Exile, or being forced to leave your home, can be physical or emotional. The Beast lives completely apart from civilization: stuck in his castle and left to use his magic mirror to look in on the rest of the world. He's been separated from the rest of humanity by the enchantress and now, he isolates himself. Belle isn't all that different. She can move through the town, but she isn't really a part of it, and they let her know that she's not welcome. In a lot of ways, the story is about being exiled—set apart from the group either figuratively or otherwise—and having to find a new community to which you can belong.
Questions about Exile
- Is Belle truly exiled from the village when she becomes the Beast's prisoner? Why or why not?
- Is the Beast's exile self-imposed? What does that say about him if it is?
- How do Belle and the Beast make their respective exiles harder? How do they make them more bearable?
Chew on This
Exile is self-imposed and intended as a way to protect the characters from the dangers posed by their communities.
Exile in this movie is imposed on other people.