Fairy Tales
In the last post, I promised to give you my “idea” for a children’s book. https://crookedcreek.live/2018/03/20/beauty/
Some reader comments indicate you may be expecting an actual book, but I am sorry it does not exist. I’ve only gotten to the title because I know that actually writing the book would be an enormous waste of time. No publisher would be interested in a book with my title.
Handsome guy, right? My book would have him falling in love with an ugly hag. Can you picture him dancing with or kissing such an old woman? Of course, you can’t because it has never happened and it never will. There’s no money in that story! There is no reality in that story.
For centuries, however, the opposite plot has been accepted and even expected. The book Beauty and the Beast has been read to children for generations. The three movies by the same name have been attended by families since the first one was released in the 1940s. I would love to know how many children may have asked their parents why the beautiful girl was in the arms of the big hairy monster. I wonder how many parents were uncomfortable with the storyline.
“Handsome and the Hag”
Some food for thought:
“A beautiful woman with a brain is like a beautiful woman with a club foot.” Bernard Cornfeld
“The highest prize in the world of men is the most beautiful woman available on your arm and living there in her heart loyal to you.” Norman Mailer
“There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.” Tom Wolfe
“It’s the combination of marrying a beautiful woman three decades younger and my iPad that keeps me young.” Bruce Forsyth
“Surrounding myself with beautiful women keeps me young.” Hugh Hefner
“My addiction has always been to beautiful women, being surrounded by them.” Corey Feldman
Crooked Creek by Sue Mattingly 
A few thoughts that come to me:
–This role reversal is being done to some extent these days — by female writers. The female lead is plain, overweight, etc, and a handsome hunk falls for her. Hasn’t caught on in Hollywood yet. 😉
–The hairy monster turned into a handsome prince. When the princess kissed the frog, he likewise turned into a handsome prince. Handsome is an absolute necessity for men, too. Although, if I have it right, in Disney’s version the first handsome guy wanting to marry Belle is the bad guy.
–“B & the B” is meant to highlight Belle’s good nature and kindness. It’s partly about virtue being rewarded. Even if he looks awful, she is kind to him. Impartiality and respect are virtues to encourage more in both sexes.
–In your tale, if Handsome fell in love with the Hag, his kiss must turn her into a beauty or your readers will be disappointed. The French have a tale about a prince that agreed to marry a lonely (enchanted) owl — who knew how to get him out of a scrape — and she turned into a lovely princess.
–“B & the B” as with most tales, has been written for girls, not boys. Girls want to see themselves as the beautiful heroine loved by the prince. If you made the female character a hag no girls would want to relate to her — which would defeat your purpose.
As to the quotes you’ve listed, I’m with you. So selfish. This has been the typical thinking of men with money & power ever since humans were put on Earth. Mind you, I think you could find in history quite a few rich old ladies and their “toy boys” to model your tale after, too.
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Thanks for your thoughts Christine. I’m working on at least one f/u to this subject. I could easily get carried away on the subject but will need to wrap it up soon.
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If you really ant to come up with something astounding, you can tell us why the “Fifty Shades” books, glorifying abuse, are such a raging success with females.
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I wish I knew.
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I enjoyed the picture to match the article.
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Hmmmm, which picture might that be? 🙂
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