Cinderella

For my fourth English paper I have to write a persuasive essay on nine different Cinderella stories. I didn't even know there was so many. It has opened my eyes to some cultures and there folklore. Like the story from Africa where a frog is her fairy god mother, so to speak, and he eats her then vomits her back up and she's all beautified, gross! The Brother's Grimm story has her step-sisters getting their eyes pecked out in revenge, very Alfred Hitchcock. Then there is the European version that has Cinderella killing her first step-mother to make way for her governess to take her spot, a bit conniving for me.

I am suppose to take an argument and make you think differently about the beloved story of Cinderella. Most people, myself being one of them until recently, only know the Disney version where sweetness and hard work prevail. In the other stories she portrays some sweetness and innocence but they are not the reason she succeeds. The story is really a very negative view on life for young women. It teaches young women that all their problems will be solved if we can marry a handsome rich prince to take us away from our reality.

My professor brought up the point that maybe we could argue Cinderella was really schizophrenic and that is why she thought the animals were talking to her. I thought maybe we could say that she was just a whiner and her step-sisters and step-mother weren't really that bad, Cinderella was just screaming out for attention.

I really don't know what stance I am going to take on my paper but I am looking forward to it. I think it is going to be fun tackling Cinderella, but I may not let my daughter's watch the movie ever again after I'm done.