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Writing courage essay
Writing courage essay
The influence of identity
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The statement that courage and imagination can be a driving force in helping someone in overcoming hardships, is prevalent in both Adeline Yen Mah’s, ‘Chinese Cinderella’ and Alfonso Cuaron’s film ‘A Little Princess’. Both these texts contain main characters who express their imagination to help them overcome the oppressive situations in which they are placed. In ‘Chinese Cinderella’, Adeline relies on writing to transport her to a place that is unaffected by the hardships she faces in reality. Furthermore, in the film, Sarah depends on imaginative story telling as a driving force to temporarily conquer the hardships she experiences. In addition, the characters in both texts develop attachments to various treasures that give them comfort and to take their minds off of their oppressive lives. For Adeline, she develops a friendship with a duck, whom she named Precious Little Treasure, whilst Sarah has an attachment with the doll her father gave her. Both of these are incapable of returning their affection, however Adeline and Sarah find comfort in imagining that their possessions understand them. Ultimately, the courage shown by both Adeline and Sarah allows them to overcome …show more content…
Adeline escapes her by writing expressive and emotive stories while Sarah deals with her subjugation by telling stories to Becky and to the other girls in the school. Adeline expresses courage by entering a writing competition when she has been told that she is worthless and her self-esteem is low. Adeline also shows courage when she asks her father if she can go and study in England with her older brothers. Sarah shows courage when she talks back to Miss Minchin and when she crosses the beam to escape the other building and hide from Miss Minchin and the
Nearly everyone has a dream in life that they desperately want to accomplish. Without these dreams people wouldn’t strive to accomplish what makes them happy. Sometimes happiness might be hard to reach because of obstacles faced in life. The obstacles which one faces and how they can overcome them are remarked in Anne Lauren’s Carter short story “Leaving the Iron Lung”. In order for the author to show that one must overcome faced obstacles to pursue their dreams, she uses the protagonist transformation, contrasting characters and settings.
Presently, many books and fairytales are converted movies and often, producers alters the original tales to grasp the attention of a large audience. However, some of these interpretations hide the primary interpretation. The original interpretations of the Disney classics Snow White and Sleeping Beauty are greatly reinvented from the original fairytales Sun, Moon, and Talia and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs because of the brutal nature of the treatment women in these original forms. Although there are differences in certain aspects from the original tales to the movies, there are many issues that are influential to the young girls who are still watching the Disney version. I realize this when my youngest niece, Anella asks me, “Why can’t I be beautiful and fall asleep and suddenly wake up to finally find my prince?” This is true in all cases of the four different translations of the fairytales. Every single girl in these stories are in a “beautiful” state of half-death who wake to find a prince who if eager to carry them off. This can lead to negative psychological effects on young girls as they are growing up, creating a large amount of pressure and low self-esteem due to the beauty that these stories portray and maintaining restrictions that these women experience in the stories. While it is true that Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves are considered Disney classics that entertain children and provide meaningful role models, it is evident that the true, vulgar nature of these tales are hidden; these stories are about women who are thrown away.
Parents play an important role in a child’s life so it is only natural that these roles are portrayed in fairytales meant for children. This is evident in the tale Donkeyskin by Charles Perrault and Cinderella by the Grim Brothers. The differing roles of the fathers in these tales, along with the similar roles of mothers, establish two different beliefs to impart on a child. Donkeyskin reminds a child that his/her parents love is undying and wants what is best for them; while Cinderella stresses the importance of becoming independent. Both of these beliefs recognize and address a child’s simple desires and fears.
“Through perseverance many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.” — Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. In the novel Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah faces many challenges in her life and shows perseverance. Adeline is very close to failure and is constantly unwanted by her family, but this neglected daughter strives to do her best and perseveres through obstacle after obstacle to find her way. Even though Adeline does succeed at the end of the book, Chinese Cinderella, a true biography by Adeline Yen Mah, is a depressing story in my opinion.
It is commonly believed that the only way to overcome difficult situations is by taking initiative in making a positive change, although this is not always the case. The theme of the memoir the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is that the changes made in children’s lives when living under desperate circumstances do not always yield positive results. In the book, Jeannette desperately tries to improve her life and her family’s life as a child, but she is unable to do so despite her best efforts. This theme is portrayed through three significant literary devices in the book: irony, symbolism and allusion.
In both Hans Christian Andersons “The Little Mermaid,” and Disney’s version of the story, the main character— a young and beautiful mermaid— waits anxiously for her fifteenth birthday to venture from her father’s underwater castle to the world above the water. As the story carries on the mermaids priorities change; her modest and selfless nature is revealed towards the end in Andersen’s version. However, Disney’s version encompasses a rather shallow ending and plot throughout. The theme found in comparing the two versions reveal that Andersen’s substance trumps Disney’s entertainment factor in fairy tales.
Sarcasm, mockery and satire are common themes used throughout “Cinderella”. The reader asks: Why does the author use this style of writing? How do these literary elements enhance the author’s overall theme and tone? Sexton’s use of multiple literary devices demonstrates her beliefs about fairy tales and enables the reader to clearly see the absurdity of such tales. She does not try to make the reader decipher what she wants them to take from the story, she lays it out directly. By the author using her own hyperboles and satire, the reader is able to see the impracticalities of the original story in a different way. The comical remarks made by Sexton such as: “That is the way with amputations. / They don’t just heal up like a wish”, add humor and light-heartedness to the
feel discouraged, and those clouds come back, take out this letter and read it again”(195). This shows that Adeline even an 14 year old needs encouragement. It also shows only Ye Ye and Aunt Baba were there to encourage her. As a result her Aunt Baba and grandpa care for her even though her parents don’t.
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
Not having a parent figure in Cinderella’s life made her feel lonely similar to the feeling of being an outcast. Having no one to seek advice or guidance from, Cinderella grows up feeling abandoned. With two manipulative step sisters making her be the house wench she doesn’t have a social live. The “evil” step mothe...
Today, adults reading Charles Perrault’s Cinderella realize similarities and differences between Cinderella and a modern western woman. Adults recognize that Cinderella in Perrault’s fairy tale has undesirable qualities for a modern western woman, today. Cinderella is affectionate, goodwill, forgiving, and loyal. On the other hand, Cinderella is not independent, outspoken, confident, and strong. Cinderella has low self esteem and is incapable of solving problems. Inferiority, dependence and passiveness are characteristics that represent Cinderella do not characterize a modern western woman.
Many of Disney’s original movies such as snow white, sleeping beauty, and Cinderella all present perfect examples of a strong issue that has been the controversy of the 21st century. These movies bring on an obvious trend that even small children could point out. The beautiful girl is stuck in some kind of sad imprisonment(either brought upon by herself or by others) and a handsome prince sweeps her off her feet and saves the day. Which, raises an important question as to why some women wait for their prince charming to come rescue them, instead of putting on their metaphorical belt and boots and clearing their own path to the future they desire. However the trend is not only seen in disney movies but also in our culture today. In which, many
Adeline Yen Mahs Presentation of Chinese Culture in Chinese Cinderella Adeline Yen Mah was born in 1937 in China during cultural upheaval. Chinese Cinderella is an autobiography of Yen Mah's life during the ages 4-14 years old. As the book is a portrait that is only written from Yen Mah's view over life it would differ if someone else wrote. it. I will be able to do it.
It is this element of hope in a true fairytale that creates the support for a protagonist to overcome the opposing force that has been thrust onto them. A genuine fairytale is said to have the element of, “A innocent character [placed against] the evil character who normally loses somehow,” (Gokturk) which is seen as Cinderella is chosen by the prince over the evil step-sisters at the ball. As human beings with a developed moral system, it has been seen that the more deserving, mistreated character is favored to succeed in the story. Cinderella is seen as this “underdog” character in her quest to find love with the prince and overcome her step-sisters’ mistreatment. As Cinderella is mistreated by her new family, sympathy is built for the emerging protagonist and hope of her to conquer her situation follows. The underdog of this story grows in favorability to be picked by the prince due to the societal belief that the more deserving candidate should overcome their opposition. If there was no sense of hope thought the story of Cinderella, this story could not be categorized as a true embodiment of a
Over the years, Disney has presented many movies to their audience—most having a Princess as the protagonist. These movies became a babysitter for most parents in the early stages of their child’s life. Most people found these movies as relatively harmless. The obvious assumption about the Disney Princesses is that they only desire true love since almost every movie ends in romance. Parents just viewed these movies as romantic movies on a child’s level. However, these movies were not solely intended for an audience of an age that can be counted on both hands. They were intended to speak to “an intelligent and active audience” (Sumera 40). However, there are many people who disagree with the ways of the Disney Princess movies. The disagreements lie within the portrayal of women gender roles in these movies. It is argued that Disney portrays women as a being nurturing individuals without any control over their identity. The women are unable to think for themselves, because they are uneducated, and they are quick to fall in love with the first man that pays them any attention. However, this is not completely true. The people that are against the portrayal of women in the Disney movies are failing to recognize the underlying concepts in these movies. For example, Belle, in Beauty and the Beast, was well educated, Mulan went to war despite the consequences, and Merida, in Brave, stood up to her mother in refusal to marry. The Disney Princesses desired intelligence, bravery, strength, and independence—not true love’s kiss.