Cinderella

          The Disney classic “Cinderella” is a timeless movie seen by most Americans. Cinderella tells the story of a young girl who is mistreated by her two stepsisters and step mother after her beloved father passes away. Although Cinderella is heavily abused and treated like a maid, she acts with kindness and poise and even befriends the animals that live around her. Cinderella falls in love with the Grand Duke, and he finds her by identifying her glass slippers. Although her step mother and sisters try to sabotage her, love prevails. Cinderella and the Duke get married and live happily ever after… This movie shows specific gender roles that dominated the 1950s, when the movie came out. Cinderella portrays women as compliant, fragile, and passive. It also makes beauty, riches and prosperity a top priority and entrance to a happy life.

            The movie can be looked at from Goffman’s gender display, the process when we perform the roles expected of us by social conviction. Cinderella acts obedient towards her stepmother and sisters because she knows that is expected of her. They make her do chores such as cleaning and sewing, and Cinderella does as she is told. This reflects societies expectations of women in the 1950s. Women were looked at as the homemakers and were expected to do all the cooking, cleaning and house duties. This type of conformity in the movie reflected the gender roles and stereotypes of the 1950s.

           Another gender stereotype Goffman pointed out is depicted in “Cinderella.” He described man’s touch as commanding and firm and stated that  women are subordinate in the relationship. Cinderella is characterized as a damsel in distress, and is only saved by a powerful man. The movie frames the story so that Cinderella is shown as only truly finding happiness because a man saved her, and that conveys the powerlessness and dependence that Goffman noticed.  

Cinderella possesses all “lady-like” characteristics and is a typical feminine and passive girl that Goffman describes. She is pictured as dazed in many parts of the movie, and never angry or vengeful. This is a cultural portrayal and shows what a perfect girl would be like in their time. She has a coy look and at times is seen as being nervous, the perfect girl for a man.

Finally, this film shows how stereotypes play a role in society. It idolizes beauty and wealth. Cinderella is helped by her “fairy god mother” before she attends the ball. Her fairy god mother transforms Cinderella from an unkempt looking maid, to a beautiful suitor for the Grand Duke. This implies that Cinderella might not have won the Dukes heart, had she not looked as beautiful as she did.  This movie also confirms the stereotype that marriage is the ultimate goal for women. A ball is hosted for the Grand Duke to fine a lover, and everyone wants to attend, including Cinderella and her step sisters. Her step sisters are horribly angered when the duke chooses Cinderella, which reiterates how important the women find marriage.

Cinderella can actually serve as a device to remind people of the continuation of many gender issues. It shows the stereotypes of women as being passive and obedient, portrays perfect lady- like qualities, and idolizes marriage.