Summary Of The Article A Girl: The Endlessly Evolving Cinderella

Cinderella is a fairy tale that has been passed down for many generations. The tale itself has hundreds of variations that are all centered around the same idea. It remains popular for people of all ages due to its ability to relate to countless different situations. One of the most known Cinderella stories deals with a young girl who is treated very poorly by her family. When she finds out that there is going to be a big ball in her town, she wishes to go. When she tells her family, her mother and stepsisters are strongly against the idea. They give her extra work around the house to keep her occupied and to prevent her from attending the ball. Cinderella’s dream of going to the ball comes true when she receives help from a fairy godmother.

The core of the story has become very flexible in terms of how it can be portrayed. In the article, “A Girl, A Shoe, A Prince: The Endlessly Evolving Cinderella”, the author, Linda Holmes, talks about the durability of the story when she states “All it takes is a girl and a dress and a shoe; people get it. There are countless versions” (11). Holmes gives many examples of stories and movies that have portrayed the Cinderella Story. She stressed the work “countless” in her arguments to emphasize how far this folk tale has come. According to Holmes, as long as the basics are there, the story can be molded in countless different ways. In America’s Cinderella, written by Jane Yolen, Yolen describes the malleability of the everlasting Cinderella Story. She claims, “All the folk tales have been gutted. But none so changed, I believe, as “Cinderella”. For the sake of Happy Ever After, the mass market books have brought forward a good, malleable, forgiving little girl and put her in Cinderella’s slippers” (25). Yolen examines how the “Cinderella” story has been changed more than any other folk tale. She describes how the mass market has changed Cinderella into a moldable character that can fit into any situation. These characteristics have allowed for the morals of the story to be passed down for ages. One such story is seen in the movie,