Talk:Villagers/@comment-1672596-20140131013106

This is something I don't get: How is Belle the only person with any liking or ability to read (not to mention her being strongly implied to be ostracized for that reason alone) when the bookstore is clearly operating under what is implied to be a good long while? That's impossible if Belle is it's only customer, as that would result in the bookstore closing shop and filing for bankruptcy, even back then. Plus, since the villagers (save for possibly Belle) are implied to be Christians (most likely Catholics, as France is one of the few European nations outside of Italy at the time to remain primarily Catholic), I have trouble believing, especially considering the time period of the film (late 1700s, or a few years prior to the French Revolution and Reign of Terror), that they haven't read at least the Bible, if not on their own spare time, then at the very least while attending Mass.