“Love is Blind”Connecting Fiction to Reality Project:

“Beauty and the Beast” and “What’s the Attraction? Look to Society, Biology, not ‘Logic’”

Lori A. LipkindLipkind

English 2-36 September 2012

http://playlist.com/search/is%20she%20really%20going%20out%20with%20him/songs

Song title “Is she really going out with him?”Artist: Joe Jackson

What can be more important than looks when choosing a mate? you might wonder. Here is a short list to begin with:

*social status*personality*wealth*ambition*intelligence*having a biology different from one’s own

to ensure healthy children

Issue: People couple with others for much more powerful reasons than just they way they look.

Have you ever seen a strange looking couple where one person is much more attractive than the other and you wondered, “What on earth are they doing together?”

Research shows that love really can be “blind,” as the metaphor states, because there are much more powerful biological and social factors that attract people to each other beyond the superficiality of looks.

“What’s the Attraction? Look to Society, Biology, not ‘logic’” by Sharon Jayson

Central Idea of nonfiction text:People are attracted to others for reasons that are much

more complicated than the way they look.

Supporting details:*personality or voice that reminds one of a loved one*hormones secreted by scent that attract the other person*ambitions that are compatible*earning power*personality or sense of humor*similar values, lifestyles, experiences*similar level of self-esteem

Fiction Connection:“Beauty and the Beast” by Charles Perrault

The central idea of the article makes sense when compared with the theme of Charles Perrault’s classic fairy tale, “Beauty and the Beast” which shows that love sees beyond superficial appearances. Indeed, for Beauty to fall in love with such a ferocious, hideous beast, she truly had to be “blind” to his outward appearance in order to recognize his true worth. The Beast’s transformation into a handsome prince symbolizes his inner beauty, as Beauty is able to see for herself.

“What’s the Attraction” “Beauty and the Beast”Similarities of both texts

•Attraction is part of our “biological wiring” claims several studies.

*Our choice of partners is often influenced by the media.

*The article cites several scientific articles and studies, trying to show that love and attraction, at least partly, are based on chemical and biological needs and preferences of which we are not aware.

•Beauty is at first repelled by the Beast and feels NO attraction at all.

*The Beast at first is gruff with Beauty because he feels shy, so she’s unable to perceive his true personality.

*Beauty and the Beast involves fairy tale magic, used to symbolize forces of nature and society.

*What we consider attractive is often shaped by the influence of family and friends, according to the article. Beauty’s relationship with Beast is begun by her father’s accidental meeting with him.

*People are often influenced by a potential mate’s earning power, claims the article. Beauty loved the gorgeous, richness of the Beast’s castle and the beautiful things he gave her.

*The article claims that we often look for a mate with similar values; Beast’s gentle treatment of Beauty reflects the way she was raised by her father.

Paraphrase a QuotationQuotation from the article: “What we see as attractive is a byproduct of not only our biological wiring, but is also

influenced by socio-cultural factors…”

Paraphrase: People are attracted to others for reasons they can’t always control, including their

chemical makeup as well as family and cultural influences.

Connection to the theme of “Beauty and the Beast”:This shows that Beauty was really “destined” to be with Beast, as she was the one who

was able to perceive his true self through the façade of his outward appearance. His gentle manners reminded her of her father and his wealth and social position were attractive to her. As for having to kiss him…well, if she didn’t mind fur up her nose, I’m sure it wasn’t that bad. “Love is blind” after all!

Real World Application:What can be learned from the comparison of these two texts?

“Beauty and the Beast,” viewed in the light of this nonfiction article that investigates the mysterious force of love and attraction, is an ancient story that can give hope to the lonely and the lovelorn. Love may indeed be blind, but it’s not stupid, as shown by both texts. People fall in love for complicated reasons, many which are unseen. If Beauty can fall for a hairy guy with a huge underbite simply because he reminds her of her father, there’s hope for us all. Maybe we don’t all have movie-star looks, but that shouldn’t stop any of us from being able to attract a partner one day.

http://playlist.com/search/is%20she%20really%20going%20out%20with%20him/songs

Song title “Is she really going out with him?”Artist: Joe Jackson