Cinderella by Sophia

689 Words3 Pages
Cinderella by Sophia R. Fairy tales are meant to be a pleasantry, a sort of comfort for young children. They often conceal a hidden morale meant to teach youth of the many dangers of the world, and the proper behaviours to avoid them. What is not considered, however, are the more subtle hints that are taught woven into the very fabrics of these tales. Cinderella, a classic story written by Wilhelm and Lucas Grimm, is a widely known fairy tale. When looked at more closely, one can see that it does not only speak of a young girl who wins a charming prince, but tells a story of the many economic power struggles that we can still see prevalent in modern day society. What is it that children are really being taught? Cinderella is a story of power held by the classes. This can be seen when looking at how she is looked down upon by the powerful, how she suddenly becomes well regarded when she dresses nicely, and how eager everyone in the story is to climb the social ladder. Are these the values being bestowed in young children around the world? Cinderella is more than a poor girl; she is a representation of the working class. She is worked to the bone and looked down upon all others. Be it the royalty, or even her own family, she is considered to be something less than human. When the prince comes looking for the girl he fell for, nobody thinks even for a moment that it might be Cinderella. She would be unfit for such a noble prince! It is almost as if being a lower class citizen is something to be ashamed of. The story reinforces the unjust social standards that can still be seen in society today. It is always the rich Bourgeoisie that are regarded as the heroes. With great money, comes great power. Society is so materialistic that only those that can afford to dress in finery are well-regarded. When Cinderella is dressed as the poor, working girl she really
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