Rants of a Composition Major

Well, this is similar to a previous post, I've been having problems with recital preparation again. A few of the ridiculous things I've heard in the last week:

• "One musician to another", I'm going to start asking for credentials before I listen to anything beyond this sentence...
• "I just assumed I didn't need to show up to rehearsal" ... I mean, really? Are you THAT good?
• "Do we need to rehearse?" Well yes, I would like us to not look ridiculous in eight days time. 
• "Should I stay for the rest of the recital?" , No, no, please leave, that would be great. *sarcasm*

Yes, it's a colorful week in my world, hopefully musicians won't keep me from finishing my degree.

PS - I love you all, you just frustrate me sometimes.

Why Pop Sociology/Feminism is wrong about Beauty and the Beast

I love to read Sociology and Feminist blogs. They challenge me to think in ways I haven't before, they make me quite thoughtful, and on some days, they help round out my liberal arts educated point of view on a subject. No, I don't always agree with what they have to say, but I do at least take the view into consideration.

I also love to read blogs about trying to take our younger girls' minds back from Disney. Stealing back the younger generation as it were. While Disney has fun songs, it can be a little obsessive, especially as the Disney corporation has chosen to market certain gender socializing toys, books, and games, that can socialize girls to be passive instead of active.

But... I have a problem. A serious problem for my little psyche. Most of these blogs villainize Beauty and the Beast, one of my two favorite movies, and my absolute favorite Broadway show ever. Most of these blogs have at least one post about how the only thing girls will ever garner from this show is that abusive spouses should be put up with and will change over time. Obviously, this is a dangerous idea, if this is indeed what girls could garner from Beauty and the Beast. But this idea has been turning in my mind and bothering me for some time now.

I've always seen Beauty and the Beast as a story of redemption. He has problems, she has problems, people are flawed in general, I've never met a Cinderella personally. Belle is so real, she loses her temper, she's feisty, she's in your face. I don't think I ever came away with the idea that I should stay with an abusive partner, but that I should challenge the status quo.

It's not like Belle loves him unconditionally or blames herself for the Beast's bad temper. Nope, she's happy to stick it to him, to fight with him, to get angry back, to fight back for herself. And yes, the Beast is redeemed through the course of the show, but from my Christian perspective, that's the changing power of love. He could have left Belle to the wolves, but instead rescued her. He was changing long before she decided to stay with him. Maybe it's the proof of that change that made her stay?

In the end, it's not HER love that changes him, it's the MUTUAL love that changes BOTH of them. Because we are all flawed, and we all need redemption. Those are the lessons I've always taken away from this show. I hope I challenged you to see this show in a different way. Because the ruminating has been good for me.