Marcia R. Lieberman
College English
Vol. 34, No. 3 (Dec., 1972), pp. 383-395
p.385
The beauty contest is a constant and primary device in many stories. Where there are several daughters in a family, or several unrelated girls in a story, the prettiest is invariably singled out and designated for reward.
..the focus on beauty as a girl's most valuable asset, perhaps her only asset. Good-temper and meekness are so regularly associated with beauty, and ill-temper with ugliness, that in itself must influence children's expectations. (e.g Cinderella)
This pattern, and the concomitant one of reward distribution, probably acts to promote jealousy and divisiveness among girls.
Girls may be predisposed to imagine that there is a link between the lovable face and the lovable character, and to fear, if plain themselves, that they will also prove to be unpleasant, thus using the patterns to set up self-fulfilling prophecies.
p.386
Since heroines are chosen for their beauty (en soi), not for anything they do (pour soi), they seem to exist passively until they are see by the hero, or described to him. They wait, are chosen, and are rewarded.
Marriage is the fulcrum and major event of nearly every fairy tale; it is the reward for girls, sometimes punishment.
Poor boys play an active role in winning kingdoms and princesses.
Poor girls are chosen by princes because they have been seen by them.
Marriage is associated with getting rich: it will be seen that the reward basis in fairy and folk tales is overwhelmingly mercenary. Good, poor, and pretty girls always win rich and handsome princes, never merely handsome, good, but poor men.
Since girls are chosen for their beauty, it is easy for a child to infer that beauty leads to wealth, that being chosen means getting rich.
p.385
The beauty contest is a constant and primary device in many stories. Where there are several daughters in a family, or several unrelated girls in a story, the prettiest is invariably singled out and designated for reward.
..the focus on beauty as a girl's most valuable asset, perhaps her only asset. Good-temper and meekness are so regularly associated with beauty, and ill-temper with ugliness, that in itself must influence children's expectations. (e.g Cinderella)
This pattern, and the concomitant one of reward distribution, probably acts to promote jealousy and divisiveness among girls.
Girls may be predisposed to imagine that there is a link between the lovable face and the lovable character, and to fear, if plain themselves, that they will also prove to be unpleasant, thus using the patterns to set up self-fulfilling prophecies.
p.386
Since heroines are chosen for their beauty (en soi), not for anything they do (pour soi), they seem to exist passively until they are see by the hero, or described to him. They wait, are chosen, and are rewarded.
Marriage is the fulcrum and major event of nearly every fairy tale; it is the reward for girls, sometimes punishment.
Poor boys play an active role in winning kingdoms and princesses.
Poor girls are chosen by princes because they have been seen by them.
Marriage is associated with getting rich: it will be seen that the reward basis in fairy and folk tales is overwhelmingly mercenary. Good, poor, and pretty girls always win rich and handsome princes, never merely handsome, good, but poor men.
Since girls are chosen for their beauty, it is easy for a child to infer that beauty leads to wealth, that being chosen means getting rich.
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