Tiara in Her Own Hands: A Cinderella Story
Dear Diary,
The timeless fairy tale of Cinderella has been retold countless times over the years. The general storyline is familiar to all of us – a kind and sweet Cinderella suffering under the tyrannical rule of her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. She perseveres with the help of her animal friends until one night when she attends the ball and meets the prince, her rescuer and ticket to a happily ever after.
A modern retelling of the classic fairy tale that omits the prince provides a story with more depth. Rather than perpetuate the damsel in distress trope, it could promote feminist ideals of self-determination. It could inspire young women to trust in their own agency to overcome adversity. This Cinderella wouldn’t need anyone to save her – she’d save herself through courage, resilience, and growth. She’d be the hero of her own story, fully in charge of her destiny.
No Mice and No Birds
While this classic tale is charming, many modern critics have pointed out its anti-feminist message. Cinderella is portrayed as a damsel in distress, dependent on the prince to save her from her distressful life. Even contemporary retellings of the story that portray Cinderella as stronger and more defiant still include the prince as the key to her escape. But what if the story went a little differently?
Imagine if Cinderella attended the ball but never interacted with the prince. She neither meets nor impresses him enough for him to chase after her. Though the night ends without a royal encounter, Cinderella still gains confidence from having experienced the magic of the ball. This newfound confidence empowers her to stand up to her cruel stepmother and fight for a better life for herself.
In the following days, Cinderella starts to defy her stepmother’s commands and defend herself against the mistreatment she and her stepsisters inflict. Her inner strength continues growing as she realizes she doesn’t need the prince – she has the power to rescue herself from her circumstances. Of course, this path of self-liberation has difficulties and Cinderella must persevere through many obstacles, but she summons the courage to push forward.
No happily ever
With this strength, however, comes a loss of innocence. Cinderella can no longer blithely sing and dance with mice and birds in the attic. The na├пvet├й of her youth fades away as the harsh realities of her situation set in. But the maturation brings greater rewards as she breaks free from her toxic home life.
The original Cinderella story suggests that goodness always prevails over evil and that Cinderella needed saving by the righteous prince. But real life isn’t always so black and white. If Cinderella were a real person, relying on others to fight her battles likely would have only led to more misery. By finding the power within herself, Cinderella could truly transform her circumstances, even if it meant shattering childish notions. No matter how much you agree the truth is – that night Prince did not save a girl but a human being from falling from her innocence saving the free spirit and the belief system that no matter how powerful evil can be God always saves the innocent filling the rest of the life with goodness. If Cinderella were a real-life character I believe this belief system would shatter brutally someday leaving her with only choice to be stronger.
Thinker
Thinker, lifestyle motivator, healthy living blogger, joy finder, journey sharer, positive change inspirer, scholar, philosopher, academic researcher, learner.
