So in-between installments 1 and 2, our family went to Disney, saw the new B&B attraction, and my son got kissed by Belle and my daughter received a bookmark from Belle. Actually, we went to B&B twice.

My kids don’t really understand gender differences at this point (they’re 3.5 and 4.5) but they love B&B. Like you said, if the parents are there, it can be an entirely different story. We leave out the romantic aspects all together. Obviously, this won’t work when she’s a teenager, and I’ll certainly use the insights you have provided to help her understand what is unacceptable in a man that she is seeking a relationship with. Here are some positives she has learned from B&B.

My daughter understands that just as Christ was willing to die because he loved us, Belle was willing to die in Beast’s prison so that the person she loves could go free. For now, that goes with the assumption “so Belle must have been a Christian, because only Christ’s love can cause a person to be willing to sacrifice themselves that way.” And she was an educated person in France somewhere between 1300 and 1750, so that’s certainly plausible. And while it is true that non-Christians have sacrificed themselves for the good of others I don’t know if they can do that without it either being for the wrong reasons or somehow Christ was within them and we just didn’t know. Anyway, we’ll deepen that as she matures, like when she’s 7 or so.

There is a certain, distinct musical theme that plays when Beast is transforming. That, we say, is the Holy Spirit coming into his life. While what they show on TV is him becoming beautiful on the outside, but Bethany and I “know” that what they’re trying to show is that he’s being changed on the inside as well into a new creation.

And of course, in the end, good wins, the same power that transformed the Beast transforms “creation,” and they live happily ever after. Assuming they were Christians, as my daughter currently does, that is thoroughly Christian ending. God saves us, we and all creation will be transformed, and we win.

So yes, watched as a romantic love story, everything you have said is sadly true. Hopefully Bethany and all that watch the movie don’t learn to seek a non-Christian who is angry and abusive and controlling, or even a Christian with similar issues.

But when I watch the movie apart from romance (which I know isn’t how the story is intended, but for a 4 year old it works), it has some useful parts to it.

Definitely didn’t see a Twilight reference coming! But good call!

As to your questions – I do think the Beast transformed. And to the degree that he did, that is commendable. But I don’t think his transformation was complete. It just didn’t go far enough.

My biggest struggle with his ‘redemption’ in the story is simply that the movie sends messages that Bell was the one who redeemed him. I have concerns that that tells little girls/women, “You may have a beast of a father/boyfriend/husband, but if you love him enough and obey him enough, he will change.” And to me, that’s just a receipt for further abuse.

Question – Can I post a clip of your comment on my facebook page where I linked this article? There’s a discussion happening there and I’d like to get your thoughts in it. I won’t cite you name if you don’t want. But I will if you do want.

The thing that always jumped out at me though, was /why isn’t the beast a bad guy?/

I never once bought into what Disney was pushing in that film and I always saw Gaston as an obvious, overdone stereotype.

I say all that to say this. Maybe kids can see that. You can never start a kid on criticism too early I think, and I think sitting down with them and discussing how “just because a movie says we should sympathize with a character doesn’t mean they can’t be wrong”. When I have kids of my own, I hope to use movies like this to open a dialogue with them about how movies aren’t like real life most of the time and we don’t have to agree with a movie’s view.

Along the way (in this movie’s case) you could teach a few lessons about self-worth. It should provide a good defense against any future Twilight interests.

My question is, at the end, did the Beast transform? Did the work of love redeem him? I’d like to think so. Maybe I still want to believe in the fairytale. Not that women should be co-dependent in their relationships in hopes that their “love” will save/transform/redeem, because that’s unhealthy.

Looking forward to post #2.