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The Mysterious Life of Cinderella

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Published by Charles Perrault in 1697 Cinderella: or The Glass Slipper, is a famous fairy tale. Cinderella happens to be one of the stories that have been changed over the years. Throughout all the change Cinderellas plot has stayed the same, but the author dictates the storys theme based on the people whom he is writing for which completely changes the storys tone, mood and other elements. Fairy tales may look like entertainment but they actually enforce social controls. Using Maria Tatars ideas demonstrates how Charles Perrault's version stresses the values and materialistic worries of his middle-class audience. The Cinderella character is a young maiden who lives with her father and her stepmother, a cold, cruel woman with two daughters (Perrault 236). They could not stand the good qualities of Cinderella. The stepmother forces her to do the meanest work of the house. Cinderella sleeps in a sorry garret, on a worthless straw bed, while her step-sisters sleep in fine rooms (Perrault 236). It happens that the kings son is throwing a ball, and invites all persons of importance to attend it (Perrault 237). Although the stepsisters go, Cinderella cannot. The step-mother makes her do chores around the house. In addition to that, Cinderella helps her step-sisters dress and fixes their hair, even though the sisters tease her insistently. When the time of the ball arrives the sisters leave Cinderella weeping. Suddenly, Cinderella's fairy godmother comes to the rescue and takes action. She simply waves her magic wand, and Cinderella is clean and beautiful, wearing a gorgeous ball gown and glass slippers. The godmother tells Cinderella that she must be home before midnight, when the magic charm will wear off. When Cinderella gets to the ball, she is the most beautiful woman there, and the prince is captivated by her. They dance all night, but Cinderella realizes it is almost midnight and she must leave. Cinderella loses one of her slippers.

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