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Critical analysis of the story of Cinderella
Cinderella story an essay
Cinderella story an essay
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Critical analysis of the story of Cinderella
Cinderella story an essay
Cinderella story an essay
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In the essay “Cinderella: Saturday Afternoon at the Movies, ” Louise Bernikow explains women’s relationships and their life goals in the story of Cinderella. She believes that the ultimate goal for women in this fairy tales is to get and a life that can not achieve on their own by marrying a powerful and rich man. In order to achieve this goal, women must compete with each other and be pretty to catch rich men’s eyes. Bernikow uses Cinderella’ stepmother as an example to describe this situation. In the story, the stepmother mistreats Cinderella because Cinderella is beautiful and her daughters are in competition with Cinderella.
As children grow up, they tend to forget the stories that once made up their lives and look down upon what they deem as “child’s play”; however, these stories raise children where parents are not present. Fairy tales characters for children are the construction workers of the adult world, and as the children mature into adulthood, the gates of imagination are opened and the storybook characters morph into newspaper headlines; suddenly, the clock strikes twelve and the glitz and glamour disappear as the realization that “human nature is not innately good, that conflict is real [and] life is harsh before it is happy” (Tatar 306) sinks in. James Braddock, as he attends the ball, assumes the role of Atlas, holding the weight of the working class
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).
While many think Cinderella it is thought of a poor girl that had a good life with her parents. Cinderella had a mother and a Father at the beginning of all three versions of Cinderella. The Father figure and Cinderella had a terrible woman live with them because The Father thought that Cinderella would need a Mother figure since her biological mother had passed away, right? Well, many people think that but what if the ways the interpretation of Cinderella is about to change. The three tales of Cinderella analyzed have very similar structure and substance, themes, archetypes like the circle and of course the Godmother character deviates significantly from each other.
The French version included Cinderella encouraging her step sisters to marry nobles, an act without resentment. “My father’s wife works me like a serving-girl.” (333) This admission made by Cinderella, a free woman by birth, shows she is worked like a slave in her own home, but she still considers her tormentors family. Her father just watches as she is worked to the bone, but Cinderella still considers him family and forgives
Another example coming from Disney is the film “Sleeping Beauty” directed and produced in America in 1959 by Charles Perrault. This animated film is a full stereotyped movie. Many people have watched the film and did not even realize of the stereotypical messages being passed through it. Just the title “Sleeping Beauty” shows us a big picture of the representation of this stereotype. “Sleeping” can mean tiredness, weakness and out of reality and “Beauty” can mean the appearance of the princess.
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.
The newer Disney princess films break the stereotypes and gender roles, offering an insight into re-imagining childhood and childhood innocence. In contemporary society, there is enormous pressure to conform to a certain ideal of beauty and children, especially girls, has a huge impact on their life. For example, in both the films ‘The Little Mermaid and The Loin King female characters are constructed within narrowly defined gender roles’ (Giroux, 2002: 104). However, in today’s society, Disney princess movies have become increasingly more progressive, such as the more recent film Frozen. Opposing to classic Disney princess films, Frozen’s characters conflict the normative typical stereotypes portrayed in the movies.
Similarly, in Walt Disney’s “Cinderella,” she is also treated horribly, and awarded a beautiful outfit by her fairy godmother, letting her attend a ball, encountering her true love. Cinderella gets married to the prince, however, the step-sisters are forgiven and live with Cinderella at the castle unlike the original story. Both stories have many similarities, especially in the climax. However, the
Cinderella’s stepmother constantly gives her stepdaughter hard work to do, but Cinderella perseveres, which fuels her determination to attend the ball and become the prince’s bride. Although the task is unreasonable, for Cinderella’s embarrassment and suffering only, Cinderella does not give up. Her menial task only pushes Cinderella to want her opportunity to be with the prince more, proving her determination and the benefit of being allowed to go with her stepsisters, shown by, “Then you may go with us”. Cinderella is tired of the life she lives and desperately wants a new one. This is why the benefit of being able to attend the festival makes Cinderella determined to clean up her stepmother’s
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
INTRO Language, identity, and culture interact to shape representations of Australian identity, which are influenced by place, social, and cultural factors embedded in language use and attitudes. Understanding this complex relationship is critical for challenging dominant narratives of Australian identity and advocating for a more inclusive view of Australian society. "The Castle" is a 1997 Australian comedy film directed by Rob Sitch about a working-class family fighting to keep their home from being taken away by the government for an airport expansion. It is considered a cult classic in Australia due to its depiction of Australian suburban life and the importance of the value of a "fair go".
Disney, why is it so attractive to children? Parents thought of this question before, but didn’t find any answer. Many young children grew up watching Disney television shows, films, and even buying Disney cartoon characters. For instance Walt Disney began his company to share love and spread fun for both children and adults. However when gender equality, oppression, and advertising become an issue and fear over the population over those years, Disney has been hit with various claims of taking the difference between male and female, focus desires, and attracting children with amazing advertisements.
“When I grow up I want be a princess.” Almost every little girl 's dream was to grow up and live the life of the princesses we saw in movies. It was not until I actually started to analyze the movies that I realized that I do not want to be the princess I see on the screen. For so long I fell in love with the idea that I will one day find a man who will take care of me. I also pushed myself to fit the image of a “perfect princess”.
The stepmother has two daughters who are filled with jealousy and envy. Ever since becoming Cinderella’s stepmother, she has treated Cinderella differently than her two daughters. Cinderella was turned into a servant in her own house, and she could not do anything. When “the king of the castle invited his son to a fancy ball he said he could choose his bride”.