Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother

This illustration of Cinderella by Margaret Evans Price is from the 1921 book Once Upon a Time: A Book of Old-Time Fairy Tales. One of the more striking elements of this illustration is how young Cinderella appears; she looks younger than the Cinderella portrayed in most of the other illustrations which could be a result of the later date of this publication. Perhaps as the story moved into more modern times Cinderella became younger (similar to what happened with Little Red Riding Hood in illustrations). Another striking element of the illustration is the portrayal of Cinderella's fairy godmother. Compared to earlier illustrations, the fairy godmother looks more like a sweet grandmother than the angel-like representation illustrations in earlier publications of the tale. Additionally, the combination of the fairy godmother's wand and the sort of magical orb above the pumpkin make the godmother's magic seem more fantastic and cartoon-like than in other illustrations. Thus, the magic portrayed appears to be more similar to that of the Perrault version of the tale, than to the sort of natural, pagan magic of the Grimms' version. This depiction of the fairy godmother is also interesting because her pointed hat and clothing would be more typical of that of an evil witch in modern culture. However, the kind expression on her face assures the viewer that she is indeed a kind fairy godmother as we have come to expect in Cinderella stories.

This illustration is from: http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/illustrations/cinderella/pricecindy2.html

Cinderella and the Birds

This illustration of Cinderella, by Elenore Abbott, was published with the Grimm's Fairy Tales in 1920. The most striking aspect of this illustration was the use of birds, both in the foreground holding up the magical gown, as well as in a hemicircle in the background, connecting the tree to Cinderella kneeling on the ground. As we have talked about in class earlier this semester, birds are the agents of transformations in fairytales; this is especially seen with the "Boys into Birds" series of stories. The two dove-like birds in the foreground are seen as almost blessing Cinderella with the ethereal gown they hold in their beaks - thereby transmitting the physical object of transformation onto the pious girl. The hemicircle of birds in the background however play a different role in the illustration. They connect the hazel tree from the story to Cinderella. Trees are symbolic for the giving of life, and this is most important since this particular tree stands over the mother's grave. Also, the cyclic form of the birds is reminiscent of the cycle of life. So, the mother is fufilling her duty of taking care of her daughter through the usage of the birds. The transformative, life-giving power of the tree and deceased mother are connected to Cinderella through the birds. This illustration is in close keeping with the Grimms tale, as seen with the birds, tree, and gown, as well as with the pious nature of the kneeling girl. As her mother told her, " 'Dear child, be good and pious. Then the dear Lord shall always assist you, and I shall look down from heaven and take care of you'" (Tartar, 79).

This picture was found on the SurLaLune Fairy Tales site: http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/illustrations/cinderella/abbottcindy.html

The Fairy Godmother

This illustration grabbed my attention, not because of Cinderella, but because of her fairy godmother. It was created by Paul Woodroffe sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The fairy godmother looks nothing like I have always pictured her in my mind. In this illustration her image looks much more like a witch than a fairy godmother. She is dressed almost entirely in black and dons what is clearly a witch's hat upon her head. The little color she does have in her outfit is blood red and her face is as white as a ghost's. Any child viewing this image would probably feel a sense of fear and/or concern for Cinderella, who looks to be lost in thought and completely innocent by the fireplace.

Cinderella's fairy godmother appears to be anything other than a benevolent guardian sent to help her. For this reason I the illustration was probably created for adults who could understand that outside appearance and inner goodness are not necessarily connected. I cannot help but wonder if the artist was attempting to comment on social structure at the time.

This oil-painting by John Everett Millais was created in the 19th century, during the time in Fairy Tale history when the transition from adult salon stories to children's pedagogical stories was taking place. This is not an illustration for a written version of the story, therefore, but an artistic rendition of the girl and the story's theme, meant for the older and sophisticated generation to appreciate. What strikes me is her age. She is pretty, as a young girl, but not the object of desire you'd expect from the "Donkeyskin" type Cinderella stories. In fact, this image may justify the amount of time the story-tellers spent on describing the GARMENTS rather than the NATURE BEAUTY of Cinderella. Beauty, for this young Cinderella, is hard to measure in a I'm-a-prince-picking-out-his-lover sort of way but for the accessories that she wears.

The Wicked Stepmother

I read a version of the cinderella story that comes from India. What immediately struck me was that the mother did not die, instead she is turned into a goat because she broke a promise to her husband of never eating out of his presence. This prompts the father to remarry. The wicked stepmother treats the children badly and doesn't feed them, so the goat mother uses magic to give the children food (the children have to tap her horns with a stick, and food will fall out). The wicked stepmother sends her daughter to spy on the children, and finds out that the goat has been helping them. She pretends to be sick, bribes the doctor to prescribe goats meat and forces the father to kill the goat. Before she dies, the goat mother tells the children to bury her bones in a secret place, and whenever they need food, they should visit the bones, and they would be given food. The story then takes a sudden and odd turn into the more traditional cinderella story, where one of the sisters is washing her face, and her nose ring comes off. It is then swallowed by a fish that is caught and sold to the king's cook. The cook bring the nose ring to the king, who sends out a proclamation requesting that the owner come before him. When he sees the young girl, he was "so fascinated by her pretty face and nice manner that he married her, and provided amply for the support of her family", and that's the end. I found this story closer to the grimms cinderella and the story of the black cow because the mother lives on after death to provide food for her children. The black cow also has the element of withholding food from the children. This story is meant to span across many years, as the children grow up.

Assignment 5- 24.Feb 2009

Hi Brian, Caitlin, Lydia, Amy-Lee and Briana,

Below is you assignment for this week.

Look through the websites suggested below and find a version of Cinderella or even an illustration of her, that has not been talked about in class as yet.

1. D. L. Ashliman's folktale site:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html

2. the Sur La Lune fairy tale site:
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/

3. the Cinderella Project at the Univ. of Mississippi:
http://www.usm.edu/english/fairytales/cinderella/cinderella.html

Having selected the story/illustration, you are to elaborate on the reason you picked that particular story/illustration.

You could talk about how the story is different from what you have read so far and how these differences could be interesting in the light of our current discussions in class.

If you have selected an illustration, mention what about it grabbed you, what about it is different from other illustrations known to you and whether it contradicts or proves any of what we have discussed in class so far.

Posts are to be sent in by Midnight on Tuesday and comments to a minimum of two other posts are to be in by Midnight on Wednesday.

Disney /= Fairy Tales

Before this class, we all likely thought of Disney films as just that. As childhood movies. When we think of animated movies, we think of Disney. HOWEVER! If you were to ask us to name a fairy tale, what would we have said? Little Red Riding Hood. Hansel and Gretel. Jack and the Beanstalk.

Somehow, in the course of learning how to be critical about fairytales and the media this semester, the idea has quickly been created that Disney is the primary medium for fairy tales in the US. Then, quickly we jump further and believe that Disney IS and EQUALS fairy tales for us, since its exposure to our popular culture. But let's step back for a moment.

The three examples I gave have NOT been made into Disney movies, yet they are probably the three most famous fairy tales to Americans today. This was clearly not mediated by Disney. Also, of the first 5 animated movies put out by Disney, 3 were NOT fairy tales (Fanasia, Dumbo, and The Three Caballeros [my personal fav]). Pinnochio may fit the bill, but is certainly not in the german/french tradition that we've come to understand thus far this semester. Of the next 5 put out by Disney, again 3 of 5 were not fairy tales (Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp). The next TEN released were also not fairy tales, including AristoCats, Pete's Dragon and Basil; The Great Mouse Detective.

Certainly the effect of those movies that WERE fairy tale recreations is strong, but we must first discount the idea that Disney was a "fairy tale teller" and that his mainstay was that of Grimm's old stories. Rather, they were a combination of old tales and new, aimed toward children with a nod toward their adult caretakers, with an apparant intent on literary exposure and technical achievement on their own part (i.e. Fantasia's groundbreaking format, Sleeping Beauty's groundbreaking widescreen format, Pete Dragon's integration of live action and animation).

Thanks to the aptly named disneymovieslist.com!

I think that Zipes'  attitude towards Disney is too harsh. Disney was exploring a new medium in filmaking, and chose to use the storry of snow white because t was well know to people of all ages. This way he would have a wider audience base. It is totally unfair for Zipes to blame Disney for the downfall of historic and cultural fairytales. Disney's editing and watering down of the fairytales can be explained by the fact that if Disney had included the whole story, it would have been to long in production and running time. Also Disney wanted to create something accessible to all audiences of his time, something with a happy ending and full of innocence. People wanted to leave the theatre full of hope and happiness.

I don't think that Disney intended to forever change the story of Snow White. The film medium is very powerful because it is so wide spread and pervasive in our culture. Parents now show their children the story of snow white through the movie instead of reading to them. We have let Disney dominant our idea of the fairytale through laziness.

Disney and the Fairy Tale Tradition

Jack Zipes, in discussing the history and evolution of fairy tales, notes the changes that occurred with the publishing of the tales. He argues that the printing of fairy tales robbed them of their communal aspect not only because they were then meant to be read in private rather than shared publicly, but also because printed stories could only be read by the upper classes of society, which further excluded people (Zipes 335). Zipes goes on to contend that Walt Disney effectively attacked the literary tradition of the fairy tale by making them into films, which could be viewed and understood by almost anyone (Zipes 344). In the transition from literature to film, I would argue that more harm than good is done even though the audience for the tales increases. Films in general, especially Disney films, often leave little room for imagination outside the given plotline than do their literary counterparts. While most stories, especially fairy tales, are left somewhat open to interpretation, Disney’s depiction of Snow White in her red, blue, and yellow dress and of Prince Charming on his white horse actually become the characters for most children and then adults. In line with Zipes’ argument that the film makes the fairy tale more public, fairy tales become even less private in the sense that they are no longer really interpreted personally by individual readers, listeners, or even tellers. While I wouldn’t necessarily say Disney is to blame for this development, I do think that the decreasing awareness of the fairy tale tradition is troublesome.

For Disney, Zipes notes, the plot of the tale becomes secondary to the animation technology and art displayed in the film version (Zipes 350). This means that important elements of the story and its history could be completely ignored or lost in the translation to the screen. Richard Schickel accuses Disney of “nearly always robb[ing] the work at hand of its uniqueness, its soul…” (Zipes 351). Fairy tales would thus become nothing more than a story, any story, which seems like a shame given their rich history and tradition.

It is interesting to compare Disney’s seeming disregard for the fairy tale tradition with that of the Brothers Grimm. The Grimm Brothers collected the fairy tales in an attempt to preserve and honor German history and tradition, which they believed to be manifested in such fairy tales. While the Grimm Brothers also made changes to the stories it was probably not with complete disregard for the meaning or history of the tale. Still it is interesting that the Disney version of so many tales, including Snow White, has become THE version known and accepted by so many. Many viewers perhaps even remain ignorant of the origins of Disney productions such as Snow White and the rich history behind such fairy tales.

Is Disney Really to Blame?

No, I do not think so.

I personally believe that Jack Zipes is too critical of Walt Disney. Throughout history, fairy tales have evolved and conformed to the times. Yes, Disney made some changes but this is nothing new. Disney existed in a time where society wanted "innocence and utopianism" and he created versions of fairy tales that this society would want. I don't believe he hijacked these fairy tales anymore so than any past teller of them did. Disney simply happened to come upon the scene during the first time in history that one could utilize mass media and communications. He saw a marketable enterprise and gave society what they wanted at the time. That is how his popularity can best be explained. If we want to blame anyone for watering down fairy tales and erasing their rich history we have only ourselves to blame. Disney did not force anyone to idolize his versions of fairy tales he merely capitalized on our willingness to do so.

Zipes Response

While rereading the Zipes article "Breaking the Disney Spell," I was struck by the assumptions that are made about Walt Disney's personal character and motivation behind his works, as well as animators in general. Zipes states that early film animators had one purpose in their films: "to impress audiences with their abilities to use pictures in such a way that they would forget the earlier fairy tales and remember the images that they, the new artists, were creating for them." This statement disregards the creativity film animators used in this new area of filmmaking almost entirely. Zipes even goes so far to say that animators were trying to make themselves akin to a "demigod[s]." This theory is never backed up by any quotes or references to events however. There is no evidence that early film animators were actually trying to erase the cultural history of the oral traditions that they were recreating on film.

Also, every good storyteller changes the story in some way. This is how stories were passed on and changed througout histories, and through different cultures. Fairytales were adapted to suit the culture in which they were being told, and this same tradition happened in the early 1900s with filmmakers. It is unfair for Zipes to judge early animators so harshly - he insists that these filmmakers sought to "subsume" oral fairytales and literature as well. They could have just been putting their own spin on stories that they have heard many times, and possibly, many different versions. When Zipes analyzes Disney's influence on his early film Puss in Boots, he states that "it is clear that Disney sought to replace all versions with his animated version." This is not very clear to me and Zipes again provides no proof of this theory. However, there is no doubt in my mind that Disney definitely capitolized on the fact that he was creating a new version of a fairytale that he could turn into a huge money source. If he hadn't, then critics such as Zipes would probably be berating Disney for not grasping the "American dream" fully.

In summation, Zipes arrogant claims are not backed up by any evidence or explanation other than his own interpretation of a man's personality. Which to me, makes his criticisms on this subject quite starkly empty.

Assignment 4- 3.Feb 2009

Hey Brian, Briana, Caitlin, Lydia and Amy-Lee,

Below is your assignment:

Identify the thesis/the argument(s) in Jack Zipes' essay , Breaking the Disney Spell’. Do you agree or disagree with him? Justify the stance you take.

• Posts to be sent in by Midnight on Tuesday
• Comments on two other posts to be posted by Midnight on Wednesday

Looking forward to what you have to say.

Ann

Great Work!!

Hi,
I have to say, its nice to see all the posts in! Good going!
Ann

Roald Dahl's Message of Female Empowerment

Roald Dahl was a 20^th century writer who wrote such well know “alternative” fairy tales as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and Matilda. Although he wrote for children and adults alike, I would argue that his primary audience was a new generation of adolescents looking for empowerment. The primary characters in his stories are not passive and helpless but rather active and empowered.

Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf is a wonderful example of this empowerment. Traditionally, Little Red Riding Hood is the epitome of the passive female; little more than a damsel in distress. Dahl’s version Little Red Riding Hood however is very different. She is intelligent, assertive, and, even importantly, proud of her self-empowerment. Not only does she shoot the wolf without a moment’s hesitation, she also brags about her wolfskin coat.

Because of Little Red Riding Hood’s self-empowerment in Dahl’s version I would argue that he is catering to a generation of children which are more likely to be active rather than passive; particularly female children. The 20^th century brought with it feminism and Dahl’s version of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf certainly sends forth a message of female empowerment rather than the message of learned helplessness past versions of the story undoubtedly carried.

Chiang Mi "Goldflower and the Bear"

Chiang Mi recorded “Goldflower and the Bear” in 1979, just a few years after the end of the Cultural Revolution in China and the death of Chairman Mao. Prior to the Cultural Revolution, another one of Mao’s programs to modernize China, the Great Leap Forward, had resulted in a widespread and devastating famine, which killed millions and millions. In addition to those who died from starvation, many Chinese also suffered illnesses as a result of the famine. Thus, the beginning of “Goldflower and the Bear” would probably seem very plausible to Chinese readers who lived in a country recently devastated by both illness and death. Famine would also be fresh in many people’s minds, which could explain Goldflower’s success in utilizing the bear’s gluttony against him. The bear wants both the children and the pears that Goldflower offers him, and the desire for pears offers Goldflower the opportunity to kill the bear. This also ties in with the common fairy tale trope of the evils and consequences of gluttony.

The Cultural Revolution, another one of Mao’s attempts at modernization, led to rampant persecution, violence, and chaos as Mao tried to rid China of its “old” ways. Mao enacted many of his policies with the help of the Red Guard, which was composed of radical students who perpetrated many violent acts against those deemed in opposition to Mao’s modernization goals. Thus, I would argue that “Goldflower and the Bear” was written for children, who during this period in Chinese history had seen much more of the evil existent in the “adult world” than most children their age at a different time or in a different country. The line between child and adult at this time was probably not as easily demarcated because of children’s knowledge of many things usually hidden from them by adults, such as violence and fear. Therefore, Chiang perhaps deemed children better equipped to deal with the violence in this tale and better able to appreciate the need for the strength and courage demonstrated by Goldflower. Also, after so much chaos a happy ending in which the brave girl conquers an enemy with the sun “rising red in the East” likely gave much needed hope to many readers (Tartar 20).

Roald Dahl

Considering Dahl's famous works, such as James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG, his age group has always been that of the maturing child, who is old enough to read the stories himself and to have been exposed to basic ideals of adult humor and themes. The books listed are of decent length and reading level, such that death and crime are just as well understood as say, a big friendly giant farting as he drinks his fizzy drink. Therefore, the same target audience is ripe for a twist on their former standby fairytales. They can start to understand the comedy in satire. They can still remember and appreciate the rhyming couplets of the stories, and enjoy this fresh brand of humor that will prepare them for the more complex stories and jokes of their adult futures.

Thurber vs Traditional Versions

James Thurber’s short story “The Little Girl and the Wolf” is a modernized version of “Little Red Cap,” with some interesting twists when compared to the Grimms tale. As an American cartoonist and writer, Thurber was known for his wittiness during his life, as well as having grown up in an environment full of practical jokes and humor. Thurber’s version of this story turns Little Red Riding Hood into a keenly intelligent protagonist who takes “an automatic out of her basket” and shoots “the wolf dead.” The short story ends with a plainly stated moral which says that “it is not so easy to fool little girls nowadays as it used to be.” This moral connects Thurber’s version back to Perrault’s version; Perrault’s moral warns young, pretty girls to beware of men, whereas Thurber’s moral wryly states that young women are not as easy to trick anymore.

Importantly, the title of the book in which this story was published in is Fables of Our Time and Famous Poems, in 1940. The humor seen in this story suggests that the primary intended audience is not children, but adults who would be familiar with the more traditional Grimms tale. Adults would be able to appreciate the changes in the story, whereas children would most likely be reading this story for the first time and not know the differences. Thurber transforms the naïve, innocent, and disobedient girl in the Grimms tale into a savvy, street-smart girl who recognizes the wolf in her grandmother’s clothing “twenty-five feet from the bed.” I believe this retelling represents the hardiness and quickness that people, men and women, had to have during the time in which it was written. Coming after the end of the Depression, it is easy to think that people who had just survived an incredibly difficult time would better appreciate a story in which the heroine is a true heroine, and in modern style with her gun.

James Thurber

Thurber wrote his version of little red riding hood in the WWII era, when the world was experiencing a time of great social upheaval. This included a loss of innocence, children witnessed many atrocities , so the idea of the overly innocent and naive protagonist didn't work anymore. Thurber keeps the fairytale atmosphere by having the wolf know where little red riding hood is, and where she is going without having to ask. The wolf's character doesn't evolve, but sticks to its original plan to disguise itself as the grandmother.  The major change Thurber makes to the plot is that little red riding hood recognizes that the wolf is in fact not her grandmother. This part of the story has always bothered be because, even after factoring in that these stories  occurred before the mass testing and distribution of eye glasses, the difference between a grandmother and a wolf is so huge that anyone, no matter how young or stupid should recognize that something is wrong. I like that Thurber adds that little red riding hood show that it was the wolf from over 25 ft away, emphasizing how obvious the impostor's feeble costume was. I love that little red riding hood pulls out an automatic from her basket and shoots the wolf dead. The abruptness of the action is rather shocking, but the substitution of the gun for the scissors or ax is just a reflection of the time. The moral posed at the end is almost a response to the moral at the end of Perrault's version. Perrault warns the young and beautiful women against all kinds of wolves, and Thurber informs the reader that little girls (and women) have changed, and are not so easy to trick as they once were. This moral may reflect the changing roles of women in society after the war. Women were now in the workplace, many had actually fought in the war, and they had all suffered immense hardship. In Thurber's version, the innocent have learned to defend themselves and stand up to defeat evil.

Assignment 3- 27.Jan 2009

Hi Brian, Caitlin, Lydia,Briana and Amy-Lee,

Below is the assignment, to which you will send in responses by Midnight on Tuesday.

You have read Shavit's essay comparing the Perrault and Grimm versions of'Little Red Riding Hood'. Using Shavit's method, consider one of the other versions you read for this week (Dahl, Calvino, Thurber, Chiang Mi). With a little research (you may use Wikipedia, since this is not a research paper),outline who you think the audience is and what the fairy tale's retelling says about the culture and time in which it is written.

Looking forward to your posts,

Ann