The BRAVERY of CINDERELLA going to the BALL
1 - Survivor of Abuse
2 - Fights for her Right
3 - Work Responsibly
4 - Denies their Satisfaction
5 - Still attempts to Go
6 - Maintains some Belief and Faith
7 - Going to the Ball
-
1 - SURVIVOR OF ABUSE
Firstly, for perspective, a summary of what has happened to Cinderella up to that point (most points are adaptations of direct quotes):
--Mother dies (=her father was “a widowed gentleman”)
--Father dies. He was a kind and devoted father who gave his beloved child every luxury and comfort
--Her stepmother was cold, cruel, and bitterly jealous of her charm and beauty
--The family chateau fell into disrepair and family fortunes were squandered
--Stepmother was grimly determined to forward the interests or her awkward, vain and selfish stepsisters
--Abused, humiliated, and finally forced to become a servant in her own house, and dressed in rags
--If she doesn’t follow orders then she’d lose her basic livelihood (=based on the advice she gave to Bruno: “if you don't want to lose a nice warm bed”)
In short, ever since becoming an orphan at a young age, Cinderella has been enslaved and hated because she’s gentle and kind. Never does she treat others she way she’s been treated. In fact, despite all the mistreatment and how her heart is grieving, she keeps on believing that her dreams of a better life will come true. Coupled with her natural fortitude and optimism, with each dawn she found new hope.
I could stop here because, frankly, Cinderella is strong because she is a survivor of systematic abuse. The fact she copes as well as she has is inspirational.
2 - FIGHTS FOR HER RIGHT
>>CINDY: Why, that means I can go too!
+
CINDY: Well, why not? After all, I'm still a member of the family. And it says, "By royal command every eligible maiden is to attend."<<
When Cinderella hears about the ball and the royal command, she instantly realizes she can go. Although her stepfamily have tried to break her over the years, she recognizes the opportunity and wants it. (They would have probably expected her to automatically assume it wasn't for her)
When the stepsisters laugh and dance at her expense, what does she do? She doesn’t run away, she doesn’t cry - she doesn’t even look down. Cinderella straightens up and steps forward and explains why she has the right to go.
Not only is her behaviour emotionally class and elegance, but also her argument is intellectually clear and concise. So much so that Lady Tremaine actually cannot help but agree with her; the only thing she can do is create a condition which, as we’ll see, she could sabotage.
3 - WORKS RESPONSIBLY
>>CINDY: Oh, now what do they want? Oh, well, guess my dress will just have to wait.<<
The condition is, of course, getting all the work done and finding something suitable to wear. As soon as she can, Cinderella begins to modernize her mother’s dress... But before she can do anything, her stepfamily give her extra chores - on top of all her regular chores - to the point where she is unable to finish it. Never does she shirk responsibility, even though time is of the essence and every moment spent doing something else is a moment not spent on improving her dress.
To be able to pull herself away from what-would-help-fulfill-her-dream to real-life responsibilities is amazing prioritization.
4 - DENIES THEIR SATISFACTION
>>CINDY: I'm not going... Yes. Good night.<<
Her abusers add insult to injury by feigning sympathy and surprise at how Cinderella doesn’t have a dress in time, and thus can’t go to the ball.
For Cindy’s perspective, imagine the opportunity of a lifetime comes and you’re finally able to live a dream, but it’s on a condition which is made impossible to satisfy. Not only that, but it was impossible because you were too busy working for the same people who gave you that very condition! Thus, from the very beginning, you were being set up for failure and your hopes were to be played with.
Again, she doesn’t run away, she doesn’t cry - she doesn’t even waver in her voice. They want to upset her, and they have, but Cinderella’s not going to satisfy their schadenfreude and psychological sadism by breaking down in front of them. She gracefully walks away with her head held high.
5 - STILL ATTEMPTS TO GO
>>CINDY: Please... wait for me! Isn't it lovely? Do you like it? Do you think it will do<<
While she’s futilely trying to convince herself that she wouldn’t have wanted to go to the ball, she is given the gift of a lifetime: the dress. Overjoyed because now she can go to the ball she returns to those who have just made fun of her miserable rejection...
...But moments after she glides down the stairs, her clothes are ripped and stripped from her. Considering this was her mother’s dress, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if everything that was her parents (=the only people who have ever truly loved her) has been disrespected.
Here, it’s true she does cry and run away (sorta), but not in front of the stepfamily. Cinderella’s probably so shocked that she couldn’t even process what has just happened to her... She does run away (sorta), but she’s still trapped in the chateau: frankly, there’s just nowhere she can go. And she seems to have lost all belief and faith in her dreams and that things will get better.
6 - MAINTAINS SOME BELIEF AND FAITH
>>FAIRY GODMOTHER: Oh, now you don't really mean that [there’s nothing left to believe in] + If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn’t be here<<
...but she hasn’t.
Nothing seems to be able to break Cinderella’s spirit and her Fairy Godmother helps make her dream come true.
She’s able to live her dream, if only for a few hours. (Also note that she has to get up early next morning to take care of the morning chores; little, if any, sleep) Regardless of the “disruption” and “inconvenience” in her routine, she still wants to go.
7 - GOING TO THE BALL
>>LADY TREMAINE: Wait... there is something familiar about her.<<
This is one of the most important lines of the whole ball scene.
Not only was it not safe to live at home but it was also not safe to live the dream. Cinderella was in the centre of attention and could have easily been seen by her abusers. She risked humiliation in public and even worse punishment when she got home. (=based on what happens later, Lady Tremaine could have only let Cinderella out of her room only to do chores: virtual imprisonment)
So Cindy had to make the choice between (a) play it safe and go back to the attic and live a life of servitude, or (b) take the chance/risk and go to the ball and seize the opportunity
Despite a potential disaster, she bravely decides to go to the ball. She decided it was best to take the risk because if she didn't then she could never have had a better future or, at least, the night of her life.
1 - Survivor of Abuse
2 - Fights for her Right
3 - Work Responsibly
4 - Denies their Satisfaction
5 - Still attempts to Go
6 - Maintains some Belief and Faith
7 - Going to the Ball
-
1 - SURVIVOR OF ABUSE
Firstly, for perspective, a summary of what has happened to Cinderella up to that point (most points are adaptations of direct quotes):
--Mother dies (=her father was “a widowed gentleman”)
--Father dies. He was a kind and devoted father who gave his beloved child every luxury and comfort
--Her stepmother was cold, cruel, and bitterly jealous of her charm and beauty
--The family chateau fell into disrepair and family fortunes were squandered
--Stepmother was grimly determined to forward the interests or her awkward, vain and selfish stepsisters
--Abused, humiliated, and finally forced to become a servant in her own house, and dressed in rags
--If she doesn’t follow orders then she’d lose her basic livelihood (=based on the advice she gave to Bruno: “if you don't want to lose a nice warm bed”)
In short, ever since becoming an orphan at a young age, Cinderella has been enslaved and hated because she’s gentle and kind. Never does she treat others she way she’s been treated. In fact, despite all the mistreatment and how her heart is grieving, she keeps on believing that her dreams of a better life will come true. Coupled with her natural fortitude and optimism, with each dawn she found new hope.
I could stop here because, frankly, Cinderella is strong because she is a survivor of systematic abuse. The fact she copes as well as she has is inspirational.
2 - FIGHTS FOR HER RIGHT
>>CINDY: Why, that means I can go too!
+
CINDY: Well, why not? After all, I'm still a member of the family. And it says, "By royal command every eligible maiden is to attend."<<
When Cinderella hears about the ball and the royal command, she instantly realizes she can go. Although her stepfamily have tried to break her over the years, she recognizes the opportunity and wants it. (They would have probably expected her to automatically assume it wasn't for her)
When the stepsisters laugh and dance at her expense, what does she do? She doesn’t run away, she doesn’t cry - she doesn’t even look down. Cinderella straightens up and steps forward and explains why she has the right to go.
Not only is her behaviour emotionally class and elegance, but also her argument is intellectually clear and concise. So much so that Lady Tremaine actually cannot help but agree with her; the only thing she can do is create a condition which, as we’ll see, she could sabotage.
3 - WORKS RESPONSIBLY
>>CINDY: Oh, now what do they want? Oh, well, guess my dress will just have to wait.<<
The condition is, of course, getting all the work done and finding something suitable to wear. As soon as she can, Cinderella begins to modernize her mother’s dress... But before she can do anything, her stepfamily give her extra chores - on top of all her regular chores - to the point where she is unable to finish it. Never does she shirk responsibility, even though time is of the essence and every moment spent doing something else is a moment not spent on improving her dress.
To be able to pull herself away from what-would-help-fulfill-her-dream to real-life responsibilities is amazing prioritization.
4 - DENIES THEIR SATISFACTION
>>CINDY: I'm not going... Yes. Good night.<<
Her abusers add insult to injury by feigning sympathy and surprise at how Cinderella doesn’t have a dress in time, and thus can’t go to the ball.
For Cindy’s perspective, imagine the opportunity of a lifetime comes and you’re finally able to live a dream, but it’s on a condition which is made impossible to satisfy. Not only that, but it was impossible because you were too busy working for the same people who gave you that very condition! Thus, from the very beginning, you were being set up for failure and your hopes were to be played with.
Again, she doesn’t run away, she doesn’t cry - she doesn’t even waver in her voice. They want to upset her, and they have, but Cinderella’s not going to satisfy their schadenfreude and psychological sadism by breaking down in front of them. She gracefully walks away with her head held high.
5 - STILL ATTEMPTS TO GO
>>CINDY: Please... wait for me! Isn't it lovely? Do you like it? Do you think it will do<<
While she’s futilely trying to convince herself that she wouldn’t have wanted to go to the ball, she is given the gift of a lifetime: the dress. Overjoyed because now she can go to the ball she returns to those who have just made fun of her miserable rejection...
...But moments after she glides down the stairs, her clothes are ripped and stripped from her. Considering this was her mother’s dress, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if everything that was her parents (=the only people who have ever truly loved her) has been disrespected.
Here, it’s true she does cry and run away (sorta), but not in front of the stepfamily. Cinderella’s probably so shocked that she couldn’t even process what has just happened to her... She does run away (sorta), but she’s still trapped in the chateau: frankly, there’s just nowhere she can go. And she seems to have lost all belief and faith in her dreams and that things will get better.
6 - MAINTAINS SOME BELIEF AND FAITH
>>FAIRY GODMOTHER: Oh, now you don't really mean that [there’s nothing left to believe in] + If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn’t be here<<
...but she hasn’t.
Nothing seems to be able to break Cinderella’s spirit and her Fairy Godmother helps make her dream come true.
She’s able to live her dream, if only for a few hours. (Also note that she has to get up early next morning to take care of the morning chores; little, if any, sleep) Regardless of the “disruption” and “inconvenience” in her routine, she still wants to go.
7 - GOING TO THE BALL
>>LADY TREMAINE: Wait... there is something familiar about her.<<
This is one of the most important lines of the whole ball scene.
Not only was it not safe to live at home but it was also not safe to live the dream. Cinderella was in the centre of attention and could have easily been seen by her abusers. She risked humiliation in public and even worse punishment when she got home. (=based on what happens later, Lady Tremaine could have only let Cinderella out of her room only to do chores: virtual imprisonment)
So Cindy had to make the choice between (a) play it safe and go back to the attic and live a life of servitude, or (b) take the chance/risk and go to the ball and seize the opportunity
Despite a potential disaster, she bravely decides to go to the ball. She decided it was best to take the risk because if she didn't then she could never have had a better future or, at least, the night of her life.