Comparison of Beauty and The Beast and Eveline in Terms of Predominant Images

Introduction

The predominant images in Beauty and the Beast are the rose, ballroom, castle, and Belle’s ball gown/yellow dress, which are images often associated with women. However, in Eveline, a majority of the predominant images are not associated with women, being dust, the window, the field, broken harmonium, and the evening.

Comparison of Beauty and The Beast and Eveline in Terms of Predominant Images

The rose in Beauty and the Beast is usually associated with women because a red rose generally represents love, romance, and passion. Roses depict many qualities that women love to be associated with: beauty, fragrance, grace, charm, daintiness, life, ardent love, and new beginnings. In the film, the rose symbolizes the beast’s chance at learning to love and earning that love back. The ballroom where the dance scene occurs is associated with women because a majority of females enjoy formal and social dancing. In a majority of the Disney princess films besides Beauty and the Beast, they also involve the attendance of balls. Some of these are Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

In Eveline, the images are more related to Eveline and the story than women. For instance, dust can symbolize that women are more prone to cleaning and keeping areas tidy, but this image is more associated with the text than women. Dust represents what is common to Eveline because it always returns no matter how many times it is gotten rid of. Repeatedly getting rid of the dust becomes a pattern in her life. It gives her a sense of routine and regularity, and these are the things that she is not entirely ready to give up. Another image that is used early in the story is the window.

Symbolism and Themes

Eveline looks through her window to the outside world. The window is associated with her idea of the outside world. We gather through the story that she views the world as an unknown entity, something that she really fears and is not equipped to face since it is better for her to be accustomed to what is familiar than what is not. She reasons in the text, “In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her” (Joyce, 1914). This sense of logic displays how she is hesitant to leave the surroundings that she is already used to.

The castle in Beauty and the Beast is associated with women because a majority of women dream of their own happily ever after that they are inspired from when they were little girls. Many girls growing up are familiar with watching films where the girl falls in love with the prince and then they go live happily in the castle. Due to this, many women today are still able to dream and fantasize about ‘their moment’ even though it is oftentimes more of a fantasy than a reality. Furthermore, Belle’s yellow ball gown is another image that is associated with women because it is feminine apparel. Dresses also represent a lot of traits that women like to be associated with such as sophistication, style, elegance, beauty, and fashion.

Contrast in Imagery

In contrast to Eveline, the broken harmonium and the evening are not usually associated with women. These images are again more associated with Eveline's life and the story. The broken harmonium is related to the lack of harmony and instability in Eveline’s life. She no longer has her mother and brother, and these events bring discord into it. The evening is a symbol for time. Eveline’s father is quite frankly running out of time because he is aging, and she is also losing time as the chance for her to leave with her suitor, Frank, is closing in. Ultimately, when the time arrives for her to finally leave, Eveline clings to the iron railing with both hands. As said in the text, "She gripped with both hands at the iron railing" (Joyce, 1914). It is further inferred that she did not leave with him because "Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition" (Joyce, 1914).

Conclusion

In conclusion, comparing Beauty and the Beast and Eveline, the predominant images in the Beauty and the Beast trailer like the rose, yellow dress, ballroom, and the castle are more associated with women than the images from Eveline, which are more related to Eveline and the short story itself. Both stories utilize imagery to evoke different emotional responses and highlight the contrasting roles and expectations of women within their narratives.