Journal of American Culture ‘The Journal of American Culture is published by Bowling Green State University in cooperation with the American Culture Association. Editors Ray B. Browne Tom H. Towers Managing Editor Assistants to the Editor at Browne Judy Amend Kathy Beattie Sharon Ehrlichman Kathy Hoke Karen Wiechman Advisory Board Steve Allen Marshall Fishwick David Papke Hollywood, CA Virginia Tech. Indiana Univ. Alvar Carlson M. Thomas Inge red E.H. Schroeder Bowling Green State Univ. Randolph-Macon College Univ. of Minn.-Duluth B. Lee Cooper Michael Marsden James Seaton College of Great Falls Northern Michigan Univ. Michigan State Univ. Dan Walden Penn State Tiniv Advisory Editors Ronald A. Ambrosetti Patrick Morrow William L. Schurk Susan T. Arpad Jack Nachbar Jonna G. Semeiks Jan Cohn Richard Gid Powers Eldon Snyder William Cohn David Sanders ‘Adam Sorkin Christopher Geist Harold Schechter Emily Toth Richard Meyer Dorothy Schmidt Thomas Wymer ‘The Journal of American Culture is officially approved by the American Culture Association, to promote and tactitate the study of American culture in the broadest sense of the term, from “elite” to popular and folk culture as a continuum. Manuscripts are invited on any aspect of American culture, its antecedents and impact on their cultures. Manuscripts should be double spaced, should varry now at the enh chowld follow the MLA style sheet, and should he accnmpanind by 8 Stamped retum envelope. For accepted manuscripts, diskette must be furnished. All correspondence—manuscripts, subscriptions, books for review, inguities—should be addressed to: Ray B. 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Postage paid at Bowling Green, OH.A Modern Cinderella Karol Kelley In moder society fairy tales are still compelling. Found in oral, written and filmed versions, the stories may serve 4 pleasurable purpose for individuals or a ‘cultural purpose for academics. Fairy tales have been studied to produce typologies and methodologies in folklore, to examine societal similarities and differences. and to identify changes in values over time. On the one hand these stories have been criticized for supporting the status quo; on the other, their motifs have provided acceptable plot elements for hundreds of Hollywood motion pictures Cinderella is one of the best liked of these tales, measured both by the number of variations of the story and by the scholarly and popular interest in them. There are some 700 versions of Cinderella, It has been recorded in every area of the world, in written form in China as early as the ninth century CE. (Bettieheim 236). Marian Roalfe Cox published her study of 345 variants of Cinderella in 1893 (Cox). Since that time folklorists have continued to study the sory, as have literary historians, psychologists, and feminists. The most popular version in recent years in the United States has been that of Charles Perrault, which was compiled in France in 1697. In roughly the past 40 years in America, elements of his story have appeared in a full-length Walt Disney cartoon, two shorter cartoon videos and some pastiches, a stage musical filmed for television and made into a video, and dozens of Hollywood films. Of the latter, Pretty Woman is the most obvious Perrault derivative. ‘The first and last of the above-mentioned film variations, the Disney Cinderella and Pretty Woman, have certainly been very successful. The Disney cartoon has been reissued repeatedly in theaters since its creation in 1949 and is for sale or rent as a home video. It was Oscar-nominated in 1950 for Best Sound, Song, and Musical Scoring and has been reviewed as having “an adult following as well as a children’s following” (Greatest Movies 88). Preity Woman appeared early in 1990 and by November of that year had earned $178.4 million af the bOx office (Shearer 24). it has continued to sell well as a video ‘and to eam even more money from home rentals. Julia Koberts won an Academy Award nomination as Best ‘Actress for her role of Vivian, Given the major changes in American society that took place during the 40 years between the making ofthese two films, differences in social values might be expected. especially concerning gender roles. Beginning with the women’s movement in the 1960s there have been demands for information about women. sexuality and gender. The scholarly studies since that time have produced a better factual knowledge of women, the development of a number of feminist ideologies, and a new awareness of how gender stereotypes are created and also what their costs to society are, This data has resulted in a number of societal changes. Politically in the past 30 years the interest in ‘women's issues has meant alterations in many laws in the United States that applied to women and the passage of an Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution. This caused serious discussion even though it was never ratified. For the first time in ‘American history large numbers of women openly asked for political, economic and social equality with men. "The demand for equality is one conception of feminism. A more thorough definition has been provided by Nannerl O. Keohane, the former president of Wellesley College. She says that feminism embraces the belief that no one of either sex should be channeled into (or out of particular life course by gender. Each person should have the oppcrtunity so fr as possible, to pursue her own visions, hopes, and dreams—to prepare herself w realize her own ambitions and to define ber own ‘envy, uotrammeted by stereotypical expectations about ‘what men oF women can oF cannot, should or should nt, do. 23) This statement implies that feminism requires self- acceptance as well as tolerance, that is, the acceptance of others’ dreams and decisions for themselves. ‘The fields of history, psychology. and literary history have also been affected by the recent concern for gender issues, There is the new area of women’s history with differing sources, methodologies, time divisions and subjects of investigation, Today there | | | |88 Journal of American Culture are dozens of excellent books on topics not previously considered: changes in women’s work and organizations, courtship and marriage patterns, sisterhood, sexuality, birth control, rape, and prostitution, among others, Thete are psychological studies identifying differences in male and female development, in gender perceptions and language, and ju men's aud Wome: psychologists and literary historians have begun to look at fairy tales in different ways, refuting the Sus s beltavivs aun values, Buu Kau view Uiat Une ULES aXe UuveAset aint he Freudian idea that they aid children’s oedipal development. The more recent views criticize all tales, especially Cinderella. In 1981 Colette Dowling published The Cinderella Complex. In this work she argues that the sender expectations and the promise of the Cinderctla story are psychologically harmful to women *...[Glinls, from the time they are quite young are trained into dependency, while boys are trained out of it.” Girls therefore expect that “there will always be some one to take care of them,” and this feeling becomes more intense with age (101). Decause being dependent is identified with femininity, women accept this attitude for themselves. Unfortunately, dependence also produces feelings of fear. Instead of trying to create a life for themselves, females search for a man to give them protection, a sense of identity, and the proof that they are Loved (56, 141). To cope with their anxieties when lacking a man, many women become ‘what Dowling calls “counterphobic.” Outwardly they insist, “I don’t need anybody. I can take care of myself.” Inwardly they are fearful of becoming responsible for themselves and are terrified of being alone (67, 80) Dowling finds that Feeling helpless and frightened is so threatening to these tracting 2 life—and a style—calculated to throw everyone (themselves included) off the wack. They may become racing-car drivers. Or actesses. Or prnstinutes. (72) Recent literary scholars have reacted to fairy tales in the same ways that psychologists have. In 198? Jennifer Waelti-Walters attacked the traditional folk stories for presenting girls as objects and as passive victims (1). She calls the reading of fairy tales “one of the first steps in the maintenance of a misogynous sex- role stereotyped patriarchy” (8). Jack Zipes. in a book published in 1983. takes a historical and not a psychological perspective. His interest is in the origins of the literary fairy tale for children in seventeenth century France and how over time the motifs, characters and themes were rearranged fr ellminated to reniect the changing vaiues of society (6-1). Zipes argues that fairy tales “have always symbolically depicted the nature of power relationships in a given society” (67). He coutuasts the ulder version of Cinderella with Charles Perrault’s adaptation and finds a shift from a matriarchal to a patriarchal point of view. I the catlict siuiy Ciudeielta Is « sung independent woman who rebels against the hard labor forced upon her and uses her wits and her dead saga fo help tw regain lnee upper Class status fa society. She does achieve her goal, which is not marriage but recognition. Perrault, on the other hand, wrote to socialize the children of the bourgeoisic, that fs, to prepare them for the roles he believed they should Play in society. He sexvalized society, providing clear gender atercotypes. Thus Perrault’s Cinderela ia beautiful, polite, graceful, industrious, obedient and passive. She does not threaten men either by coquetry or intelligence. She waits patiently for the right man to come along to recognize her virtues and to marry her. Perrault’s male characters must be active, intelligent, land ambitious. Not ncecasarily good looking, they ‘must be courteous and courageous. Social success and achieving are more important to these heroes than winning a wife. Thus due solely to their sex, Perrault heroines have a very limited range of opportunities, «dreams, and possible behavior (Zipes ch. 2). Like Zipes, Ruth Rottigheimer takes a historical perspective in her 1987 study of fairy tales, Grimm's Bad Girls and Bold Boys. She also seems to support the feminist point of view that fairy tales are not beneficial to women, She looks at the Grimm brothers’ works as historical documents and investigates both changes aver time and gender differences. She discovers that as the nineteenth-century progressed, females increasingly lost their power in the tales, as moacieed: hy their cpeech, which ie direct for males and indirect for females; by their silence, as compared with males; and by their punishments, which are harsher for females and occur after one transgression, while males can offend three to five times before retribution. Recent academic work thus reflects the ideas of the women’s movement. What of the popular culture? Apparently it does not. Perrault’s gender role stereotyping remains unchanged in both Cinderella and Pretty Woman. The latter uses current fashions and artifacts and ignores the older sexual taboos, thus siving the film a modern appearance. Despite this. Preity Woman does not illustrate any major changes in gender expectations and is unaffected by any form of feminist ideology.Cinderella could not be expected to be a feminist film, Disney chove wo use the Perrault story and adapted that to the thetoric of an era firmly anchored in the feminine mystique. The characters are ranked and segregated by oon. Traditional gender stereotypes and not personal choice determine the behavior, lfe courses, and dreams that are shown in the cartoon. The same may be caid of Pretty Woman, and, in adtition, there i ‘mote ambivalence concerning the family and friendship and more acceptance of the traditional male values of competition and revenge than inthe Disney film. In both Cinderella and Pretty Woman the male sex is ranked higher in wealth, occupation, and status than tho famale cox. A clase society prevailed in the enrlier time period of the cartoon, The Prince’s family is not only wealthy but royal, making him the future king and future ruler of his country. He therefore has the highest possible status. Cinderelia comes from a gentry family Which has financial problems due to the death of her father and the cofichnoce af her etepfamily Cinderella 1s forced to do the work of a scullery maid, Her status can be raised only through marriage, when she will take the position of her hushand. In Prety Woman Edward Lewis is the hero. He is fabulously wealthy, able to indulge his every materialicie decir Given the Yuppie generation of the 1980s, Edward's occupation as a successful and ‘wealthy corporate raider gives him the highest possible crams. Vivian Ward isthe heroine of Preity Woman. As the picture opens she lacks the money to pay her reat and has a pin holding up her boot. Sbe is a prostitute, a job defined as “debasing oneself for money.” Near the ending of the movie she considers raising her status herself, but she, too, chooses to marry. Edward's background is far superior to Vivian's. His father had been rich, and his mother, a trained musician. Edward is well-educated and sophisticated. His manners are impeccable, and he is accustomed to elegant places, 10 formal clothing, and to upper class amusements such as polo and the opera. Vivian is the product of a lower class family from a small town in Georgia. She is welligent but uneducated, reaching only the eleventh grade in school. She throws her gum on the sidewalk, norant of table manners and how to dress, loves television, movies and popular songs, and calls an orchestra “a band.” In Cinderella the hero and heroine are equal at least in manners, and education is not mentioned. In Pretty Woman education and manners help to determine status, and. Vivian ranks far below Edward. The gender stereotypes in popular romances give heroes a higher status than their heroines. Ths is found to be true in both ofthese films, A Modern Cinderella 89 In addition, gender clearly determines occupations and activities. Obtaining money is not a problem for the Prince, and he hunts and travels. Cinderella remains at home and does housework, which is properly feminine hut is also dirty. physically demanding and demeaning. Life is even sex-differentiated forthe mice. The males go to obtain food and have exciting advenmures. When a male mouse wants to help make Cinderella's dress for the ball, a female mouse says, “Leave the sewing to the women; You go get the trimmin’.” Edward is a businessman working with male executives, lawyers, bankers and senators. Of course his telephone operator is female. Vivian provides female services for men. Lacking job skills she unable to support herself by any other kind of work ‘open to her, and she must struggle to keep some control over her own body and out of the hands of male pimps. The hotel and store managers are men; the sales clerks sare women, The expectations presented are that women are supposed to work, but that men are to hold the superior and better-paying jobs. In both movies males have much more power and ane the rescuers of females. In Cinderella the King has the power of life or death. Granted, Disney sentimentalizes the scenes with the King’s imaginary sprandchildsen. The male desire to see his line and name carried on is a traditional one, however. Although the Disney cartoon ends with the marriage of the Prince and Cinderella, presumably they will have the children to fulfill the King’s hopes. Males are seen as rescuers; females are more passive. The male mice and dog free Cinderella from her locked room. By marrying her the Prince saves Cinderella from her family's abuse and from her domestic chores. Even the stepsisters hope to be rescued from their daly routine by husbands. ‘Women who have power are presented in the Disney film as either evil or silly. The wicked stepmother controls her household and the three young. women in her charge. The true nature ofthe stepmother ‘was revealed only after the death of Cinderella's father, whose authority presumably restrained the stepmother’s behavior. The fairy godmother has enormous magical power. This is trivialized by her silliness, her song Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, and by her absentmindedness: she can’t find her wand, or remember her magic words, or even notice that Cinderella needs a dress to wear tothe bal. The hero of Preity Woman also has the power of life and death, atleast over the continuance of various corporations and over the jobs of the people working there, He is able to set up a billion doltar deal to take over Morse Industries. Borrowing a necklace worth &90 Journal of American Culture ‘quarter of a million dollars is a minor transaction in his life. Edward can influence Senate committees and bank ‘omictals, Because of nis enormous tinancral power, ne has only to ask to receive the services he desires. Vivian has neither power nor identity. Abandoned by the nan win Drought ner 10 Los Angeles, she coud not support herself. Her friend Kit talked her into becoming a prostitute. Vivian cried but was powerless to do anything else. Her feisty personality indicates counterphobia, a fear of being helpless, rather than independence. She lacks identity in repeatedly being seady Ww be called by aity wane a unas Tkes ut Uy being ready to do anything a man asks of her. Crying ‘obody will help me,” she is unable to buy a dress by herself. She has tw be rescued by Dancy Thumpsus, the hotel manager, or by Edward and his credit card. In addition, Edward saves Vivian from being raped by Phil, his lawyer. She is also helped by Mr. Morse, the elevator man, and the hotel chauffeur. Interestingly, the women in Pretty Woman have ‘even less power than those in Cinderella. The snobbish salesladies have some control. They can order Vivian to Teave the store, Later they are punished by losing commissione, and thoir roles aro emall. More significantly, the part of the fairy godmother is transformed into a male role. Not a woman but a man enables the Cinderella charactor to achieve hor dreams. Barney helps Vivian to get her first ladylike dress, teaches her the table manners she needs to know, and finally unites the couple hy informing Fitward that the chauffeur knows where Vivian lives, and that Edward is making a mistake. Bamey tactfully says, “It must be difficult to let go of something so beautiful.” Ostensibly he is talking about the necklace, but they both know he is referring to Vivian, The latter does give advice and financial aid to her friend hut is simply passing on Edward's words and money—his power and not hers. ‘Thus in neither movie do females partake of any of the stereotypical male behavior. It is the men who rank higher in wealth, occupation, status, power and action. What of the women? Once again the stereotypes prevail. Traditionally women are to be beautiful, feminine, dependent, devoid of negative emotions but fully expressive of all positive ones, Females exist to fulfill male needs, Both heroines are beautiful, but both need the right clothing to make them marriageable. When Cinderella is dressed like a princess, the prince only has to see her to fall in love. An item of apparel, her ‘glass slipper, identifies her as the woman the Prince really wanis to marry. Clothing has the same powerful effect on Vivian, When she is dressed like a hooker, she can be one, Given elegant and ladylike clothing, Vivian feels cheap when propositioned and eventually Gecides to give up her lite om the streets. Both heroines are seen as very feminine. Femininity includes beauty and appearance, the arorementionea aepencence ana neipiessness, and iso emotions, Traditionally anger and censoriousness are not feminine. The negative characters can express anger. The ugly stepsisters fight with each other and tear Cinderella’s dress to shreds. Fear, sadness and self- pity are permissible for good women, as are the pasilive euuvdous of compassion, friemslup, ove aNd happiness. Given the situations of both heroines, anger and rescuuuent would appear w be lugical teacuous, Ts is not portrayed in either film. Cinderella is obedient to her stepfamily but lives in dreams, merely saying, "Well, they can't order me to stop dreaming.” Unable to attend the ball, she can cry in self-pity, “It's just no use... can’t believe any more.” Hope and dreams are restored by her fairy godmother's magic, however. At a later time when there is more openness to emotions, Vivian's anger also seems very restrained. Finding her ront money gone, ahe is forced to ancak out of het building to avoid the rent collector. All she says to Kit, who took the money, is “I can’t believe you bought druge with our ront money.” Edward reveals to Phil that Vivian is a hooker, and although she is ready to ‘walk out, refusing her pay, she stays, saying only, “You hurt me..Don’t do it again.” Her feeling of self-pity in Bamey’s office is much clearer than her resentment, Cinderella is usually portrayed with positive emotions. She is kind, helpful, sympathetic, and loving, and by implication, pure and good. She is concemed with relationships, a real female value, even trying to persniade Renna, the dog, and T weiter, the evil cat, t0 get along together. These qualities, plus her beauty, youth, restraint, and lovely singing voice will make her a e0od enongh wife for a furnee king The Prince, unlike Cinderella, is vulnerable internally. He is cut off from his feelings. She is outwardly oppressed, kept from the ball and locked in her room by her family and thus must be rescued by another, Nevertheless, Cinderella can fulfill the Prince's needs. He wants a wife and an escape from his boredom. Cinderella's appearance and her adoration of him activate his feelings and involve him in a love relationship. He has found a female to complement himself—she has the emotions that he lacks. Cinderella hhas a man to give her an identity (she is his wife), the love she has always been dreaming of to compensate for her victimization, and someone to take care of her for the rest of her life. We are told that “they lived