Hmm... who thinks that...? *BATB related* (renew)

[pokeria1]

I've got this crazy idea in regards to Gaston in BatB.
Ok, You know Gaston's philosophy as to how women should be, right? You know, his opinion that women should only be Baby-making machines, and that they shouldn't have any signs of being intelligent? Well, do you think that those triplets (I'm trying to not use the official name of them, since it is a slur.) may have been the reason as to why Gaston thinks that? I mean, they might not have been the cause of that, but out of all of the females in the village, the Triplets are the only ones who virtually match Gaston's philosophical belief with regard to how women should act. I mean, none of the other female villagers seem to even resemble Gaston's belief of how females should act, much less Belle. So, do you think they are the reason why he believes that?

BTW, I originally made this thread in the Disney films and characters section in this site, but it never got any replies since i started it on 9/7/07, so I decided to remake it.

[Toastie2]

Well, I'm sorry but I am someone who doesn't think Belle is shown to be any more intelligent than the other Disney princesses because all she did was read fairy tales (which the princesses are in, of course!) and dream of a bigger, better life, of something more than what she has. Which is what all the other princesses have done. Sure, Belle reads books, but like I said, they're still only fairy tales which all the princesses have lived.

Anyway, I think Belle actually is the only one who doesn't meet Gaston's "zero intelligence" or "baby-making" requirements. Look at the woman who asks, "How is your wife?" and she looks much like the trio you speak of. Or the woman who cries, "I need six eggs!" and is carrying a handful of babies and has more children at her side. It's obvious that Belle is meant to be very different from the rest of the village, that's what the townspeople sing about and that's why only she wears blue out of the entire village (she and the Beast wear blue because they are both outcasts and it makes them have something in common).

But anyway, those triplets aren't the only ones who adore Gaston, as his own song with his own name as the title shows. I suppose since those three appear to be the only girls who fawn over him in that way or that much, there could be hints that everyone in the village wants to seem like they like Gaston, but in reality they are scared of him or are just joining the crowd because they think everyone else loves him. But he is a pretty mean guy and since he comes off as such a jerk right when you meet him, it really doesn't matter how handsome he is and it doesn't take much for Belle to be detested by him.

But Ino one in the village really goes out to prove that Gaston is not as great as he thinks or that women shouldn't be like he wants them to be except for Belle. The triplets are just unabashed about loving him, and well, consider the fact that Belle lives in a "little town" full of "little people", and so the amount of people in the village is small. So perhaps even the number of girls who feel they are beautiful and worthy enough to show their desire for Gaston is small. After all, Gaston said "here in town there's only she who is beautiful as me" when talking about Belle. He doesn't just want beautiful girls, he wants the best, so perhaps only the triplets feel they can get him. Or maybe they're the only ones courageous enough to do it, since Gaston is very intimidating.

So my final answer is that they definately help him believe those stereotypes about women, but the other girls in the town help to, or don't do anything to make him believe otherwise, except for Belle.

[pokeria1]

Yeah, I agree, Belle may read books (Though personally, I think that Ariel may be a bit more of an advanced reader in comparison to Belle, which I will cover later), but is about average as far as Princesses go. But at least she is definitely smarter than the rest of the village,

Speaking of the Village, particularly in regards to its female population, If Ariel manages to visit that village sometime, how do you think she will react (especially to their Intelligence)?

Well, In regards to whether the villagers truly like Gaston or not. Well, maybe they do actually fear him, but I kind of doubt it. I mean, yes, he is a big guy who might have the strength to tear a person in two, but, then again, I don't see him doing any of it prior to his meeting the beast Besides Lefou (I'm not sure if that Bar Scene counts since they were still singing that "Gaston" song even while he was attacking them.), which even then, the Villagers didn't seem to care what happened to Lefou, and maybe they even Bully him themselves (Trust me, I know. I mean, the Triplets once sprayed Lefou with water at one point [then again, they were watching Gaston], And when Gaston placed the Bench they were on right on top of Lefou during "Gaston", they were seen laughing.). I mean, Ratigan's minions had far more hints at fearing Professor Ratigan in "Great Mouse Detective" than the villagers had in regards to fearing Gaston.

Also, you have some good points in regards to the other villagers (I don't remember the girl asking how this guy's wife is doing looking like one of the triplets, though), however, the triplets were the only recurring female villagers who were seen to act like this (They appeared during the opening scene, the scene where Gaston tries to talk to Belle, the failed wedding plans, and the Bar Scene, the most for minor characters, second only to Maurice. Also, I'm quite surprised that they were cheering Gaston on when he made his master plan [the asylum blackmail], considering how they didn't WANT Gaston to marry Belle.)

Ok, Lastly, If this offends anyone, I'm sorry. Well, I think Ariel might rival Belle's reading skills. I might be mistaken, but I clearly saw Ariel reading this big book (It had to be at least shakespeare size, but we never saw the title that she was reading.) During "POTW", see here:




all I can say is that it is probably bigger than that book that Belle was reading in the beginning of the movie (that blue one that a sheep ate part of a page.)

Anyways, that's all for now.

Edit: They (The Triplets, I mean) were also recurring characters in "House of Mouse"

[Toastie2]

Yes, I considered Ariel being better or more intelligent than Belle because she educates herself about something real, while Belle is reading fantasy she wnats to live. I guess the adventure stories do propel her to want to have a real adventure, but she doesn't do much about that. Belle reading fairy tales doesn't have anything to do with Belle not wanting to be a "little wife" that only serves and produces children for a man. Still, I don't think Ariel's book quite proves everything even though she could have read it to learn about the human world. I think her langauge is the same as thw human one, except they don't have words like door or fork! But if she can't read she could just look at the pictures to try and figure out things. The book doesn't neccessarily prove anything but it suggests a lot.

Anyway, I think the town does fear Gaston, because in the song "Gaston", they still say he fights and bites and they did act wary of what he was really capable of doing. Sure, they were singing of it in a fun way, but clearly that man did not like being bitten. They aren't living in fear constantly but they would be afraid to go up against him. Not just becauseof what he can do on his own, but he has so many loyal people he could easily convince his friends to help him do bad things to anyone who opposed him.

As for Lefou, well, yea, I guess no one cares for him, but Gaston beats him up like no one else does.

As for the triplets, like I said, the town may be so small they may feel they're the only one's good enough for him. Gaston doesn't want any girl, he wants the best. Or maybe the girls don't like Gaston but wouldn't mind be servile to a nicer man. Which Belle actually doesn't convince me she won't do. We still don't know if she's gonna have as many pups as the Beast turned Prince wants, just because she loves him and he's not a jerk.

It is possible the moviemakers just didn't think through the fact that it looks like only three girls love Gaston, because that kind of screws up the idea that Belle is different from all the village girls. Or maybe everyone thinks Gaston is a jerk, but Belle is the only one who reads books and seeks more independence and empowerment and excitement.

I almost forgot you cited the triplets as not necessarily being the only girls to like Gaston, but the only ones who are what he wants a girl to be like. Well, maybe they're stupid, but there's not much else we know about them. He obviously doesn't care how a girl really is on the inside anyway because everyone in town knows Belle is a bookworm and yet he still wants to marry her. The thing is, I guess those girls would have to have been there his whole life for him to grow into thinking every women is like them. It probably came more from his mother or how his father taught him, because he never talks to the girls and asks them what they would be like as wives. I guess he could have asked a long time ago, but he's been planning on marrying Belle for a long time, too, and he must not know what she really wants to think she might marry him.

Another thing that crossed my mind is Gaston ignores the girls pretty much, except flexing for them and lifting them on a bench.

That girl who asked "How is your wife" definately resembled the triplets, and I'm sure there are a few other girls who look like them dotted throughout. All you need to find are blonde big-busted skinny girls.

[fathomsbelow]

I think Belle is just as intelligent as Ariel. I mean, she yearns to go out and see the world, and to be more than Gaston's view of women. I think she's book-smart, and people-smart(considering the fact that she seemed to be the only one in the town who knew Gaston was a jerk ). Oh, and she isn't limited to fairy-tales--I know I'm expanding a bit, but in Batb Broadway, she read King Arthur( a legend ).

But back on topic, I think that Gaston did get his philosophy on women from the other women in the town, who limited themselves to a "provincial life." They didn't want to learn new things and be just as good as the men could, they wanted to follow tradition. So that's probably why Gaston and the rest of the villagers thought Belle was odd.

[pokeria1]

I haven't been to Broadway (Heck, I don't even live anywhere near New York City.), so I won't know that. Though thanks for pointing that out.

I know it's possible that Gaston learned that philosophy from the town, but some of the women seemed to be a bit unlike his perception (We know that there was one Barkeep who was a woman, as evidenced by Maurice storming into the tavern.). The only ladies who seemed to 100% match Gaston's philosophy was probably the Triplets.

BTW, speaking of the Triplets, just what was with them? I mean, when Belle was politely refusing to go with Gaston in the Beginning of the film, they reacted like this:

Triplet/Bimbette 1: What's wrong with her?!
Triplet/Bimbette 2: She's crazy!
Triplet/Bimbette 3: He's Gorgeous!!

That implies that they WANTED Belle to marry Gaston and were surprised that she refused.

However, later, they were seen crying at (what would have been) his wedding, which implies that they DIDN'T want Gaston to marry her.

Much later, when Gaston and Lefou planned to lock up Maurice to get Belle to marry him, they were seen encouraging him.

So, my question is, Do they want Belle to marry him or not? They should make up their mind, for goodness sakes!

[fathomsbelow]

Lol, I don't think they wanted her to marry him. I think what they meant by 'She's crazy, what's wrong with her', etc., was that if they were in her position they would have accepted. Of course later in the movie when Gaston locks up Maurice they're gonna root for him, because they're his fans per say.

[pokeria1]

Ok, I think I get it now.

I still don't get why they didn't appear with the other villagers in "The Enchanted Christmas" during the christmas party (I mean, I can understand why Gaston wouldn't be there, as he probably perished at the end [or at best is MIA], and even IF he did survive, it's definitely unlikely that he would try to attend a christmas party that is hosted by the same person who married the woman he lusted after.), but I don't get the Triplets, since they wouldn't have any reason not to come, and unlike the other villagers, they never participated in the siege at all.

Not that I want them to attend, since I hate them due to the fact that they are basically a very sexist stereotype that I am working hard to stop (even though I am of the same sexual orientation as Gaston, that does NOT mean that I should allow this kind of stereotype to exist. I mean, just because a male person is straight does not mean that said male should be someone like Straight Waylon Smithers. In fact, the one thing I hate even more than the typical bimbo female stereotype is the stereotype of a straight male acting like all girls are are, pardon my language, free items to have fun with any time of the week. I feel that's degrading to both genders.)

No, it's just curious that they didn't seem to attend the Christmas Party when they had no reason NOT to.