you: Beauty and the Beast is about Stockholm Syndrome.
me, an intellectual: While it's understandable where this idea comes from, it's ultimately inaccurate. Stockholm Syndrome is when a captive feels positive emotions for their captor because they mistake a lack of abusive behavior for kindness, however while Belle agrees to stay with the Beast (a choice that was made by herself in the first place, not by her father or the Beast), she constantly stands up to the Beast and defies his threats and punishments when he treats her badly, therefore not allowing him any power over her beyond being able to keep her in the same general location. She doesn't show him any affection until he finally stops acting like a jerk (he doesn't display any abusive behavior after she saves his life) and starts consistently treating her with respect. And it is only after the Beast frees Belle, making them complete equals with no power imbalance at all in their relationship that she's able to finally fall in love with him. It's also clear that while the Beast had an outside motivation to make Belle like him and to change his behavior, the changes in his character are genuine as seen in his act of mercy in sparing Gaston's life in the climax of the film. If anything, the story is about Lima Syndrome, in which a captor feels affection for their captive. Additionally, the idea that the story is about Stockholm Syndrome ignores the fact that the original fairy tale it was based off of was meant to be an allegory for arranged marriages and for the apprehension and fear a young bride would feel about starting a new life with a strange man she might not like at first.
