The Beast turned back to me. I could look at him fairly…
““The Beast turned back to me. I could look at him fairly steadily this time. After a moment he said harshly: “I am very ugly, am I not?” “You are certainly, uh, very hairy,” I said. “You are being polite,” he said. “Well, yes,” I conceded. “But then you called me beautiful, last night.” He made a noise somewhere between a roar and a bark, and after an anxious minute, I decided it was probably a laugh. “You do not believe me then?” he inquired. “Well’—no,” I said, hesitantly, wondering if this might anger him. “Any number of mirrors have told me otherwise.” “You will find no mirrors here,” he said, “for I cannot bear them: nor any quiet water in ponds. And since I am the only one who sees you, why are you not then beautiful?””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A dialogue exploring self‑perception, honesty, and the difficulty of seeing beauty in oneself.
In simple terms: Seeing yourself as ugly despite others' praise.
Key Takeaway
Challenge self‑judgment.
Themes
self‑image
beauty
honesty
Mood
introspective
empathetic
Type
literary
dialogue
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- creative writing
- personal growth
Key Concepts
self‑acceptance
mirror metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- What mirrors reflect truth?
- How can we accept compliments?
A Different Perspective
Self‑perception may be distorted by inner critic.