Huang Leyi (Cindy)

Dr. Marquardt

ENG 1430 W 10

April 6, 2015

Word Count: 225

Response to Cinderella and Feminism

Gender is constructed by society, and Cinderella is an example to show how society to bring feminism to people and how great influent the fairy tales have. Cinderella is a perfect woman for traditional concept which is built by male-dominated society: beautiful, gentle, passive, quiet, and subordinate, and she is the standard to judge other characters. For instance, the women who neglect her like her stepmother and stepsisters are ugly and will get punish in the end, the man who is attracted by her like the prince is handsome and powerful, and the helpers who give her chances to transition is magic and just. The story shows that women like Cinderella can get help and live happily ever after, but the women who is mighty won’t be accepted by society. When girls read this story, they are accepting feminism unconsciously.

From my perspective, Cinderella is a tool to expand feminine concept and the end of the story brings ignorant girls a standard of perfect women and an impression that when they are stuck in dilemma, they do not have to be mighty and fight with villains, they just need to wait for a powerful character to save them, and it is the impression that identity the affiliations between men and women. So the gender concept has plant by the fairy tales when people are children.