When I was ten, (about three years ago), I realized something. Like every other girl, I had grown up reading fairytales. But, what do Cinderella, Snow White, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, and Tiana have in common? All of the “Princesses” are rescued by a “Prince”
Now, being the naivé kid I was, went on a hunt to find a fairy tale, which did not involve a Prince. I could find none. That is when I got thinking. “Why is it, that girls always have to be saved by a Prince?” Since then, I was hooked. I started reading about strong female personalities, philanthropists, scientists, social influencers, and entrepreneurs…every woman, who had made a mark in the world. I realized, that these women are celebrated, just as much men are. The status quo and gender inequality percentages have started dropping. The world, IS progressing, changing, and developing. Then why are fairy tales the same?
The age at which girls are introduced to fairy tales is an extremely innocent age. At the time, they don’t have an understanding of what can be right or wrong. And THAT is the age, at which you should teach your girls, that they DO NOT NEED A PRINCE. They have themselves. They can do anything, that boys can do, Honestly, I don’t think that today, there is a lack of motivation for girls. However, fairy tales NEED to change.
I want to see bookshelves full of books with covers of girls in armor, with swords, arrows, and bravery. I want to see films, like “Brave” and “Frozen” be turned into books. But I know, that change starts with us.
So, I call upon every reader, to suggest a new ending, for Cinderella. We all know how it ends. But, I want to write a new one. Let me know in the comments, what you would like Cinderella to do. And my next blog will be a re-write of one of the most famous children’s classics. I look forward to hearing from you.
Please note, I am not asking for just endings. It can be any twist on the age-old book. Go and make that princess do something. But until then, adios, and goodbye.🤓
July 27, 2020 at 12:44 pm
Great thought indeed Trisha!
Women in India are excelling in all fields.India’s premier space agency, the largest bank in India, many civil servants , sports and now in the armed forces, women are leading and making their mark.
I want Cinderella to lead a team of Women commandos and capture the dreaded terrorists hiding in an enemy country.
July 27, 2020 at 11:44 am
I completely agree. From a young age, girls read stories on princes saving princesses. The world is progressing and so is the position and role of females in society. They shouldn’t read stories about being saved or stories where they are helped up on their feet by boys. They CAN stand up on their own, they can be themselves without being sidelined to a co-role or whatever. Just like the author likes stories like “Brave” and “Frozen”, I love the movie “Captain Marvel”. I don’t think that the world should see girls as sensitive, innocent, and and all the adjectives in the dictionary that are stereotyped for them. Nor should boys be stereotyped as strong, courageous, mischievous and all the adjectives for them. Gender does not define your character. It does not define what qualities you should have. That is my main point. The world should see new stories,on how boys don’t help out girls or save their lives and how girls make their own decisions and stand up on their feet. If you want to make a twist in Cinderella, make it on how she stands up to her step-sisters and step-mother. Make it on how she goes to the ball by herself wearing her mother’s dress. Make it on how doesn’t need a fairy godmother because she can make her wishes come through by determination and perseverance. Make it on how even though she sheds tears, they don’t define how weak she was, it defines how strong she was and how she was still moving ahead in spite of so many difficulties. And in the end, she tries to make her step-sisters and step-mother understand, and that, will be an amazing ending. She may dance with the prince and it may be like the old classic, but in the end, she ain’t the poor girl marrying a prince. In the end, she will be the person to decide her own destiny. But apart from this, what I really want to read, is a new story, completely out of the blue and new, written by you. It doesn’t have to be a re-write, because Cinderella was written in the time when the stereotypes were prominent. Now, I want to read a story by you for the young generation, for both boys and girls, that their roles in life won’t be defined by their gender. It will be defined by who they are irrespective of gender and the mettle they are made of.
Looking forward to the next post….
July 25, 2020 at 7:14 pm
I would definitely like my daughter to read the different versions of fairytales with stronger characters and message. The change I would like to see in Cinderella? I don’t know, she is a nice character. May be do away with the fairy god mother’s magic? Make the girl do somethin g courageous like save some lives? Or nothing but just stand for herself and get out of her miserable life. But it’s your story so you can shape it however you want. I am waiting..
July 25, 2020 at 7:09 pm
There r so many books w central female characters that don’t hold on to a male lead. My fav is Heidi…. don’t know if you have read that but it’s very liberating. Ok on to your request I hate that Snow White story…. don’t know why she needs to be fairest to be the lead 🙄and that she is saved by a kiss from a passing by prince….. why don’t u try changing that. I know you’ll put a better spin on it than me 😉. So looking forward to that.
July 25, 2020 at 6:52 pm
Let me tell you, The basic blue print of a human being is that of a female. You get a male when you remove some physical aspects from a female blue print. In simple words males are subset of females. These fairy tales are continuation of primitive understanding wherein boys were sent out to hunt for food whilst the girls would be restricted to home to do difficult part of birthing a baby and taking care of them. Therefore boys were trained to fight and were portrayed as warriors and they were doing that pretty well. That no way belittles a lady. In the same breath there are numerous examples of girls bettering the boys in physicality. However I won’t stop you from rewriting these stories if it makes you happy. The wise ones already know what you are trying to tell. Can’t recommend any twists because I genuinely feel feminine is a higher form being. Do not rewrite, try creating of your own without any ambition to disprove anything. You will create beautiful stuff. God Speed
July 25, 2020 at 6:46 pm
I loved it!! Girls don’t need any prince to save them .They are stronger enough to save themselves.write about how cindrella can take a stand for herself and not bowing down tonher evil stepmother and stepsisters