Cinderella is a well-known story about a girl mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters. Despite these challenges, Cinderella finds happiness and love with the help of her godmother. The tale is a classic example of the “rags to riches” trope and has been retold in various forms throughout history. Its plot explores love, oppression, and the power of a kind heart. In the Cinderella essay, you will find the discussion of the tale, its characters, and its settings. The author also analyzes the story’s symbolism, imagery, and literary devices. Read the sample to understand how the Cinderella story is relevant to the modern world, and try to make your own conclusions.
Cinderella Story Summary
The Cinderella story is a children’s story about a girl whose mother died, and her father remarried a proud and ill-tempered woman. The woman had two daughters of the girl’s age who were as ill-tempered as their mother.
After remarrying her father, her stepmother always gave the girl hard chores, but she never complained. On finishing her chores, she would warm herself in one of the corners of the chimney, and thus her sisters called her Cinderella. Then the two sisters got invited to a ball at the palace in honor of the prince. They left her behind.
As she wept for being left behind, her godmother came and magically showed her how to go to the palace. She also dressed Cinderella magnificently. After reaching the palace, the prince invited her to the next ball in which Cinderella lost her glass slipper. The prince vowed to marry the girl who could wear the slipper, and it emerged that Cinderella was the only one. She was thus married by the prince (“Cinderella,” n.d., p. 1”).
Cinderella Characters
The characters in this story include the main character, Cinderella, whose mother dies, and she is left with her father. Cinderella is depicted as a good girl. The next character is Cinderella’s stepmother, who is depicted as ill-tempered. She has two daughters who are shown as proud and as ill-tempered as their mother.
There is also Cinderella’s godmother, who is shown as a good woman. Others include Lord High Chamberlain, heralds, six mice, a rat, and six lizards. The mice, rat, and lizards were used magically by Cinderella’s godmother to escort Cinderella to the palace (“Cinderella,” n.d., p. 1”).
Theme of Cinderella
The theme of the story is the importance of human values. Cinderella is very good to her stepmother even after mistreatment. She is also good to her stepsisters even when they despise her. Her goodness pays off when, in the end, she is the only one who can marry the prince. She is adored by that, and her stepsisters apologize to her. The stepsisters would like to marry the prince, but they miss the chance. This story, therefore, highlights the importance of good temperament and human values (“Cinderella,” n.d., p. 1”).
Cinderella Plot
The story begins with the birth of Cinderella, which is followed by the death of her mother. Then her father remarries an ill-tempered woman with two daughters of Cinderella’s age with the same disposition. Cinderella is given hard chores, but she does not complain.
She is left behind as the two girls answer an invitation to a ball in the palace. As she weeps about being left, her godmother comes and magically shows her how to go to the palace. She goes and gets noticed by the prince, who invites her to another ball and eventually marries her (“Cinderella,” n.d., p. 1”).
Settings of the Story
The setting of the story is the capital city of a large kingdom and its environs. The introductory part of the story is set in Cinderella’s home. That is, during her birth, during the death of her mother, during the remarrying of her father, and as she is overworked and looked down upon by her sisters.
Her godmother visits her in her home. The other setting is the palace. Here Cinderella goes to a ball uninvited, but she gets invited to another ball by the prince. The prince eventually marries her (“Cinderella,” n.d., p. 1”).
Reference List
Children Stories. “Cinderella.” Web.