    • YES! I completely agree. We need more gentle yet strong women in entertainment, these days. Wonderful thoughts. Thank you for reading, Crystal! (:

  3. I think a fairer question for me would be: What do you have in common with the Beast? One, I am not very gentle. Two, I am impatient. And three, I can be very prideful at times. But look at how the Beast changes over the movie because of the compassionate, caring hand of Belle who helps him to become more loving and kind. What a good reminder! Everyone, at one time, is just like the Beast. But Jesus, like Belle, comes around, takes us by the hand, and leads us to life everlasting- changing us to be more like him in the process.

    Oh, and yes! Gaston’s gloves are ridiculous. =D

    • I love your thoughts on this! Great insight. (:
      And yes. . . Gaston’s gloves. . . 😂
      Thank you for reading!

    • Aww, thank you. (: The themes are fantastically woven into this story. I love this film!

  4. I really like this post! Especially all the GIFs and pictures. The lessons you found are great role models.

  5. Loved all of these insight Abbi- will work on #4 and 5, but think I am the master already of #7- my tea with milk intake has definitely increased during this CV19 season.

  6. Aw, this was such a sweet post! I really loved the point about gentleness being undervalued! It can be such a strength these days to be gentle with how heated people get 🙂. I can’t think of any of my own lessons off the top of my hand 😅 – maybe, nobody fights like Gaston? 😂

    • Thank you, Belle! How wonderful that you share a name with this princess. ((: 100% agree. She’s a fantastic role model.
      Haha, love that. 😂

  7. I loved this so much! Beauty and the Beast (1991) is one of my favorite movies, and Belle is such an amazing character. Your takeaways were so insightful; I’d never really given much thought to the many lessons taught by this tale as old as time.

    • YES! It made it to my favorites list, as well. Belle is such an inspiration! Aww, thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. ((:

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