Cinderella - Anne Sexton

Quick Facts

Tone

• Written in 1971
• Based on a fairytale
• Turned into a Disney movie

Characterization

Higher sense of power

• Self worth
• Confidence

Cinderella

• Maid turned princess

White Dove

• Fairy Godmother, Cinderella's mom

Critical Research

Susan Ohmer was author of the article written

Cinderella's origin was in China

Rags to riches story

Plot

Setting

Irony

Rags to riches

• Fairytale
• Power of dreams

Early 1800's village

• Cinderella's house
• Prince's castle

The irony is within the story

• Karma is key

Important Aspects

Cinderella was a story to help women feel empowered

You shouldn't have to change anything about yourself to get a boy or girl to like you

Point of View

3rd Person

• Cinderella's thoughts

Discussion

Theme

Is there a difference in reading Cinderella now as a mature, young adult and when you heard the story as a kid? Do you feel differently about the moral of the story or notice things you didn’t before?

Do you think that the Disney version of this story takes away from the true meaning of the original story?

How does the act of the sisters at the end compare to what people nowadays do in order to get a person to be with them? Would you do something of this extreme?

Does the father, even though barely mentioned throughout the story, become portrayed as a villain?

Underestimation

• Blindsided

Self worthy

Karma

Cinderella - Anne Sexton

• Jacob Seippel, Lindsey Lawing, Josie Swanson

Response Text

• Cinderella isn't about a girl who gets lucky and marries the prince

• Hard work and dedication pay off
• A modern day Cinderella story