When her father Maurice is imprisoned by a cold-hearted beast in an enchanted castle, Belle offers her own freedom in exchange for her father's, and gradually learns to love the Beast despite his outward appearance. Belle with her ball gown as she appears in Beauty and the Beast (1991).

Independent Belle wants more out of life than her village can offer. But when her father is taken prisoner by a monstrous Beast, Belle's life is forever changed. Taking her father's place to set him free, she finds herself in the midst of a mysterious enchantment unlike anything she could ever have imagined.

She knows it takes courage and kindness to see beauty where others don't. She is confident and comfortable being herself and knows that it's not fair to judge a book - or a beast - by its cover. She yearns to escape the simplicity of her life and find adventure beyond her provincial town.

Mattel At Mattel Inc., Disney's princesses aren't damsels in distress.

Belle sings, because Suzu has something to express. The film's message is a beautiful one: to integrate our real-life vulnerabilities with the persona we project is to become all the more powerful.

But now that we have this other world, people can find new ways to live up to their maximum potential. That is a big theme in “Belle.” “Belle” examines the negative and the positive side of the online world and self-expression.

Book overview When Belle's father is captured, she takes his place as the fearsome Beast's prisoner. But life in the enchanted castle isn't as terrible as Belle imagines. She makes friends and sees a kinder side of the Beast. In order to break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and be loved in return.

INDEPENDENT AND ASSERTIVE This is a lesson that shouldn't have to be reiterated, but it needs to be. Rejecting marriage even though it was the societal norm back in the day, saving herself and her father, saving her love: Belle is a lesson in how a woman can truly be independent, if she begins to think and act like it.

"[Belle] was the first princess that was intellectual and loved books. She was quirky and kind of odd. She wasn't looking for a prince - she wanted to experience the adventures and all the places she reads about."

The first princess doll was made in the late 1930's shortly after Disney's first princess movie, Snow White, came out but Disney did not start manufacturing Princess dolls until the late 1990's. The traditional Disney princess dolls are thin, have their hair and makeup done and all wearing dresses.

Mattel shut down its last U.S. factory - in Murray, Ky. - in 2001. Barbie, Hot Wheels and other Mattel toys are now made in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand.

Don't let criticism belittle your self-worth. Belle wasn't ashamed to be herself. Despite the snickers and snarky remarks from the townspeople for being odd or peculiar, Belle owned it. She wasn't going to let a little ridicule for being intelligent (preposterous!)