Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Talking Point #8 Orenstein, "Cinderella Ate My Daughter"

Reflection:
      As I read "Cinderella Ate My Daughter", I couldn't help think about the toys that I played with at a young age.  I started with baby dolls, even dressed like strawberry shortcake on Halloween, then finally played with barbies and pink with purple logos until the age of ten, then it was computer science games, technology, and even the love of boy bands like the New Kids On The Block.  My mom recalls that one day I just stopped playing with barbies and it was the sudden age of boy bands, technology, and even things that pertained to science.   It was as if a sudden switch went off in my head that it was time to grow up, even though by that age I already had two siblings the ages were seven my sister, and four my brother.  As I watched both of my siblings grow and to see what their toys were and what they are now as I shop for toys for my nephew and cousin's kids. I realize what the author is referring to when she says that the separation of boys and girls in clearly displayed in the toys store.  You go to the boys section and it has so many colors, and then as you enter the fairytale land of pink cotton candy color in the girl's section. I remember my favorite color when I was a little girl to be aqua, and it still is.  I don't remember pink being the center focus of colors when I was young. Is it really the concept of keeping the girls, girls for a lot longer then my generation or the generation after?
     As I think of the Disney movies and the fairy tales all the plots are all the same where a prince tends to save the princess from ruin, destruction, or even death.  I look at my cousin that is going to be five years old, that has the princess birthday parties, and has all the princess' dresses in her wardrobe.  Yeah it is cute and fun, but her own father calls her a princess.  She goes around thinking she is a princess and sets the rules on the games that you may play with her.  If you don't follow her rules then she says, "that she doesn't want to play with you because you don't get the rules and that she is the only princess". 
     The symbolism of the villain in the story is the obstacles that you are to encounter in life, but there is so much jealousy that the villains' have against the princesses.  So if that is the only obstacle that people have to go through in life, that is easy compared with the true issues that people deal with like death, disease, financial struggle, children, and other dilemmas that arise in daily life. So when does reality set in or does it ever?  Those stories don't prepare you for the reality of career decisions, independent thought, and thriving to be a strong woman all the while living life.  The true disillusion of these stories prepares the children of the future for failure, knowing that things are just not handed to them and that they have to work to get what they want out of life. It is such a disappointment to learn that the fairytale, play land and princesses is an economic ploy to boost revenue and use children to get it there.
      So as the prince in the fairytale saves you from death, or whatever he may save you from is the metaphor attributed to the oppression of females. We as females need to learn to love ourselves and treasure our friendships.  The friendships and bonds we make as adults will hopefully last a lifetime, if we learn to appreciate the true people around us.  When these princesses can't even be friends with one another, what great role models. In the magical world of life there is no real prince or even prince charming to save you, you need to save yourself.  Learn to live your life and love yourself before your love others.  So my one question for the class is there such a thing as a magical prince or is that another point of oppression for women?

1 comment:

  1. i always really enjoy reading your posts. sometimes they make me laugh, but most of the time i just nod and agree with everything you write. this was a powerful article which brought up a lot of points about girls, young, old, etc. to answer your question at the end... "So my one question for the class is there such a thing as a magical prince or is that another point of oppression for women?" when i was younger i would have said that there is a prince waiting for me to marry me love me have kids with... blah blah.. the whole shebang, but NOW being older, i cannot even answer this question to be honest. somewhere deep inside me says that there is a prince charming out there for me because theres one for everyone... but im being proven wrong by all of the single people in their 40s and 50s and who are okay with being alone.

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