Rhetorical Analysis Of Cinderella By Grimm Brothers

Let's say last night you dreamed you were in a fairytale. How would you describe it? Were there magical fairies, castles, golden objects, or talking animals? Did you slay a dragon, find true love, or save a princess? Common details that recur within a genre such as these are labeled genre Conventions, which can be used to enhance a text’s appeal or advance a moral. In “Cinderella”, by the Grimm Brothers, the authors utilize a multitude of fairy tale genre conventions such as frequent usage of rhetorical devices, magical creatures, and the classic “Happy Ever After” fairy tale ending, to emphasize the importance of genuineness and the dangers of pursuing superficiality. The authors use several rhetorical devices such as symbolism and juxtaposition

She then “went to her mother’s grave, and planted a hazel sprig on it. She cried so hard that her tears fell to the ground and watered it. It grew and became a beautiful tree. Three times a day Cinderella went and sat under it, and wept and prayed” (Pg 182). The authors show that one can find solace and grow past hardship with patience and authenticity, which is symbolized through the growth of the sprig. Additionally, there is a clear contrast between Cinderella’s item of choice which is used to honor her deceased mother versus her sisters’ desires to pursue vanity instead of respecting family. The Grimms then expounds upon this contrast between the protagonist and antagonists by using poetic juxtaposition. Later in the story, when the two sisters attempt to steal Cinderella’s love with the Prince by physically altering their feet to forcefully fit the shoe, the Grimms writes, “ ‘ Roo coo coo, roo coo coo, blood’s in the shoe: the shoe’s too tight, the real bride’s waiting another night’ (pg 184). Then, when Cinderellas effortlessly fits into the shoe without having to force herself, the Grimms writes, “Roo coo coo,

Spitz quotes directly from another author, Marina Warner, stating how fairy tales are “ stories that try to find the truth and give us glimpses of greater things…this is the principle that underlies their growing presence… “ (Paragraph 2). In Cinderella, the Grimms’ specifically use fairy tale conventions to give audiences the ‘glimpses of greater things’. Every single convention was utilized to draw back to the idea that one must disregard the frivolous forces of life and live their most sincere self, essentially allowing for audiences to use Cinderella’s story as a baseline of comparison towards their own lives. Spitz continues to remark that “An educated adult will listen with a gnawing deep-down feeling that the story merits attention and bears a species of uncanny truth” (Paragraph 8). If an educated adult were to read an article that stated their lifestyles were outright incorrect and they must disregard vanity and act more genuine, they would feel shocked and feel less inclined to listen. However, Cinderella successfully overcomes this psychological element through the usage of genre conventions. The “uncanny truth” of living authentically is exemplified through the rewards of Cinderella's lifestyle and the punishments of her sisters, yet audiences are