FACE and POLITENESS in

the 2017 film “Beauty and the Beast”

Group 06:
- Tran Phuong Anh
- Hoang Thi Hoa
- Hoang Thi Ngoc Mai
- Ban Van Tung
 OUTLINE

01. Theory 04. Summary

1 4

2 3

02. 03. Lessons

Characters from the
Analysis movie
 01
Theory
Face and Politeness
Face: The public self-image of a person

Negative Face: The need

• to be independent
• to have freedom of action
• not to be imposed on by others

Positive Face: The need 

• to be accepted, even liked 
• to be treated as a member of the same group
• to know that his or her wants are shared by others
Negative politeness:
• to preserve the negative face of other people
• there is a social distance 
• speech strategies emphasize our deference for the hearer.

Positive politeness:
• to preserve the positive face of other people
• speech strategies emphasize our solidarity with the
hearer.
Face Threatening Act (FTA): speaker says something that
represents a threat to another individual’s expectations regarding
self-image
Baldly, without 
redressive action

Do the act on-record

 With redressive
action (using either
negative or positive
politeness strategies)
Strategies to enact an
Do the act off-record
FTA

Don’t do the act

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 2017
 Belle The Beast
a young, beautiful and bookish girl   a cold-hearted, selfish and unkind prince who is
transformed into a beast

Gaston Lefou
a narcissistic and arrogant hunter who Gaston’s long-suffering sidekick
shows a strong affection towards Belle
 02
CHARACTERS
ANALYSIS
2.1. Gaston – LeFou
2.2. Belle – Beast
2.3. Belle - Gaston
 2.1
Gaston - Lefou
Scene 1: LeFou and Gaston on the hill, watching Bells through a binocular

Video 1
Scene 1: LeFou and Gaston on the hill, watching Bells through
a binocular

Conversation:
Gaston: Look at her, LeFou. My future wife. Belle is the most beautiful girl in the
village. That makes her the best.
Lefou: But she's so well-read, and you're so ... athletically inclined.
Analysis:
- Positive politeness: addressing by name, standing side-by-side, eye-contact,
facial expressions => Close relationship
- Face-threatening acts:
+ “Look at her” (on-record): A request => restricts Gaston’s freedom of action
+ “But she’s so well read and you’re so … athletically inclined”: An indirect
complaint implying “You’re not suitable for her” or “You and her don’t match”
Scene 2: LeFou and Gaston in a cabin. Gaston is in bad mood as being rejected
by Belle
Scene 2: LeFou and Gaston in a cabin. Gaston is in bad mood as being
rejected by Belle

Lefou: => “down in the dumps”: informal

[…] => Lefou notices his friend being in a bad
“Gosh it disturbs me to see you Gaston mood and his need to be cheered up =>
Looking so down in the dumps positive politeness strategies
Every guy here'd love to be you Gaston Close friendship
Even when taking your lumps”
[…] => FTA (compliment, exaggeration):
“No one's slick as Gaston expressing LeFou’s admiration towards
No one's quick as Gaston Gaston (possibly not true)=> damaging
No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Gaston” Gaston’s face
[…]
=> FTA (thanking): he accepts a debt to
Gaston: I needed encouragement; thank you, Lefou (his effort to cheer him up) => a face-
LeFou threat to Gaston
[…]
Scene 3: LeFou, Gaston and Maurice in the jungle taking about the Beast and
Belle being taken as prisoner.
Scene 3: LeFou, Gaston and Maurice in the jungle taking about the Beast
and Belle being taken as prisoner.
Conversation Analysis

Gaston (to Maurice): There are no such things

as beasts, or talking teacups, or... magic! But => Positive politeness:
there are wolves, frostbite, and starvation.
+ Lefou: Aggressive voice and hold Gaston
Lefou: Deep breaths, Gaston. Deep breaths. firmly at first to stop Gaston -> lower, gentler
voice with a smile to appease his anger.

Lefou: GASTON! STOP! Breathe. Think happy => FTA (order): an act on-record that requires
thoughts. Go back to the war. Blood, Gaston to stop losing his temper/shouting and
explosions, countless widows... threatening Maurice => imposition on Gaston

Gaston: Widows...

Lefou: Yes, yes, that's it, that's it...

 Conversation Analysis
Gaston
Ah LeFou, you're the best. How is it that no girl has -> FTA (Compliment, Joke)
snatched you up yet?
Lefou
I've been told I'm clingy, but I really don't get it...      

Lefou
Are you not the least bit concerned that this castle - FTA (Reminding): creating pressure on Gaston to
might be haunted?                  either perform or not perform an act.
 
Gaston
- FTA (Warning): asking LeFou to stay alert
Don't lose your nerve, LeFou.
=> restricting LeFou’s freedom

Lefou                                  
Gaston! Gaston … Help!                                               - FTA (Request): requesting an act from Gaston =>
restricting Gaston’s freedom
Gaston  
Sorry, old friend. It's hero time.               - FTA (Apology): Gaston makes a statement about his
own shortcomings that he cannot help, thereby
'damaging' his own face
 2.2
Belle - Beast
 Scene 1: At the castle, Beast invites Belle to join for dinner
Conversation
Beast: Will you join me for dinner?
Belle: You've taken me prisoner and
now you want to have dinner with me?
Are you insane?
Beast: I told you to join me for dinner!
Belle: And I told you no!
Analysis
- Negative politeness – gentle & polite
- “me”, “you” & “I” – the distance
Þ Preserve negative face
- FTA – indirect reject & question
Þ Damage his face
- FTA – direct shout & reject, loud voice &
high tone
Þ Anger and embarrassment
VIDEO: 56:47 – 57:05
 Scene 2: Belle enters the forbidden West Wing where
the enchanted rose is preserved
Conversation:
Beast: What are you doing here!? What did you do to it!?
Belle: Nothing.
Beast: Do you realize what you could have done!? You could have damned us
all!
Get out of here! Go!
Analysis:
- The act on-record – accusation and criticism to Belle >< “Nothing”
Þ Damage the self-image of Belle
Þ A high degree of imposition to the hearer

- Negative politeness, FTA – strangers, misunderstanding, discomfort

- Relationship: NOT close
 Scene 3: On the top floor of a windmill in Paris

Conversation Analysis

Beast: I’m sorry I ever called your FTA – his apology & the positive face
father a thief.

Belle: Let’s go home. - Positive politeness

+ “let’s” more reference to “we”
+ “home” – castle
VIDEO: 1:49:20 – 1:49:37
 Scene 4: Bell came back to the castle, Beast was shot

Conversation:
Beast: You came back.
Belle: Of course, I came back. I'll never leave you again.
Beast: I'm afraid it's my turn to leave.
Belle: We're together now. It's going to be fine.
Analysis:
- Positive politeness
+ Promise & touched soft tone
+ “we” – inclusion

Romantic relationship affects the use of politeness and FTA.

 2.3
Belle - Gaston
 Scene 1: Gaston invites Belle for dinner
Conversation Analysis

- Negative politeness (Addressing “I” and “you”)

Gaston: For your dinner table.
Shall I join you this evening?  => Their relationship is NOT close
- FTA as a refusal
Belle: Sorry, not tonight.
  => Damage Gaston’s image

Gaston: Busy?  - FTA as a rejection

=> Damage Gaston’s image

Belle: No
 Scene 2: Gaston persuades Belle to accept his love

Conversation Analysis

Gaston: Maybe you haven’t met the

right man - FTA
“I’ve met all people in this village. And I
know even you are not the right man for
Belle: It’s a small village, Gaston.
me” (Belle’s implicature)
I’ve met them all
=> Refuse Gaston’s love
 Scene 2: Gaston persuades Belle to accept his love

Conversation Analysis

Gaston: Well, maybe you should

take another look.
- FTA
Some of us have changed.
Gaston can NEVER change and they will
NEVER bring happiness for each other
Belle: Gaston, we could never (Belle’s implicature)
make each other happy. No one
=> Deny Gaston’s reasons
can change that much.
 Scene 2: Gaston persuades Belle to accept his love
Conversation Analysis

Gaston: Belle, do you know what happens

to spinsters in our village after their fathers - FTA 
die?                                               “I’m not simple and I’m NEVER
They beg for scraps, like poor Agathe. This is our
going to marry you, Gaston” 
world, Belle. 
For simple folk like us, it doesn’t get any better Þ Directly refuse to marry Gaston

Þ  Belle’s hate towards Gaston. 

Belle: I might be a farm girl. But I’m not simple. 

I’m never going to marry you, Gaston. I'm sorry
 03.
Lessons
from movie
3.1. Language use

3.2. Life lessons

 Between 2
men
3.1. Woman does
Language not like man
use Between a
man and a
woman Woman likes
man
 3.1.1. Language use between two men: Gaston &
Lefou

- Positive politeness
- FTA as a joke
“Ah Lefou, you’re the best. How is it that no girl has
snatched you up yet?” (Gaston)
=> Close relationship
3.1.2. Language use between a man and a woman
a. Woman does not like man
Gaston and the Beast invites Belle for dinner

Gaston: For your dinner table.

Shall I join you this evening? 
- Negative politeness

=> Their relationship is NOT close

The Beast: Will you join me for dinner?

3.1.2. Language use between a man and a woman
a. Woman does not like man
Gaston and the Beast invites Belle for dinner

Gaston: For your dinner table.

Shall I join you this evening? 
Belle: Sorry, not tonight
- FTA + aggressive voice
The Beast: Will you join me for dinner? => Direct refusal
Belle: You've taken me prisoner and now you
want to have dinner with me? Are you
insane?
3.1.2. Language use between a man and a woman
a. Woman likes man
Belle and the Beast understand each other

The Beast: I am sorry I ever called

your father a thief.
Belle: Let’s go home.
- Positive politeness + soft voice

=> Express her feelings for the Beast

The Beast: You came back.
Belle: We’re together now. It’s going
to be fine. You’ll see.
 Same:
positive politeness
Factors impacting
Gender
language use
Different:
negative politeness

Close:
positive politeness + FTA
as a joke
Relationship
Not close: negative
politeness + FTA as
refusal
 Friendship
Advice for
3.2. Life men
Lessons
Woman's
feeelings for a
man Advice for
women 
3.2.1. Friendship

A real friendship 
- comes from two sides
- shouldn't take advantage of another
=> otherwise, the friendship can't be kept forever
3.2.2. Woman's feelings for a man
a. Advice for men 
  
If the woman uses
• Positive politeness (inclusion of I and you, we, Let’s (Beast – Bell),….)
=> a green light: she may have affection for you.

• FTA to refuse all the things the man say (Bell - Gaston) 

=> she doesn't like you
=> don’t be too persistent like Gaston =>  give up. 
3.2.2. Woman's feelings for a man
b. Advice for women  
  

If you don't have feelings for the man

• don't refuse too directly
• try to refuse in a smooth and soft way. 
 SUMMARY

2. CHARACTERS 3. LESSONS
1. THEORY ANALYSIS  FROM MOVIE
• Gaston - Lefou  • Language use
• Belle - Beast  • Life lessons
• Belle - Beas
Thank you for Listening!
Does anyone have any questions?