A Closer look at Cinderella

It is very easy to underestimate and overlook the importance of minor characters in the overall effect of stories. However, when analyzing Cinderella's mother, it proved to be the vital key in the story. While both variants of Cinderella: “Ashputtle” written by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm and “When the Clock Strikes” by Tanith Lee, have a quick reference to Cinderella’s mother, their differing depictions pre-determine Cinderella's fate and shape the protagonist's outlook on life. Their contrasting characters construct the reader's judgment of Cinderella by instilling compassion or resentfulness towards her. Their "minor role" in the total word count of the stories becomes the foundation for Cinderella's outcome in life.

When comparing the depictions of Cinderella's mother, the opposing descriptions provide two sets of guidelines that lead the reader into two different directions. In the article “Ashputtle,” the story begins with the tragic death of Cinderella's mother. Where, still in her deathbed, the mother’s only worry is the unprotected child she is going to be leaving behind. Consequently, she asks Cinderella to behave and pray to God because if she does, “God will

On the other hand, “When the Clock Strikes,” Cinderella’s mother is a proud witch with a hunger for vengeance. As stated by Lee, “She had sworn allegiance to Satanas. In the dead of night she would go up into an old tower…and would say portion of the Black Mass, offer sacrifice and thereafter practice witchcraft against the Duke”(538). She was revenging the death of many of her family members by the Duke. Her horrible acts would take form of a wax image of the Duke to which she would inflict injuries that were later suffered by the Duke. Her daughter, became her helper from an early age; by age six, the girl would chant and pray to her mother's dark god(Lee 538). Her husband then catches her in her satanic rite and consequently is about to be killed by an angry mob, when she asks her daughter to carry on her vengeance through the means she had taught her so well (Lee 539). Her daughter accepts and as soon as she does, her mother forces a knife into her own heart.

The endings of both stories exemplify the triumph of a parent's doctrine. While in Ashputtle, her goodness survives and reigns over evil; Ashella's malevolence continues to forever ruin the lives of others. In both stories, Cinderella followed her judgment of what was right for her and that meant following her mother's will. Ashputtle’s obedience and passive behavior is later rewarded with the punishment of those who did her wrong and with the prince's love. Ashella's active character rewarded her with the achievement of her goals, the death of the Prince. In “When the Clock Strikes,” the mother’s evil actions foretold the horrible and "un-fairy tale” ending; whereas Ashputtle's mother created the Disney happy ending.

In comparison to Ashputtle’s personality, Ashella in “When the Clock Strikes,” chooses her own destiny. She decides to wear a "robe of sackcloth and poured ashes over her red copper hair” and t

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