Intertextuality:
"Cinderella" -- Read the familiar fairy tale of Cinderella and compare and contrast it to
Maupassant's "The Necklace." In what ways are the two stories alike? And how does "The
Necklace" invert the story of Cinderella? What do both stories have to say about class?
o Comparisons
godmother -- a godmother in the Disney version, and birds in the Grimm
Brothers version, makes it possible for Cinderella to go to the ball; Mme.
Forestier makes it possible for Mme. Loisel to go to the ball by lending her the
necklace.
clothes -- In the Disney version, Cinderella rushes out before her beautiful
clothes turn to her shabby clothes. In the Grimm Brothers version, she rushes
m
out to get away from the Prince, presumably so he doesn't come to learn her
er as
true identity, which is an impoverished woman. After the ball, she sits in "her old
co
gray frock." In "The Necklace," Mme. Loisel rushes out of the ball once her
eH w
husband gave her the "modest garments of everday life whose shabbiness
o.
clashed" with her gown.
rs e
ou urc
Stairs -- In the Disney version and Grimm Brothers version, Cinderella rushes
down a flight of stairs. It is here that Cinderella loses her glass slipper (Disney) or
gold slipper (Grimm Brothers). Mme. Loisel also rushes down a flight of stairs to
o
get away from the ball and its guests.
aC s
vi y re
Carriage -- In the Disney version, Cinderella's carriage turns into a pumpkin.
There is no carriage in the Grimm Brothers version. Mme. Loisel and her
husband take a carriage that is "ashamed to show [its] drabness during daylight
hours."
ed d
ar stu
Gold/glass slipper -- Cinderella loses her slipper, which eventually, when the
Prince sees that it fits Cinderella, brings Cinderella wealth, happiness, and love.
Mme. Loisel loses a glass necklace, which she thinks is made of diamonds. This
brings about Mme. Loisel's downfall.
is
Th
Class -- Cinderella is the daughter of the "wife of a rich man." Cinderella comes
from money; it is her evil stepmother and stepsisters that make her live an
impoverished life. Cinderella is eventually made wealthy again. Mme. Loisel was
unfortunate to be born "into a family of clerks." Because of a tragic error, her life
sh
becomes impoverished.
Attitude -- Cinderella is patient with her condition in the beginning of the story.
She hides from the Prince when her stepsisters chop off toes and heels to try to
fit in the slipper. And for this patience and modesty, Cinderella is rewarded by
being returned to her life of wealth and happiness. Mme. Loisel is impatient and
This study source was downloaded by 100000798907472 from [Link] on 05-18-2021 [Link] GMT -05:00
[Link]
possibly even greedy. For this, she is rewarded with worse circumstances than
with what she started.
Source: The idea of comparison comes from different places, but the guide for "The Necklace" in Gale's Short
Stories for Students Vol. 4, Aug. 1998, makes a great connection
[Link]
m
er as
co
eH w
o.
rs e
ou urc
o
aC s
vi y re
ed d
ar stu
is
Th
sh
This study source was downloaded by 100000798907472 from [Link] on 05-18-2021 [Link] GMT -05:00
[Link]
Powered by TCPDF ([Link])
