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Gender in fairy tales

 

            The representation of characters in print texts reflects the author's views on gender. In both short stories Cinderella and Snowhite gender is portrayed differently. Depending on the text gender appearances, relationships and values vary. In the story of Cinderella, she is represented as a beautiful, loving and caring young girl where the prince is represented as a brave, handsome and charming young man. Both males and females have a distinct general role, generally the female is the character that is in danger and the male is the character that saves her.
             Cinderella has a plot of a young girl whose life has little meaning. Her life swings from rags to riches. A fairy godmother with friendly mice and bird's changes her life from a kitchen slave at home to royalty, after fate causes her to leave one unique thing behind.
             In the story, Cinderella is represented as a woman who moves from powerless to powerful, from sadness to fulfilment. The plot creates Cinderella to be sad and powerless. Cinderella is sad because all ability to find joy in her life is taken from her; she has no say in her life, no control and no individuality. Cinderella's life circumstances led to her powerlessness. She is an unloved slave who is controlled by her stepmother and stepsisters. Then when Cinderella gets her wish granted she gains the power, freedom and the ability to move up in the world.
             In the setting Cinderella's life was transformed from confinement to freedom and as the setting changed so did she. While Cinderella was confined she had animals for friends and she treated them with respect and kindness, much different from the cruelty she received. As the story progresses the setting changes from confinement towards freedom. Her fairy godmother granted her wish and turned four mice into handsome horses and the major horse into a coachman. Cinderella was enchanted and grateful. Cinderella always kept her loving and kind personality throughout her transformation.


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