The battle between the forces of good and those of evil is a popular topic for all manner of literature. From the garish motion pictures to the humble folktales, that struggle between right and wrong is a popular topic to write about. One story that is an excellent tale on the forces of good versus the forces of evil is the popular fairy tale Cinderella. Retold by numerous cultures, written in several tongues, and modified into dozens of different variations, that story is perhaps one of the most ubiquitous stories in the world. Perhaps the most familiar version of the story is that told by Campbell Grant, a screenwriter for Disney, in which a young neglected heroine is saved by a handsome prince. Also a good example of the good versus evil idea is a version written by Tanith Lee, a twentieth century writer whose adaptation is an inverted version of the familiar tale. Campbell Grant's "Walt Disney's Cinderella'- and Tanith Lee's "When the Clock Strikes-, paint different!.
pictures of the battle between good and evil in their respective Cinderella stories, which is important because it shows the different ways in which this conflict can be iterated.
In Grant's Cinderella story, the protagonists and antagonists can easily be classified as good or evil. This black and white identification system for the characters assists in setting up the fairytale as a simple fable that illustrates through personification the triumph of good over evil. First and foremost there is the heroine, Cinderella, who in the early sentences of the story is described as "sweet and pretty- (Grant 628), positive descriptors for the downtrodden yet ever hopeful main character. Also, described in warm terms is the fairy godmother, and with her "sweet, kind face- (ibid) becomes seen as a kindly soul who likes to help others. Additionally, there is the prince who is perceived as dashing, chivalrous and noble, placing him squarely in the "good guy- pile.