Cinderella Compare and Contrast Essay Example
Cinderella Compare and Contrast Essay Example

Cinderella Compare and Contrast Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (810 words)
  • Published: August 30, 2016
  • Type: Article
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“What goes around comes around, that’s what people say. So all the pain you caused me will come back to you someday” (Unknown. ) The theme of “what goes around comes around” is exemplified in both the Grimm version and the Disney version of Cinderella, however the Grimm version definitely exemplifies the theme more effectively than the Disney version does. The Grimm version and the Disney version of Cinderella both include punishment to the stepsisters for how they treated Cinderella and they both exemplify the theme.

For example, in both versions, the stepsisters do not get to what they want,which is to marry the prince and for Cinderella not to be happy. The Disney version kept it this way because that is basically the story. If the stepsisters got what the

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y wanted, then they would not have gotten what they deserved and that was the whole lesson of the story. Another example is that in the end, Cinderella does get to marry the prince and she gets what she deserves for how the stepsisters and stepmother treated her.

The Disney version also kept this the same because it is the happy ending that everybody is expecting and is, once again, the basic story line. They can change the details of the story compared to the Grimm version, but they needed to keep the outcome the same in order to deliver the theme. On the other hand, there are many differences in the two versions of the story. The punishment in the Grimm version is much more of a physical punishment.

The two stepsisters were punished with blindness that was cause

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by getting both of their eyes pecked out by birds at Cinderella’s wedding. Not only did they get their eyes pecked out, but they now have missing parts from their feet because they cut off parts of their feet to be able to fit into the golden shoe. On top of all of the physical punishment that has been inflicted upon them, they still have to watch Cinderella get married to the prince. Though a cruel punishment, it is more effective than the Disney version because there is obviously more punishment involved.

The Grimm version includes the Disney punishment and then some, which makes it a better example of the theme. In contrast with the Grimm version, the punishment in the Disney version is more of an emotional punishment. Whereas the Grimm version had a physical punishment. The only punishment for the stepmother and stepsisters is that they just have to see Cinderella get what they wanted, which was to marry the prince.

This is extremely hard for them because that was what they wanted the most and now they have to see their step sister and maid who was “much too dirty to be seen” (Grimm) get what they wanted. They are probably also pretty angry and upset about what happened. It is noticeable in the film that they are all furious that Cinderella got to become the princess. The Disney version made this the only punishment in the story because the punishment in the Grimm version was too gory. The Disney movie is directed towards children so they could not make it too gory, but they also had to teach the lesson.

style="text-align: justify">This version did a good job exemplifying the theme, however the punishment in the Grimm version is just more effective, as noted before. In the Grimm version, there is also extra punishment for the stepmother as well. The stepmother now has to tend to her daughters and provide special care for them now because they cannot walk.

She talked her daughters into cutting parts of their feet off because “ When you are queen you will no longer have to go on foot” (Grimm.) Therefore, they cannot walk anymore and in some ways she has to experience what Cinderella had to do since Cinderella is not there to take orders from her anymore. She is finally getting a taste of her own medicine and it is all because she was greedy. This is also different from the Disney version because other than that emotional punishment, the stepmother does not really have to endure anything else. In that version she did not tell her daughters to cut off their toes, so therefore she does not have to provide special care.

This is another example of the theme and perhaps the strongest one because the stepmother now has to work to care for her handicapped daughters just as Cinderella had to work for them. Based on the theme “what goes around comes around”, there have been many contrasts that have been noted. These include differences in punishment and the outcome for the stepmother. Looking at these contrasts, it is still clear that the Grimm version does a better job portraying the theme than the Disney version does.

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