Transformations identify a qualitative change in shape, form or appearance to another related structure. “Cinderella” story is a fairy tale focusing on a young girl called “Cinderella” of the Cinders. The tale is told on a global perspective, and the value within “Cinderella” is demonstrated through the re-versioning and ubiquitous appeal based on cultural symbols and rituals. “Cinderella” is considered a heroin amidst death, loneliness, separation, terror and trials in the womanhood journey. “Cinderella” finds herself an outsider and a stranger when her strength and inner beauty incite the wicked and the jealous to punishment.
“Cinderella” is a powerful combination of two words; cinder means ashes and fire while Ella means light. Enlightenment and success amidst discouraging factors in life, “Cinderella” mastered the outrageous circumstances around her in recognizing her beauty and talents. The most famous “Cinderella” story is the Walt Disney’s story but it is not the only one.
The story of “Cinderella” has been re-imagined in different global cultures in guiding young women. Each re-imaged “Cinderella” story has a magical aspect to it that is used to transform “Cinderella”. The Walt Disney story uses a fairy good mother as the source of the magic whereas; in The Maiden, the Frog and the Chief’s Son (An African “Cinderella”) the source of the magic is the frogs that the maiden has taken care of. The frog thanked the maiden for taking care of him and his friends by vomiting up cloths, rings, bangles and shoes one of silver and one of gold (636). The most common thing of these stories is that “Cinderella” never asked for help but she got it anyway up until the stories end. Another story that shows this is Tuan Ch’êng-shih Chinese version of “Cinderella”. Yeh-hsien is the “Cinderella” of the story. In this story Yeh-shien was told by a man from the sky where the bones of the fish that she was taking care of was and that she should pray on them to
Cited: Campbell, Grant. “Walt Disney.” Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. 11th Ed. Boston: Longman-Pearson, 2011. Pg.641-642 Ch’êng-shih, Tuan. A Chinese “Cinderella”. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. 11th Ed. Boston: Longman-Pearson, 2011. Pg. 633-635. Edgar, Frank. "The Maiden, The Frog, and the Chief’s Son (An African “Cinderella”)". Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. 11th Ed. Boston: Longman-Pearson, 2011. Pg. 635-638. "Oochigeaskw - The Rough-Faced Girl (A Native American “Cinderella”)". Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. 11th Ed. Boston: Longman-Pearson, 2011. Pg. 639-640.