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Feminist literary analysis essay
Feminism as a special topic in literature
Essays about feminist literary theory
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Cinderella Man directed by Ron Howard tells the incredible true story of James J. Braddock a.k.a. the Cinderella Man. was to become one of the most surprising sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seen as broken-down, beaten-up and out-of-luck just as much as the rest of the American during the Great Depression. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that mattered to him was his family and that was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief. But deep inside, Jim Braddock never lost his determination.
As one of the most influential entertainment producers, Disney dominates the global market for ages attracting the countless audience around the world. However, Disney’s most famous “‘princess’ fairy tale stories” (Barker, 2010, p. 492) are criticized for racism and sexism. In 2007, Disney confirmed production of the film, The Princess and the Frog, featuring the first African-American Disney princess, Tiana. For Disney this film was the response to the accusation of racism and sexism represented in its animation. Also, it was filled with African American parents’ anticipation and excitement who longed for a non-stereotypical black woman on the screen (Breaux, 2010, p. 399).
From its onset with its first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, Disney has grown to become a worldwide phenomenon today. But over the years, various parent groups, scholars and film critics have accused Disney for creating shallow, stereotypical princesses whose ultimate aim was to find her 'prince charming ' and live happily ever after. In her article, “What’s Wrong With Cinderella?” in the New York Times, Peggy Orenstein expresses her concern over the effect of princess figures like Cinderella on young girls ' perceptions of themselves and how they should behave (“What’s Wrong With Cinderella?”).
In Outer Banks, Rafe Cameron is jealous of a character for the great treasure of goldthat he owns. Like in the television show, Rafe Cameron’s jealousy leads him to make unjust decisions that leads regarding the man to receive future negative karma. The stepsisters in Cinderella relate tremendously to Rafe. Cinderella has many stereotypes that support the theme of karma and the lesson that comes with it as shown using stepparents as evil people and stepsiblings as being jealous.
Like our culture, stereotypes played a major role in this fairy tale. We see this comparison throughout the film as the characters undergo transformations, just as we do throughout life. For instance, Mrs. Potts is heartening, reassuring, and warm just like a good cup of tea should be. However sometimes in life going through these changes within our culture is a bad thing and it takes time for us to see that just like the countdown pertaining to the enchanted rose in the tale. There is also outside complications that can influence our views on stereotypes as well.
It treats women poorly to cause them to comply with gender expectations. Not only do women have to face pressures of conformity in real life, but they also face intimidation in fairytales. Grimm’s Snow White and Cinderella perpetuate society’s notion that a woman is the inferior being whose value lies not only in her beauty but also in her abilities to perform domestic work and satisfy men. Grimm uses the characters of Cinderella and Snow White to perpetuate the idea that women should lead quietly domestic lives. In Cinderella, Cinderella spent most of her time in a kitchen.
In both stories, she was mocked and treated like a slave by her stepsisters and stepmother. In the original Cinderella told by the Grimm brothers, it states, “Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fit like a glove. And when she rose up and the king's son looked at her face he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, ‘That is the true bride!’ ” In both versions, Cinderella loses her shoe and the prince finds his one true love by putting it on her. In the modern version retold by Disney it states, “He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her little foot, he found it went on very easily and fitted her as if it had been made of wax.”
Determination in “Cinderella” “Cinderella”, the original fairytale, is found in a collection of stories created by the Grimm brothers. The story of “Cinderella” is used in order to display and teach children and adults a way of living. This fairytale reflects values such as perseverance and determination. Cinderella, the protagonist, is an outcast her family, as her father is her only blood relative. She is forced to do housework and is not allowed to take part fun activities or share luxuries with her stepsisters.
In conclusion, we see that this story tries to illustrate the oppression of women during this time period by using a clever allegory then breaking down the societal constructs that held them inferior. In contrast, this was during a time period in which women were fighting to break oppression and gain the rights they
Similarly, Disney’s Cinderella presents a cruel and ambitious stepmother who attempts to arrange marriages for her ugly, foolish, and somewhat comical daughters. In the film, we see their miserable attempt to sing opera, (supposedly in order to appear more feminine) as the mother proudly oversees. In one of the last scenes, she desperately urges them to make the glass slipper fit, and while she doesn’t downright tell them to cut off their toes or heels as in the original (Grimm 119), the comic scene in itself seems to have a subtle layer of tragedy. While these examples prove that female ugliness in fairy tales and their adaptations corresponds to wickedness, and the latter is equivalent to ill-temper, the question of female independence still
Numerous schools of criticisms have attempted to find the meaning behind most of our favorite childhood stories. From Marxist who pursue the idea of social classes portrayed in literary works, to Psychoanalysts who depict the sexual tensions and desires that are subconsciously embedded behind characters’ motives and actions, to Historicists who try to show the preservation of tradition in stories, many different concepts exist for each fairy tale. The Feminist school of criticism greatly focuses on unveiling the patriarchal system and sexist roles that are displayed in stories, and more specifically, fairytales. Four versions of the well-known fairytale of The Little Mermaid will be compared and discussed while focusing on many distinctive
It refers to what society think is appropriate for men and woman. In many fairytales, the female character is seen as beautiful kind and compassionate. She is one who obeys her father and seeks true love from a handsome prince and live happily ever after. As scholar Kay Stone notes “heroines are not allowed any defects, nor are they required to develop, since they are already perfect.” At the end the female considered the heroine is in love and happy with the prince.
As it has been said before, this is a feminist rewriting of the classical version of Cinderella written by Perrault or the Grimm brothers that consists of three short stories: “The Mutilated Girls”, “The Burned Child” and “Travelling Clothes”. The first one, “The Mutilated Girls” follows more or less the classical plot since Carter says that if she had changed it, she would have had to “provide a past for all these people, equip them with three dimensions ... they would have to learn to think and everything would change” (Carter 1993: 113). In this story she pays more attention to paternity and maternity.
With her beautiful dress, she received “a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world.” At the ball, no one is aware of Cinderella’s true identity. Despite that, the King’s son falls in love with her and she gets a happily-ever-after. Due to the different social classes Cinderella portrays to be, she is treated differently
The use of language and structure to present the speaker’s eventual affirmation of his family role in Digging and Mid-Term Break Through the poems ‘Digging’ and ‘Mid-Term Break’ of Seamus Heaney, he explores one’s eventual affirmation of his role in the family despite the initial disappointment and guilt. “Digging” reflects on the traditional peat extraction which was commonly used for fuels by farmers during Heaney’s time. This emphasises the legacy of his family in relation to farming. The title ‘Digging’ underlines the metonymy in the last line, substituting Heaney’s pen to his forefathers’ spades.