As I was brainstorming ideas for my children’s book, I tried to think of ways that I could relate my book back to Pudd’nhead Wilson. I remembered that when I was reading the part where Roxy switched the babies she mentions that “de angels” (Twain, 12) were going to look down upon and protect Chambers who was about to become Tom. When I saw, the word angels I immediately thought of Fairy Godmothers and I decided that the Roxy saw kind of herself as a fairy godmother for her son because she was doing what she thought was the best for her son at the time. I decided to make my children’s book about princesses switched by Pearle, the Fairy Godmother. I focused on the moral of honesty is the best policy because if Tom and Roxy, along with Tatiana
In James Poniewozik's "The Princess Paradox" (323-325) the author explains how the idea of a feminist, independent woman becoming a fairy tale princess is a paradox and that society is engaging in a paradox through the belief of it. He utilizes the recent bout of Cinderella retellings to show the paradox of how girls cannot be both completely independent and a fairytale princess, and yet society perpetuates the paradox through believing that this is not only possible, but realistically attainable as well. Poniewozik exposes the contradictions that surround these new Cinderellas to defy these "realistic" stories that society has come to embrace. By showing how truly constrictive and illogical these fantasies are, Poniewozik also shows how hypocritical society has become for idolizing them and why this new princess is a true paradox.
Throughout the years, the story of Cinderella has changed as different authors, including the Brothers Grimm and Walt Disney have weaved their perspectives, morals, and agendas into their retellings. Just as varying rhetors can ha...
This book was written much earlier than Dworkin’s book, when this was acceptable behavior for a woman. Heckel uses these examples successfully in his article because they support his ideas and topic. Both sources provide two different views other than Heckel to make the article convey its purpose successfully. In the fairytales, women are dependent on their princes to come and rescue them. However, as time passed, women and fairytale princesses changed their dependent ways and started becoming
Alice Walker’s “Roselily”, when first read considered why she decided to use third person. Especially when the story is in such a private line of thought, but then after my second time reading the story I decided that Roselily would not be a strong enough woman to speak about the social injustices that have happened to her. One key part of the story is her new life she will be facing after she is married in Chicago, while comparing it with her old life she is leaving in Mississippi. In Chicago she will no longer have a job, but instead be a homemaker where she will be responsible for the children and home. Also, in Chicago she will become a Muslim because it is what her new husband will want her to be, but back in Mississippi she was of the Christian faith. One of the more positive outcomes of her marriage is that she will go from extreme poverty, to not having to worry about money on a day to day basis.
“When the little pink-and-yellow girl begins to cry, Pecola’s mother comforts her with tenderness: “Hush, baby, hush. Come here. Oh, Lord, look at your dress. Don’t cry no more. Polly will change it’” (p. 85). For her own child she has harsh and bitter words of rejection: “Pick up that wash and get out of here, so I can get this mess cleaned up” (ibid.). Through her mother’s blurred vision of the pink, white, and golden world of the Fishers, Pecola learns that she is ugly, unacceptable, and especially unloved.” (Klotman 124.)
Grant’s Ever After depicts a much more modern “Cinderella story”. It follows the basic plot set by Perrault’s original story with a modern feminist flair, it changes the overall message of what the proper female stereotype should be. The message of obedience is also changed in Grant’s story with a message of free choice and freedom in the form of democracy and knowledge. Susannah Grant is successful in writing a modern version of the classic fairytale which will continue to live on due to its liquid plot that can continue to be molded by social norms for many years to
“Royal Beatings” begins in the imperfect tense with Rose telling us what her life was like. Her attitude and her circumstances are immediately revealed. Her mother had died when she was still a baby, and so she grew up with “only Flo for a mother.” Her father was not readily available and somewhat scared Rose. Rose loves her family but is not like them; she is clumsy instead of clever and had a need to “pursue absurdities.” Characters are revealed and emotions are discovered but the story does not become about action until nine pages into the story. Then, the reader is thrust into present tense action. Rose vividly describes a Saturday of which she and Flo argue and irritate one another. Rose’s father is called in from his shed by Flo and so he gives Rose what the r...
A prolific exemplification of the ideal female virtues portrayed in fairy tales is Charles Perrault’s “ The Little Glass Slipper”. Perrault presents the ideal female fairy tale character through his portrayal of Cinderella. Cinderella is a tame and forgiving individual who subjects herself to the will of her father, stepmother and s...
As the world has transformed and progressed throughout history, so have its stories and legends, namely the infamous tale of Cinderella. With countless versions and adaptations, numerous authors from around the world have written this beauty’s tale with their own twists and additions to it. And while many may have a unique or interesting way of telling her story, Anne Sexton and The Brother’s Grimm’s Cinderellas show the effects cultures from different time periods can have on a timeless tale, effects such as changing the story’s moral. While Sexton chooses to keep some elements of her version, such as the story, the same as the Brothers Grimm version, she changes the format and context, and adds her own commentary to transform the story’s
Cinderella is the quintessential representative for stories that focus on the ideas of rags to riches; a chance that things will be alright, similar to the American Dream which was an ideology that was prominent at the time. It’s also a story that display good lessons about life such as how life isn’t always fair, and that even good people can fall under difficult circumstances, but despite this, good choices in those difficult conditions make the experience better later on. It helps to understand the concept of hope, especially to children that have a harder time grasping the visualization of the topic. Such visualization is shown through the characterization of the main protagonist Cinderella, and how she, despite being in such a desolate situation, had made hopes and dreams to escape the problems that she has by wishing.
As many of us know, our world today is not short of sarcasm. Many times sarcasm can be funny but other times it can cause harm. But in Anne Sexton’s poem, she uses sarcasm to throw her audience back to actuality, even a midst a fairytale element. In Anne Sexton’s poem, Cinderella she uses sarcasm and a basis of the true tale to make what many would call a “mockery” of the original Grimm Tale. Sexton does not refer to the Grimm brothers in her poem, for she considers this re-telling her own creation, uniquely by using irony to her advantage. As an audience we can relate to how and why Sexton takes much from the original versions, but we find that her interpretation brings a different approach. Sexton felt the original versions held no light to reality, so she changed the shallow premise of the original Cinderella bringing all the unrealistic morals in the story to the surface. The author's style, tone, and language helps to convey her sarcastic approach and differentiate between gritty reality and the ideal of fairy tale endings.
Over centuries, fairy tales were passed down by word of mouth to portray a story with a hidden meaning. As these fairy tales were passed on they traveled to different destinations and were modified to conform to other cultures. One example of this is the story of Grapnel. Most people are familiar with the Brothers Grimm version of Rapunzel; however, an earlier variant that comes from Italy was the forerunner to the Grimm version. The Italian version, Petrosinella, written by Giambattista Basile, is an example of how culture has an influence on literature. Although this is the case, both fairy tale versions portray jungian archetypes that are often misinterpreted by mainstream portrayals of these fairy tales.
The obedience curse in Ella Enchanted and the desire for beauty in Fairest are reflective of the expectation imposed by the gender norms of society and the obsession with appearance. The young female heroine in The Paper Bag Princess defies the social norms of women by courageously saving her prince. Much like Lady Wendylyn in The Knight Who Was Afraid of the Dark faces her fears to help Sir Fed the brave female roles stand out as more than the damsel in destress or the needy princess waiting for her prince to sweep her off her feet. The plots of all four of these books present the reader with a strong female character and a non-conventional spin on the gender norms we expect to read in a
Some fairy tales are so iconic that they withstand the passing of time. One of those fairy tales is that of Cinderella. The rags to riches story that gives even the lowliest of paupers, hope that they may one day climb the social ladder. While the core message of the story has transcended time, over the years it has been adapted to address a variety of audiences. One of those renditions is Perrault’s Cinderella where the traditional idea of gender is conveyed and therefore associated with good/evil. This idea is challenged by a fellow 1600’s French author, L’heriter de Villandon’s, who’s version of Cinderella brings about a female protagonist who is also the heroine.
Molly Grace Busby Mrs. Taylor PreAP English II 8 April 2014 The Effects of Fairy Tales on Romance Fairy tales vs. reality in romance. Childhood stories of star crossed lovers meeting by chance and being swept up in a heart pounding romance then immediately getting married and living happily ever after are obviously something anyone would long for but is it realistic in our day and age? Fairy tales have been a part of our lives for as long as we can remember, and they have long lasting repercussions.