Important Life Lessons that Can be Learned from Cinderella

Due the advancement of women and the slow end of social inequality our society today, people have begun to wonder if Cinderella is still the perfect tale for children. Many think that Cinderella perpetuates the archetype of a weak little girl unable to defend herself, which teaches children harmful ideas. To others, however, she is still the magical girl who conquers evil and marries the prince. It is easy to see why people think she’s weak when they have only seen modern versions and compare her to the woman of today, but to those who have experienced the older versions Cinderella, she is the ideal woman of today, against all archetypes.

In Walt Disney’s Cinderella, Cinderella takes on her role as a sweet girl who was given the grave misfortune of having an evil step-family. The characters in the Grimms’ and Charles Perrault versions also depict her as a helpless child who simply waits to be rescued and wishes to be accepted. Most would agree that very few women today would patiently wait for a prince charming to fall into their lap. They are expected to make a path for themselves. However these could be seen as entire misconceptions. Take for instance the Grimm version, where Cinderella allows her step-sisters to mutilate their feet while she hides and allows the birds to peck out their eyes on the way to the wedding (Grimm, 606-607). That is a story of complete revenge, not something that a meek little girl would allow to happen. In the movie she wins the love of the prince not just by a shoe but by her goodness and character. Cinderellas magic comes from within, not from some little old lady with a wand. The most fantastic, moralistic thing about Cinderella is her overwhelming goodness. Children see her goodness and believe that if they too are good that their dreams really will come true. One of the greatest merits of Cinderella is that, irrespective of the magic help Cinderella receives, the child understand that essentially it is through her own efforts, and because of the person she is, that Cinderella is able to transcend magnificently her degraded state, despite what appear as insurmountable obstacles.

Cinderella stories have been adapted in several different ways. For example, Pretty Woman, a story of a bubbly, wholehearted prostitute named Vivian who is rescued from the streets by a rich, loveless man named Edward. Edward is able to indulge his every need except for his need for love, so Vivian also rescues Edward from his loveless life. The idea of class is very evident here with Vivian being a working girl and the hero being an upper class guy all the way. This relates to Cinderella very well, where Cinderella is a servant and the hero is of course, a prince.

. In both stories the men are more powerful and take the role as the rescuers and both Cinderella and Vivian lack any real identity of who they are. Both women also put aside their anger and resentment that would be sensible reactions to the life they have been forced in to and overcame their defeats . Cinderella will most likely be a timeless classic forever. Despite all the gender and class issues that disappoint many in todays society it will always give children hope and encourage them to dream, which can only motivate children further to achieving those dreams. No child’s dreams should ever be downcast because if they really believe they can really achieve.

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