No Crystal slipper for them

Student: Lidia Figueroa
           
Since immemorial times fairytales were told to children in order to teach them about values and appropriated behaviour to build their character and prepare them for life. By the middle of the 20th century film producers made movies from those traditional stories. Walt Disney, the famous producer, was one of them who transmitted the message of those stories through movies. Take as an example the film CINDERELLA many girls, who are now in their fifties, including myself, felt identified with the character and with the story. For this reason, we grew up bearing in mind that all the problems in life had a magic solution. But today, the eternal discourse is little convincing for the generations and the life of CINDERELLA is not a model to be followed by the 21st Century girls.

Girls over fifties, raise your hands if you ever dreamed about a romantic charming prince coming to marry you and to rescue you financially …why not? Do not feel guilty of your materialistic thoughts because you are not alone. I also did! Many girls of our generation grew up having in mind the traditional social commitments which meant to get marry to solve some financial problems, and to have children. That was life for…. or better still, that was the synonym of fulfilment or happiness for the society of the 20th century

But blame all this to the history and to the society in which we had to live, because they alimented our impossible chances of meeting our prince charming in vane. Experience now tells us that there were not enough princes for all the girls of that time not even for the ones of today! By the way, we also know that the closest moment in our life that we looked like a princess was when we had our 15th birthday dress on!

Let’s talk about the poor CINDERELLA.  In the story she is treated badly by her bossy stepmother and she also has to cope with the jealousy of her stepsisters. Her miserable life is full of punishments and authoritarianism. This situation is incomprehensible for these days.

However, she was a passive and conforming girl. Her only way out was her freedom through marriage. But the innocent girl did not know that her way out was also her complete dependency on men.

How fortunate are the girls of the 21st century! Why? Because they know already, with no experience at all, that no prince will come for them to try on their foot a crystal slipper with a guarantee of happiness! Girls, in general, feel free to choose their own way of living because there are breaking away old stereotyped roles related to women such as marriage and motherhood. Is not a coincidence the influence of the feminist movement with its beliefs of women liberation is present in this way of thinking. Young girls are now able to decide how bright or successful is going to be their future having in mind what they really want for their lives. Without any social commitment to follow they give priority to their needs no to the needs of somebody else.

It may sound a bit selfish for the ones from the last century but most girls are enjoying their lives, doing whatever they like without any kind of pressure from their parents, members of the family or from gossipy neighbours. The new generations do not wish to repeat the life of Cinderella. As Cindy Lauer sings in her song …   GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!