Cinderella by The Brothers Grimm (original author unknown) Cinderella

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

Indeterminate point of time

Patriarchal, monarchist society

Protagonist:

Female

Young

Attractive

As-yet unnamed (Cinderella)

C2DE Socio-economic stratum

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 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

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

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

Unreasonable demands

Father unassertive

Protagonist - inherited passivity?

Step-Mother and Sisters (tactical anger)

Bullying tactic #1 …

Pejorative nickname – “Cinderella”

As time passed … Cinderella Quality of Life Cinderella Physical Attractiveness As time passed …

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

Monarch’s Son

Unnamed

Undescribed

Automatically eligible / desirable?

Grand Ball

Invitation

“ All eligible girls”

Step-Sisters’ bullying tactic #2:

Exclusion / Isolation

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?) 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?)

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 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

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 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

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

Dead Mother

Recent Manufacture of gifts X

Mother’s remains in coffin in ground X

Corporeal manifestation unlikely X

Why wait until now? X

Living Father

Recent Manufacture of gifts 

Frequent absences (shopping?) 

Ready access to garden 

Perfect moment 

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? 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?

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

Midnight

Rapid departure

Loss of 50% of shoes

Fade to black … (false ending)

“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 “ 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

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 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

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 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

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?] 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?]

Resolution Cinderella [Ref: power of pejorative nicknames to stick throughout life. See also “Turdblossom”] and eligible male 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 Resolution

Cinderella [Ref: power of pejorative nicknames to stick throughout life. See also “Turdblossom”] and eligible male 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

THE END © Rowan Manahan http://fortifyservices.blogspot.com THE END