Belle and Beast’s argument
People think Belle from Beauty and the Beast has stockholm syndrome because they think they’re smart and in scheme of things Belle does not. Stockholm Syndrome
“is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with them.”
Stockholm Syndrome affects 8% of hostages so it’s pretty rare. A note, I’m not a psychologist, take what I say with a grain a of salt but it makes more sense than the people who will convince you that Belle does have stockholm syndrome.
For Belle to have gotten stockholm syndrome she would have needed to bond to the Beast for her survival. Beast never threatened Belle’s life, he was just an immature jerk. However one could say that in Beast giving Belle her own room and access to castle it was an act of kindness that could have triggered the syndrome. However Belle then blatantly rejects the Beast’s dinner offer, she and his servants disobey his edict that she can’t eat and then she disobey’s him again by going into his off-limit area before effortfully leaving the castle. Does she get stockholm syndrome when she is no longer a prisoner? The fact that Belle left without much trouble points that she can’t have stockholm syndrome as it hardly seems like she is a prisoner in the place.
People also think that Belle gets it after the Beast saves her from the wolves and she brought him back to the castle and treated him. During that scene she is still standing up for herself and makes better points about how he should have kept his temper. Belle then thanks him for saving her life. She is not in fear of him and she is speaking to him as equal.
Actually the one act of kindness people connect the Belle’s supposed stockholm syndrome to is Beast giving her the library. Ok no, the act of kindness is that is associated with stockholm syndrome is the victim thinking that the captor is keeping them alive is the act of kindness. When Beast gives her the library it’s a thank you he her saving him and not a ploy to bond to his hostage.
Clearly, I’m rambling. If you want a well written argument agianst Belle having stockholm syndrome, I highly recommend reading Triple Nerd Score: The Truth About A Beauty, A Beast, And Stockholm Syndrome. They explain it far better than I.
But Belle does not have Stockhom Syndrome, if I see one more idoitic website thinking they are smart by suggesting it, I will scream.
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