Cinderella: Difference and German Story Essay

Cinderella and Ashputtle are two different stories based on the same plot. Ashputtle is a German story, and Cinderella is from France. From what one can tell from reading the two versions, these two countries are able to produce very different styles of writing. The stories Ashputtle and Cinderella are very similar in plot, yet the details are very different in multiple ways. The German story, Ashputtle, is a much harsher story. Ashputtle contains more blood and revenge, and has a darker theme to it. In this story, Ashputtle’s father seems to ignore her and not care very much about her. Also in Ashputtle, at the end of the story, the stepsisters’ eyes were plucked out by birds, as a punishment for how the acted. The blood scenes occur when the two stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to attempt to fit into the glass slipper, and shortly later the prince realizes what is wrong and brings them back to their home. The French version of the story, Cinderella, is written in a lighter tone. Instead of being filled with vengeance and blood, it is more of a peaceful theme, and nothing really happens to the stepsisters at the end of the story. In Cinderella, her father still cares very much about her and loves her, yet he is overruled by his wife, Cinderella’s stepmother. Another difference in Cinderella is that there is a fairy godmother, while in Ashputtle, the girl goes out to her mother’s grave to pray and the animals come out to help her. There are several ways in which the stories are similar. The two stories obviously have very similar plots, and the protagonists have the same personality and traits. Most of the characters in Ashputtle reflect their corresponding characters in Cinderella, such as the stepsisters and the prince. Both the stories are based on the fairy tale of a nice girl who is poorly treated, but then she ends up living happily ever after with a handsome prince. The stories have the wicked stepmother and stepsisters who treat the girl badly. The girl ends up going to the ball and she is considered the most beautiful girl there, yet nobody recognizes her. The prince meets her and is amazed by her beauty and kindness, and he wishes to marry her. Animals also play an important part in both of the stories, as they help out the protagonist in going to the ball. Although the two versions of the story are quite different, many key similarities can clearly be seen between the two. The differences also show how two very different cultures can produce the same story in their own ways. Today, the story has become international, and it could be interesting to see how other cultures may write their own versions. This same situation occurs with many other tales, such as Snow White or Sleeping Beauty. Of course, differences are always found, yet the key similarities are a way to link the different versions.