How would the truth of each character’s candor-self illustrate differently? The classic Cinderella tale traditionally utilizes Cinderella’s pain to instill hope and benevolence in her character, but that anguish could instead fabricate a monster. Each Cinderella tale has a slightly different outlook on the fate of Cinderella. Some of the most notable tales include; The Grimm Brothers original fable of “Cinderella”, The Little Golden Book version of Cinderella and the 2015 Disney movie adaptation, Cinderella.
Princesses’ in Disney movies are tied down to a recurring theme: the princess that must be saved from the evil woman by the charming prince. A significant contrast to the usually weak and easily persuaded figure of the father. Even though the women are portrayed as weak, nobody stops to think how strong they have to be to carry the responsibility of an entire household on her shoulder, while the men always seem to be traveling or ill. Fairytales are based on a patriarchal way of thinking and as time passes by, it’s proven to be detrimental to society Women and men are constantly being bound to a series of stereotypes. These stereotypes have always existed but have been passed down to us, precisely, by these stories. They target the most impressionable part of society, children.
Any child who was fortunate enough to be raised anywhere except the underside of a rock has certainly been exposed to Walt Disney movies at some point in his or her life. One of the most famous of these childhood classics is “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”. Most children and parents alike probably assume that this colorful tale was woven straight from the brain of Walt Disney himself. However, to the shock of most viewers, this feature film draws its premise from Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairytale, “The Little Mermaid”. Although both stories feature the same “little mermaid” as the protagonist, the presentation of this mythical creature has evolved drastically from the original fairytale.
Fairy tales have been part of the collective work of different cultures for centuries. Their main functions were to dictate moral concepts such as good and evil, as well as ideal notions of beauty, femininity, and motherhood. Such tales often told the struggles of different women who were bound to fill out their designated roles in patriarchal societies and were thrashed against each other in order for the author to make a point. The typical representations of women in fairy tales as good or evil, feminine or wicked, is a valid topic for research because it leads to a variety of subtopics, such as women’s relationships as depicted in this literary form. The most interesting aspect of the latter is the rivalry shared between the heroine and
In this case, nostalgia acts as a catalyst for women to begin conforming themselves into the three princesses shown to be considered perfect. In correspondence with the segments of Snow White, Belle, and Cinderella plays a soft piano score that invokes a sense of whimsy that is representative of the music that often occurs during a Disney Princess film. Another appeal that is made is romance. Every Disney Princess has a problem that is surrounded by romance. As mentioned previously, the three that are used in this ad are part of several love stories considered to be classics.
“Cinderella” is a fable based on a moral lesson, that if you are pure and good at all times then you will eventually get what you deserve. This is a lesson that many want to convey so there are many versions of “Cinderella” like one of the first stories : “Cinderella” by the Brothers Grimm, there is also a more modern version a poem “Cinderella” written by Anne Sexton. The Brothers Grimm version is a traditional story with a interesting tone, and a not so specific pattern in its literature. The poem by Anne Sexton has altered the traditional tone and the literature pattern to be more direct. The modern work draws on from from the former story by having a plot that is in the exact same manner, and the theme again is a virtual subject that must
Disneyfication is based upon the ideals of the Walt Disney Corporation that were presented in the time leading up to the Renaissance of the late 1980s. These films all present women as damsels in distress left waiting for a man to come save them. Even movies that are not about Princesses, like The Aristocats, perpetuate this idea within their plots, and it is about cats. Disneyfied communities expect women to emulate Snow White and Cinderella, to be quiet and docile, and to work hard only in the house while the men do all of the real work. Even when Disney began to feature strong women who could kind of save themselves, like Jasmine, Esmeralda, and Megara, Disneyfied societies clung onto the misogynistic ideals of the past.
The majority (80%) of the characteristics displayed are female and include the common ones of “nurturing” and “submissive”, exemplifying the gender norm of domestic activities being reserved for women, (Dawn). This unequal distribution of characteristics can be attributed to the unequal distribution of employment opportunities between genders during the time of the release, since women were commonly restricted to domestic activities. In addition to Cinderella exemplifying the gender norms of the time, other minor female characters do so as well. In a song performed by Cinderella's mouse acquaintances, one of the female mice recites, “...Leave the sewing to the women,” after being offered help by a male mouse. This short line intensifies the interconnected and diverse inclusions of gendered characteristics throughout the film, all highlighting the notion of domestic activities being prearranged for women.
When examining Beauty and the Beast, the different characteristics of fairy tales such as magical elements, setting and the types of characters, and lessons within the tale demonstrate an ideal example of a fairy tale that is described by Jack Zipes and Maria Tatar. One day, an old beggar woman comes by a castle offering a young, selfish prince a rose in exchange for a place to stay for the night and the young prince denies her. Since the prince denies her due to her unattractive outward appearance, the old woman punishes the young prince by turning him into a monstrous beast and his servants into sentient objects. The old woman gives the prince 10 years, or by the time he turns 21, to find a girl who will fall in love with him despite him being a beast. The time is counted down by an enchanted rose whose petals will slowly fall off until his time is up.
However, this fairy tale is filled with knowledge that children must discover for themselves, such as self determination and awareness of their surroundings. This knowledge creates a foundation for children to foster their interpersonal skills as well as their self determination. Hugh Cunningham, a social history professor at the University of Kent, underscores, “If adults do not keep the child in them alive, they will become dried up and embittered, Scrooges” (Cunningham 68). From this, fairy tales, particularly “Hansel and Gretel,” are nostalgic because they teach children lessons that will be vital in adult life. Taking away this form of education hinders children because they need to make discoveries on their own.