Cinderella
Bruno Bettelheim, the author of "Cinderella", is a psychologist who believes that the story of "Cinderella" has various psychological effects in the development of a child's mind. According to Bettelheim, the story of "Cinderella" has been quite an old story: since ninth century. Bettelheim discusses about the sibling rivalry, oedipus complex, and toilet training that affects a child's mind to determine his position in the family. There are many other fairy tales like "Cinderella" that children read during their childhood. Every fairy tale has a psychological effect on the development of a child's mind. Bettelheim points to the fact that the story of "Cinderella" has an eastern origin. He also compares "Cinderella" with some German stories in which an ash-boy, like Cinderella, becomes a king at the end. Bettelheim mentions Brothers Grimm's version, "Aschenputtel" in which Cinderella was sitting among the ashes. He believes that living among the ashes was the symbol of degradation and being debased. It also symbolizes death. Bettelheim says that the story expresses the inner feelings of a child who is suffering from sibling rivalry.Cinderella is shown as a very beautiful, nice, and innocent girl who is being treat
When the story comes to the part where she is not allowed to go to the ball dance, no matter what she does to please her stepmother and stepsisters, she is refused to go. Because of such feelings a child would think that his parents do not love him and would prefer other child to him. This oedipal complex is nothing but craving for love. John Wareham, in "Oedipus Wrecks" mentions about Maverinc, a small entrepreneur who attaches his name with a company and goes on to win success and autonomy. Bettelheim says that every child thinks that because of his secret feelings he deserves to be degraded, and thinks that his siblings do not have such kind of secret wishes. The mixture of guilt and complexes in the mind of the child makes him paralyzed to think positively. "(Wareham 50)It was the desire of Maverinc to do something special to draw his mother's attention towards him and his manhood. According to Wareham, Maverinc is motivated by the Oedipus complex. But the story, in the whole, makes the child understand that it was the goodness of Cinderella that helped her out of her degraded state, and gives the child assurance that the good is rewarded at the end. " New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co. The child compares his qualities with that of the parents'. But when "Cinderella" reaches the stage where some magical event helps her to get out of that difficult situation, the child feels relieved that he too will have a chance to fulfill his wishes. Bettelheim says, "The only explanation for parental criticism the child can think of is that there must be some serious flaw in him which accounts for what he experiences as rejection" (644).
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