Cathy Youngshim Hwang
Class A1 5.4.06
In reality, there are not very many true "Cinderella stories" in which a young girl, beautiful but downtrodden, attains happiness via a handsome "prince" or an unexpected windfall. However, as a teenage girl who indeed also grew up watching those old Disney classics and reading fairy tales, I can testify that there is a certain charm, an aura of magic about that type of story that makes one long to experience a miracle in Cinderella style; and when children are young, they are apt to believe many stories out of their relative innocence of the world's characteristics. Many shed this double-sided veil of innocence as they grow older, but the argument can be made that these fantasies can potentially have damaging long-time effects on children, especially on girls who must face a society still tarnished with gender stereotypes.
The story of Cinderella has an extremely long and broad history, showing up in almost all cultures in variant forms but with the same basic themes and elements. There is a protagonist, almost always a young girl of marrying age, who embodies many attributes depicted as positive; there is an antagonist, usually a stepmother of the main character. The young girl is usually saved or assisted by a greater power that comes in the shape of a spirit or, many times, charismatic royalty. In the popular Disney version, for example, the protagonist is a young lady, orphaned and forced to serve her evil stepmother and mean-spirited stepsisters, but because she is so kind and generous despite the circumstances, she eventually receives her due reward from her fairy godmother. In the end, she marries her handsome prince and lives "happily ever after." For the most part, the endings to these stories are predictable and the plots themselves could be said to be worn-out from being warped and embroidered and renewed in over 500 versions over the years. There must be something special about this Cinderella story, then, that makes it so timeless and everlasting.
One reason the story of Cinderella is so popular is that with a little tweaking, its elements can be applied to almost any setting. That is why we see so many movies with princess or Cinderella themes, such as "Ever After: A Cinderella Story", "Maid in Manhattan", and "The Prince & Me", as well as Korean soap operas such as "My Name is Kim Sam Soon", "Lovers in Paris", and "Stairway to Heaven". Cinderella's story also portrays a character oppressed and unjustly persecuted in her very own home; this is a reflection of much of human history, which is inundated with countries invading other countries. We tend to lean towards stories that have a connotation with our own experiences because they are easy to commit to memory. The familiar story of Cinderella also carries a message that holds the power to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds---that your dreams may someday come true, if you deserve their fulfillment by maintaining the integrity and purity of your body and mind. Cinderella's dreams eventually come true despite the miserable treatment she endures, conveying to readers that those who really deserve prosperity do receive it in the end.
However, this centuries-old tale has many allusions that cannot be seen as positive, considering the now widespread enlightenment to the power of women. Through the story of Cinderella, girls are encouraged to believe that dreaming is the only requirement for a life of happiness, because outside forces are guaranteed to come to your aid if you are sufficiently "good" and "beautiful." In many versions, such as the German Grimm brothers?version, Cinderella receives aid from impersonations such as her late mother?s spirit or, as in the adaptation of Frenchman Charles Perrault, her fairy godmother. In any case, it is not Cinderella who liberates herself, but an outside force that is usually in a position that is conventionally considered higher than she.
Also included in Cinderella's traits is her kind disposition towards all things and the ability to sustain her dignity and absolute faith even in trying situations. In the Korean Cinderella story, the toad and birds feel inclined to help her because she was always so compassionate. Everyone and everything besides the said antagonists cooperate in order to help Cinderella reach her so-called destiny, relaying the message that everything will come together on your side if only you can prove yourself a model of goodwill and composure.
However, the fact that there is no mention of any resistance or rebellion in most situations Cinderella finds herself in, serves to highlight another issue with the story. She accepts the circumstances "compliant[ly] and uncomplaining[ly]" as Hartmann describes it, despite that her work is often described as drudgery of the worst sort, including the most tedious and menial tasks that could be asked of her. Is this quiet acceptance the result of Cinderella being the very incarnation of patience and compassion, or is the mention of Cinderella making any special efforts to improve her conditions merely "forgotten" in the course of telling the story? Patience and compassion are worthy attributes to have, but passivity to this degree may not exactly be ideal to pass on down through the generations. There is a need to inspire people to stand up for what is right, and to communicate that one should not rely too much on others to determine the necessary actions in one?s life.
Cinderella is also always marked for her great beauty, a beauty that is said to be unrivaled by any other in the kingdom---in some cases, several countries. The stories always draw great attention to the fact that Cinderella is not only beautiful on the inside, but overshadows her stepsisters in physical appearances as well. Perhaps this is an attempt to say that outer beauty will follow those who achieve inner beauty, but how can we judge "inner beauty"? If it is the blind compliance Cinderella tends to exhibit, then the meaning we can attach to this outer "beauty" will also be different. Cinderella?s physical beauty is the first and seemingly only reason that the prince falls in love with her. Hartmann makes an interesting connection with these inferences drawn from the Cinderella story: "Compliant women [are] attractive...Assertive women [live] in the real world of power and competence, but eventually [lose] out." Indeed, Cinderella's stepsisters are fiercely competitive and bear a concrete mission in their minds, albeit for the wrong reasons, but they are ineligible for the role of queen because of the absence of "inner beauty" and a pretty face.
With the countless different remakes and retellings of Cinderella, there is virtually no chance of living in modern society without hearing at least one. In America, where Walt Disney made his fortune through films and giant amusement parks, a common dream for young girls is to become a "princess." There are many fictional models for them to follow, after all. But what are their motivations behind the princess dream? When we are young, we probably do not think so deeply about the meanings behind fairy tales, simply taking in the stories as literally as they are told. There is no innate concept of the need to eliminate gender discrimination and stereotypes; therefore, if children are fed too much of the well-known Cinderella fairy tale before they can grasp these concepts, there may be some serious effects on how they perform their social roles in the future.
Although I grew up greatly enjoying Cinderella and other fairy tales, I did not ever feel any compulsive desire to be like her. However, as my thoughts matured in the last few years, I observed several social phenomena amongst my peers. One is that young girls seem more averse to playing rough sports, especially as they grow older; even girls who once loved to compete with the boys on the playground grew more conscious of something that compelled them to become more "feminine," or in common social stereotype talk, more dainty and mindful of appearances. This is especially true in Korea, where much more emphasis is placed on quietly studying than doing physical exercise and girls are, generally, automatically dismissed as weaker, slower, and thought to need a "big", "strong" male to do all the heavy work. Another interesting phenomenon I observed is that when asked by a teacher what they want in their future husbands, many Korean female students answer, "money." When inquired as to the reasons, they explain that although looks and personality are also important, money will bring them more happiness. Perhaps this materialistic philosophy is the consequence of watching the many Cinderella-based Korean soap operas that usually involve, as in the case of "Lovers in Paris," a rich CEO of a large company who falls in love with a poor and naive but pretty, determined, and spirited woman. Not only is this mindset disadvantageous for the thousands of otherwise eligible young men, but it shows that many people are willing to marry someone for the sake of a financially comfortable lifestyle. This desperation for economic leisure is not a desirable characteristic for the next generation, but perhaps by reducing or altering the Cinderella-themed entertainment practices we can soon make this change.
Many of the older versions of Cinderella, in particular, emphasize this Cinderella mindset very much. They portray the Cinderella who weeps at her mother's grave for help, the Cinderella who is saved by her godmother, the Cinderella who waits for the pigeons to come and help her sort the lentils from the ash. However, in more recent productions such as the movie "Ever After"(1998), the woman protagonists are more empowered and independent. In "Ever After," the main character is very resourceful, opinionated, and expressive of her opinions. She does not depend on others to fulfill her ambitions and hopes. In the popular children's novel Ella Enchanted (1998), author Gail Carson Levine offers a fresh theory explaining the absolute obedience the Cinderella character normally demonstrates and twists the story in other ways that portray Cinderella not as a submissive automaton, but as a unique girl who rebels, aspires, and achieves. Even the 1950 Disney animation features Cinderella secretly devising her own way of getting to the ball, only appealing to the fairy godmother after that plan fails. Therefore, it can be concluded that the message of the story varies depending on its unique interpretation and presentation.
Cinderella, a timeless classic that conveys feelings of oppression, reprisal, and dreams fulfilled, is destined to be a popular story for a long while yet. However, the morals of future variations should be reviewed and made to reflect the ideal, stereotype-free society that we should be striving for today. Young girls and boys should not be influenced into believing that the old folklore of outer beauty, dream worlds, male-dependence, and docility are depictions of traits to be coveted. Maybe Cinderella's deadline is close now, and her apparel should boast more genuine jewels the next time she comes to dance with society.
Works Cited
Books
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: the Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. Knopf: San Francisco, 1976.
Rusting, J.D. The Multicultural Cinderella. Rusting Educational Services: Oakland, 1994.
Periodicals
Antoniou, Efi. "Cinderella" Newsfinder. Feb 2006: 22
Bafile, Cara. "Cinderella Goes to School" Education World. Nov 2001: 8
Internet Resources
Amazon.com. Search for "Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine" Accessed 3 May 2006.
Ashliman, D.L. (translator and editor) "Cinderella - Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm"Accessed 3 May 2006.
< http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm021.html>
Hartmann, Thom. "It's Time to Empower Our Girls." The Gift of ADHD, Renaissance Thinking about the Issues of our Day. Accessed 3 May 2006.
< http://www.thomhartmann.com/empower.shtml>
Young, Jonathan. "Insights from a Cinderella Story --- Ever After: A Cinderella Story" The Center for Story and Symbol. Accessed 3 May 2006.
< http://www.folkstory.com/articles/cinderella.html>
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