Power Point 20th Anniversary Cinderella

Slide 1: Cinderella by The Brothers Grimm (original author unknown)

Slide 2: Background & Exposition • Indeterminate point of time • Patriarchal, monarchist society • Protagonist:  Female  Young  Attractive • As-yet unnamed (Cinderella) • C2DE Socio-economic stratum

Slide 3: Further Exposition Birth mother expires • Protagonist still pre-pubescent • Father remarries [Ref: Kubler-Ross grief curve completed?] • Step-Mother: •  Physically attractive  Vain [ref. Carly Simon, establish royalty costs]  Fertile • Two (2) further female offspring

Slide 4: Tension Established Sweet / Kind Wicked Loving Spiteful Unselfish Self-centred Generous Mean-spirited Spectrum of Decency Attractive Unattractive Protagonist Father ?? Step-Mother (Cinderella) (Compromising management style, Ugly Sister 1 inconsistent, unreliable, remote.) Ref: Kubler-Ross grieving incomplete? Ugly Sister 2

Slide 5: Protagonist Quality of Life • Unreasonable demands • Father unassertive  Protagonist - inherited passivity? • Step-Mother and Sisters (tactical anger) • Bullying tactic #1 … • Pejorative nickname – “Cinderella”

Slide 6: As time passed … Cinderella Quality of Life Cinderella Physical Attractiveness

Slide 7: The Twist • Monarch’s Son  Unnamed  Undescribed  Automatically eligible / desirable? • Grand Ball • Invitation  “All eligible girls” • Step-Sisters’ bullying tactic #2:  Exclusion / Isolation

Slide 8: Exclusion • Step-Mother reinforces exclusion • Offers false hope: Carrot – Ball / New dress Stick – Daily chores must be completed • Bullying tactic #3:  Impossible deadlines  Dramatic workload increase • Father absent from all discussions (Ref: Metaphorical emasculation?)

Slide 9: Nadir • Cinderella observes departing sisters • Flashback: [rippling dissolve PowerPoint effect?]  Day of birth-mother’s death  Young protagonist plants a tree  Protagonist waters tree with tears shed due to bullying tactics #1 and #2 [Ref: Coastal tree species unaffected by high NaCl content of water?] • Cut back to Present Day: [appropriate PPT effect]  Cinderella hugs tree [Ref: Early ‘green’ reference?]  Cinderella tells tree her woes

Slide 10: A New Hope … • Wind in tree (Aural hallucination?) • “You will get your wish.” • Dress and shoes hanging in the tree. [Ref: brand unspecified – opp. for possible product placement / sponsorship deal] • Benefactor remains undiscussed in text

Slide 11: Benefactor Suspects Ball Gown & Shoes (both of recent manufacture, plus high quality workmanship & design) Dead Mother Mother Living Father • Recent Manufacture of gifts  • Recent Manufacture of gifts X • Frequent absences (shopping?)  • Mother’s remains in coffin in ground X • Ready access to garden  • Corporeal manifestation unlikely X • Perfect moment  • Why wait until now? X

Slide 12: A New Hope … • Cinderella ‘transforms’ [Ref: Extreme Makeover follow-on?] • Carriage waiting outside house - allusion to ‘magical’ benefactor [See Benefactor Suspects above] • Dramatic entrance  Noticed by eligible male monarchical offspring • “Danced all night” [Ref: primitive cultures. Ref: vertical expression of horizontal desire] • Not recognised by family  Discuss: vanity = blindness?

Slide 13: Reality Bites • Midnight • Rapid departure • Loss of 50% of shoes • Fade to black … (false ending)

Slide 14: “The Very Next Day …” • “Eligible male monarchical offspring seeks mysterious dancing partner” • Methodology:  Travel to every home in Kingdom  Assess shoe compatibility on every foot of every eligible female • Discuss:  “In-breeding is not necessarily good breeding. Just because you’re a prince, doesn’t make you smart or efficient.”  Foot fetishism in the upper classes

Slide 15: Noooooooo! • Step-Sister #1 tries shoe on  Foot too big  Discuss: vanity = bunions? • Step-Mother cuts toe off to ensure fit • Fools eligible male monarchical offspring • Heads for castle with Step-Sister #1  Notices blood dripping from shoe [Ref: Eeeeew!] • Returns to C2DE cottage dwelling

Slide 16: Noooooooo! 2 • Step-Sister #2 tries shoe on  Foot also too big  Discuss: vanity = bunions? (growing evidence) • Step-Mother cuts heel off to ensure fit • Eligible male monarchical offspring is fooled again [Ref: in-breeding discussion above] • Heads for castle with Step-Sister #2  Notices blood dripping from shoe [Ref: Eeeeeeeeeeew!] • Returns to C2DE dwelling once more

Slide 17: Denouement • Eligible male monarchical offspring asks for other eligible females in the dwelling • Step-Mother reluctantly produces Cinderella • Eligible male monarchical offspring instantly recognises dancing partner from pervious evening [Ref: pheromones?] • Shoe fits Cinderella [Ref: Du-uh! Statistically, how many other girls in the goddamn Kingdom would have that size foot?]

Slide 18: Resolution • Cinderella [Ref: power of pejorative nicknames to stick throughout and eligible male life. See also “Turdblossom”] monarchical offspring wed • After ceremony, crows pick eyes from Step-Sisters [Ref: vanity causes blindness (growing evidence)] • Step-Sisters never again mean to “another living creature” [Ref: self-preservation? Ref: post-mortem bullying? Ref: nature vs nurture in the psychology of bullying] • Cinderella lives happily ever after

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