Cinderella: To Be Seen As We Truly Are

I have been trying to write a post for the past five days, and I just couldn’t. You see, my life had taken an ugly turn. One minute I was in control, the next, I’d turned into an anxious person. Lots of sobbing and anxiety. So, I went back and watched Cinderella (the live action version). Now, I have things to say about the inspiring messages/themes of the film.

Be Kind

The beauty of the Cinderella movie lays in its themes of kindness and bravery. Watching Cinderella being kind to animals touched my heart as a vegan. I think of kindness toward those who were put on this earth as a testament to our humanity; I personally think it’s our job to take care of animals, the environment, our fellow humans.

I’d like to suggest that Cinderella’s kindness extended beyond the mice and Mr. Goose, though. She was kind to her stepsisters and stepmother, a challenging feat. Perhaps the biggest act of kindness is twofold: being kind to those who dislike you and also being gentle with your own heart.

Be Brave

Part of the story’s charm is that Cinderella was not a sword-fighting woman. Bravery is not always attached to some sort of violence or physicality in general. The nice thing is that even bravery has nuance and relativity to the persons involved.

Cinderella’s most brave action was shielding Kit from her stepmother as well as maintaining a strong sense of self. I think that was even harder to keep alive for her, given her losses.

Even more brave is the gentle and loving approach to others. Cinderella was loving toward her stepsisters, stepmother, her fun animal friends, even towards Kit.

The bravery extends to also belief. It’s the way Ella believed in true love, in fairy godmothers, and in the possibility of a happy ending.

Finally

I personally connect with this story repeatedly, continuously, like a looped soundtrack. And, yes, I know that there are complicated portrayals in this story in regards to agency. More specifically, I wish there was a narrative from the stepmother and/or stepsisters’ perspectives. While they make me upset, I do want to see a more fleshed out exploration of these women and their reasons for acting the way they do. To some extent, I am unsure of this “needlessly evil” (mustache twirling evil) portrayal of these characters.

Your Turn:

What is your favorite fairy-tale? Why do you connect to it? Share your experiences in the comments. I’d love to hear all about them.