Lieberman’s point is that fairy tales make beauty the basis for which reward is given, not intelligence, work ethic, or anything else a radical feminist would see as an asset. Lieberman also stresses that in popular fairy tales, beauty is associated with being kind and well-tempered whereas ugliness is associated with being ill-tempered and often jealous. This can be easily shown in one of the most popular fairy tales of all—Cinderella. In this, Lieberman argues, Cinderella is oppressed by her cruel, ugly stepsisters and stepmother who force the kind, beautiful girl to do all the chores in the house. Cinderella ends up getting the prize (marriage to the prince) based on looks alone.
In this story Panttaja says it is both mothers that are wicked. Panttaja states the real mother “plots and schemes, and she wins” (Panttaja 660) when it comes to fulfilling the wishes of Ashputtle. But actually the two mothers have the same goal in mind; to have their daughters married off and have a joyful life. To be able to do this, the real mother puts a charm on the prince to make him fall in love with Ashputtle instead of anyone else. The prince did not dance with anyone else all night and would always say “she is my partner” (Grimm 630).
Growing up, I thought my mother looked just like Cinderella and had the same pretty voice. I was excited to watch this movie again, with my daughter, because I thought it would bring me back to my childhood. I must admit that while watching it for absolutely different reasons, and taking notes, it was hard to enjoy it as much. Without immediately referring to the sheer passivity of the heroine, Cinderella, I’ve found that this story not only gender-stereotypes, but sets societal norms right out there on the table for you, and agrees and supports every one of them. Cinderella is not the role model I want for my daughter.
Evelyn Duron Period 3 9/22/12 “Cinderella: Not so Morally Superior Critique” Cinderella is a story most of us know. The story of Cinderella has been retold many different ways in countries all around the world but the one we frequently think of when it comes to Cinderella is Disney’s rendition. In Elisabeth Panttaja’s critique, “Cinderella: Not so Morally Superior,” she critiques “Ashputtle,” the Grimm’s version of Cinderella. Although Panttaja argues that Cinderella triumphs in marrying the prince because she uses magic, there is indications that magic did not place the prince under a spell. In the Grimm’s version of Cinderella (628-633), the day of the wedding Ashputtle begs to go.
The step-mother was primarily concerned with ensuring that her own “daughters have a better life than she” (Schectman 602). The step-mother felt that Cinderella was “a mere distraction to her overall campaign” (Schectman 602), and that is why Cinderella was unable to form a functional relationship with
The Paper Bag Princess written by Robert Munsch is a subversion of the fairy tale tradition of Disney. This is a story about a Princess, named Elizabeth, who goes through many obstacles to find her inner-self. There are only three characters appear in the book; a princess Elizabeth, a prince Ronald and fiery dragon. The progressive plot revolves around two central conflicts: self against other (Elizabeth against Dragon), and self against society (Elizabeth against societal pressures). The paper bag princess chose the opposite way with most of classic fairy tale such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Her daughter came running over in a full-skirted frock with a gold bodice, a beaded crown hanging sideways on her head, and she says, “Look, Mommy, I’m Ariel!” referring to Disney’s Little Mermaid. Her daughter then stops and raises her eyebrow and asks her mom, “Mommy, do you like Ariel?” Orenstein thinks and says it’s not the perpetual dissatisfaction with the results, but then questions herself and says “Or is it?” Orenstein says the Princesses are not what really bother her anyway. Well what does? Isn’t that’s what she’s arguing throughout the
The Elf Child October 4, 2012 In the novel The Scarlet Letter the character of Pearl is one that represents every since of the word ambiguous. Pearl is nothing but a child; she is an untamed and disobedient little “elf”, despite that she is a beautiful and loving child of her mother. Throughout the book, Pearl is depicted mocking her mother and other authority figures in her life, including governors, but she is also shown standing up for her mother and herself in various situations. These two different sides of Pearl make her highly ambiguous, and creates the effect of uncertainty in the reader of how they feel about her. Her ambiguity is significant because it represents the ambiguous atmosphere surrounding the affair between Hester
For example, in the movie she tells her friend how much she wants to be assistant manager, but never sends in the application. The movie has some of the four elements of a Cinderella but not all of them. For example, in the movie there is recognition through a token, in this case the boy but no magical gift or person. There is also a dance/dinner but it is not where the heroine is introduced; and there is an ill-treated girl, who may be worthy, but is not rich to begin with. The movie also adds a level of ethnicity by making Marisa or Cinderella Hispanic, and she is even caught in the act, which is a new thing for a Cinderella story.
Anne Elliot is an “unfortunate heroine” 1. “She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: the natural sequence of an unnatural beginning” (p29). ‘Prudence’ is what increases her susceptibility to being persuaded to follow a course of actions “through argument or belief” 2. Persuasion has been described as having a Cinderella-like theme – a vulnerable young woman is harshly treated by her family, and is rescued by her hero through good fortune and magic 1. However, Anne Elliot is not a passive heroine, and her fortune and misfortune are not brought about by fate.