Cassy Bagramian
10/2/12
Eng. 250- Reid

In fairy tales found in many European countries, Beast in Beauty and the Beast is often depicted as a snake. In many other tales, his form is left up to the imagination. As for the snake representation, Bettelheim explains it as being a symbol for children’s fear of sex; they often view it as being beastly and frightening. When the prince turns back into his human form, the reader finds out that he was turned into a snake as a consequence for seducing an orphan. Snakes represent lust and they “seek satisfaction without benefit of a human relation” (306). The prince needed to find an “unselfish love willing to sacrifice itself for the beloved” to break his curse (306). Beauty’s father stealing a rose for her catalyzed all of the tragic events in the story. Bettelheim believes the breaking off of the rose symbolized the loss of one’s virginity, meaning the loss of one’s innocence. Because the prince is still in his Beast form, it goes along with the fear that sex is a beastly desire. As events unfolded, it went from a negative experience to “one of deep humanity and love.” Overall, Beauty and the Beast “depicts what true love is all about” (306). Beast is just as beautiful as Beauty. They both have completely unselfish hearts and are willing to sacrifice whatever for each other. Bettelheim explains that the tale teaches children that although men and woman look very different, if their personalities match up well together, they will achieve permanent happiness (306). Bettelheim also talks about the Oedipal difficulties intertwined into fairy tales. “Cinderella” is a statement of a parent’s Oedipal jealousy of a child. “Beauty and the Beast” shows the Oedipal attachment of child to parent is natural, and as one matures, it detaches from the parent and concentrates on the lover. Bettelheim feels that these