The story Cinderella is a fairy tale about a young woman mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters. Out of pity, a fairy godmother decided to help her win the prince's heart.
However, it comes with a catch: she can only attend the prince's ball before midnight. This is also where the symbolic glass slipper was introduced.
Our team watched this animated film numerous times to help you understand precisely what is the theme of Cinderella.
Top 8 Themes Of Cinderella's Story
1. Karma: Good vs. Evil
The Cinderella story is a well-known fairy tale for girls, and like other fairy tales, there is a conflict between good and evil.
Cinderella's life showed that bad karma awaits those mistreating people, as seen in the ill fate that befalls Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters.
Meanwhile, there is always hope of a happy ending for people who do good, just like Cinderella, who finally gets to live the wonderful life she deserves.
2. Self-Reflection & Introspection
The Grimm brothers' version of the story made a good point about knowing ourselves, although the original Grimm story took dark twists and turns [1].
Throughout her life, the Disney Princess reflects on many things.
Despite the treatment the character gets from her stepmother and stepsisters, she remains firm and takes her mother's advice by heart: "Be devout, be good."
3. Empathy & Compassion For Others
Having compassion and overflowing goodness toward people, even in the face of maltreatment, is one of Cinderella's main points and is the most crucial lesson.
Throughout the film, she remains kind-hearted even in the face of oppression, and she does not let her environment change who she truly is inside.
4. Letting Go Of Grudges & Resentments
It might be difficult to forgive those who have been cruel to you, but in the very end, Cinderella lets go of her resentment towards her sisters and stepmother.
Many people will treat you poorly and even take your happiness away, but Cinderella showed that forgiveness is the key to absolute happiness.
5. Cultivating Inner Strength And Positivity
After the death of the Disney Princess' birth mother, her father remarried. Even though her stepmother and stepsisters treat her badly, she does not succumb to despair.
Luck and good fortune went on her side because of the goodness of her heart.
Out of all the classic female characters in Disney, she is one of the most forgiving and has the firmest set of morals. Check out these beautiful Cinderella gift ideas here.
6. Love & Kindness
French author Charles Perrault also has his version of the tale where he said that "being kind will always be rewarded and selfishness will not."
Cinderella loved her dysfunctional family with all her heart, and her kindness is one of the reasons why the fairy godmother showed sympathy and decided to help her.
She gave Cinderella a beautiful dress to attend the prince's ball in the palace. Later on, the prince falls for him, and she becomes his bride.
7. Perseverance & Hard Work
Looking at the many retelling and versions of the story (including Perrault and the Grimm version), Cinderella has always been hardworking.
Her story teaches children about the value of hard work and perseverance. She always works til night and wakes up early in the morning without complaint.
Putting the fairytale aspect aside, Cinderella's story can be an excellent example of teaching children the value of doing chores to instill a sense of responsibility.
Read: Our Favorite Disney Princess Gifts
8. Social Class & Inequality
Various things in our lives are out of our control. Imagine living in the time of Cinderella - your morals will definitely be tested.
Cinderella was slaving away while her stepfamily was living their lives comfortably.
Through stories like this, young adults, especially women, have gained an idea of how rich people can get away with almost anything just because they have money.
FAQs
What story has the same theme as Cinderella?
Yeh-Shen is similar to Cinderella, minus the glass slippers and the prince.
The two books, Cinderella and Yeh-Shen, are about a girl living under the wing of abusive characters - their stepmother and step sisters.
What is the moral of Cinderella by Disney?
Different Cinderella stories (e.g., Grimm brothers, Charles Perrault) may have different endings, but they all revolve around the moral theme, "kindness will always be rewarded."
What is the feminist theme in Cinderella?
There is a moment where the stepsisters mutilated their feet for the shoe to fit so the prince would marry them. This is a complete portrayal of how women were regarded back then.
Before, most daughters only dreamt of marriage and starting a family, as seen in Cinderella and other classic Disney stories like Snow White and Beauty and the Beast.
Recently, Frozen broke the stereotype when Elsa told her sister, "You can't marry a man you just met. [2]"
Final Verdict
Who knew there was more to the fairytale we loved as kids?
Cinderella is not merely a story of the woman with slippers made from glass and a coach made from pumpkin - it is also about forgiveness, perseverance, empathy, letting go, and kindness.
If you love Cinderella or know someone who adores Disney Princess merch, give them this 16-piece dinnerware set from Toynk.
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References:
- https://www.bustle.com/articles/61053-9-things-about-the-original-brothers-grimm-cinderella-story-that-are-nothing-like-the-disney-version
- https://sites.williams.edu/engl117s16/uncategorized/gender-norms-thaw-in-disneys-frozen/
