Foil

Character Role Analysis

Belle and Love

Belle and Love are sisters, but because of the difference in their looks, their lives take completely different paths. Belle is plainer, while Love grows up the most naturally beautiful girl in town. Alas, they are defined by their looks, and Belle is constantly compared with her prettier sister.

When Love leaves town for college, Belle finally gets to be just herself (instead of standing in the shadow of her sister) and even snags a boyfriend, Amos. But then Love returns and Amos falls in love with her, so Belle marries a coal miner because she thinks she can't do any better. She falls prey to the trap of thinking that she'll always be worth less than her prettier sister, buying into people's investment in their looks instead of figuring out her own true worth.