Deception vs Magic

While Cinderella's father may possibly be in love with her, the stepmother is most likely more interested in living comfortably. .
             The stepmother has to con Cinderella's father into loving her. She needs to present herself and her daughters as benevolent and gentle woman. Their social standing probably attracts Cinderella's father, also. He falls in love and brings them to stay with him. To his face they are kind, but behind his back they are cruel to Cinderella. As earlier mentioned, they demean her into the position of a lowly house servant. After his death though, the stepmother begins to again ponder a way to provide for her family, except this time she is looking for a husband for her daughters and not herself. .
             In the versions of Cinderella by Charles Perrault and Walt Disney, the king invites all the families in the kingdom to a ball where the Prince will be attempting to find a bride. The stepmother seizes this opportunity to have one of her daughters become the bride of the prince. The invitation is for all the women of the kingdom , which includes Cinderella. Her stepmother claims that if Cinderella finishes her chores, she can go to the ball. Throughout the day, the step-family forces Cinderella to help them prepare for the ball and she never gets a chance to do her chores or get ready. When it is time to head off to the ball the stepsisters are ready and they leave Cinderella behind. Looking at her disheveled and dirty clothing, one of the stepsisters remarks "Why, Cinderella. You"re not dressed for the ball" (Disney 556), as if surprised, and then they leave. .
             Most would react to this scene in disbelief. In the story "Ashputtle" by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, when the stepmother is disallowing Ashputtle to go, she says "It's no use. You can't come, because you have nothing to wear and you don't know how to dance. We"d only be ashamed of you" (Grimm Brothers 533).