Differences.

            The chapter on Differences in Theory Toolbox was extremely thought provoking and interesting to read. Although there are many differences in society, as well as within ourselves, we all have “social categories of recognition that define us within a certain social context” (TT 160).  Whether that is our social class, gender, or sexual orientation, all of us share some characteristic that categorically labels us the same, while at the same time labels us so differently.

           

It has always been assumed that we live in a masculine world. The United States has always been male dominant and it is just now that women being equal to men are becoming acceptable or normal to those within the society we live. The characteristics of both male and female are constructed by the norms and values that society places on them. As society changes what is acceptable for both the male and female to act, the norms are easily changed to fit into what is “right now.” It is assumed that “Men are ‘like this,’ women are ‘like this’(TT,169),” because that is what we assume gender means. Things like gender, don’t already contain meanings, we as a society give the genders of male and female their own meaning that we have constructed to deem a fact or difference.

It was interesting to read about class and what those living in each particular class believed about their own class standing. Each class, lower, middle and upper had a different interpretation of what class meant. To the lower, class was defined by how much money you had, while in the upper class, class was defined by values, ideas and behavior. No one had a common belief for what divided the class system. “Class recognizes that society is stratified or divided into unequal groups” (TT, 189), but that does not mean that one member of a lower class could move into the upper class or vice-versa. Society is always changing and the idea of class should not define whom we are because of the inequalities that are placed upon it.  To the lower class having success is what makes you upper class, but success is interpreted differently from everyone around the world. 

           I have never been a huge fan of the fairytale Hansel and Gretel. I don’t know what it is about the story, but it has never really grabbed my attention or kept me interested long enough to learn the ending.  When I think of a good fairytale, I think of Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast, a story that has a happily every after.

         

           Hansel and Gretel deals primarily with struggles a typical peasant family experiences. It shows the fear of starvation within the family and the decisions the children’s parents chose in order to save themselves rather then their own children. The idea of cannibalism was also incorporated into most of the stories. The parent’s decision was unexpected to me, because the thought of ditching your own children or killing and eating your children to save your life never really occurred. Although in each story one of the parents disapproves of the decision to leave the children, the agreement of letting it actually happen is cruel and unacceptable.

Although the Hansel and Gretel fairytales are typically a young brother and sister, my favorite version was Little Thumbling by Charles Perrault, which had seven young brothers.  I think the moral of the story was what I loved the most, which was that the “runt” of the boys was the one to overcome the obstacles and whom strived to work for his family’s happiness.  It was unexpected to see the brother who was so sickly save all of his brothers while still having so much fear for his own life.  This story was different from the others in that the father was the parent who suggested they leave their children while the mother stood reluctant against the decision. Also this story had an ogre who liked to eat children rather than a wicked witch trying to lure children in with her candy house or stepmothers who were jealous of the children who weren’t their own.

It was interesting to see how each story had similar characteristics but yet were so different in style and character. I think what caught my eye in Little Thumbling was that it was so different from the others and had unexpected twists that I didn’t get from the previous stories I had read. I like when the characters get their own happily ever after and this family certainly did. 

Time.

Our perception of time is determined primarily by the individual social processes that we encounter throughout each of our days. It is our responsibility to determine how our time should be used throughout our social processes.  It was interesting to read how our perception of time is usually determined by how we are spending it. For example, Theory Toolbox mentioned Spring Break. When we take “time off” from our normal everyday routine and change it for a relaxing fun weekend with college friend’s time seems to change rapidly. What is outside of our norm seems to go by completely faster, whereas our day-to-day activities seem to drag on throughout each day. Why is that time that is enjoyable goes by so much faster than everyday activities that can be boring?

Theory Toolbox states, “our experience of time is also heavily mediated by our access to material resources…time is a luxury” (111).   Having the luxuries of everyday items can heavily influence how our time of day is spent and how we divide our time in order to complete each activity.  For example, the differing lives of college students and their ability to spend their time.  One student could have a vehicle, laptop, money to spend, and not have a job which would rapidly increase the time they had for “free time”, personal time, and even time for friends and going out, whereas the other student had to walk to class, use the libraries computers, a forty hour a week job which would decrease his time to enjoy the leisurely activities that other college students get to enjoy.  It’s interesting to see how our place in society can determine whether or not we have privileges in time.

I feel that Americans often tend to take time for granted. We live our lives going from one step to the other, without focusing on what is more important which is the self. If we put ourselves in a more enjoyable atmosphere our time throughout the day would be more self-satisfying. Our time is shaped by our social processes and material resources, but we can help shape our surroundings and determine how our time should be used. 

Cinderella

Cinderella was my favorite Disney fairytale growing up. There was something about Cinderella’s presence on the screen and the magic throughout the film that kept me wanting more. The storyline was filled with a jealous stepmother and stepsisters, a magical pumpkin turning into a beautiful carriage, singing mice and of course a prince charming whom gives Cinderella her “happily ever after.”  It was interesting to see how different the versions of Cinderella were in “The Classic Fairytales” and how the actual Disney film came to be from the stories presented.

The versions I enjoyed the most were Donkey Skin by Charles Perrault and Cinderella by the Brothers Grimm. Each version was incredibly different from what I know as the true Cinderella.

I would have never imagined the storyline of Donkey Skin being similar to the Cinderella I was told as a child. I always assumed that Cinderella was going to find her prince charming, and that prince charming would not start out being her own father. The princess is very distraught at the thought of her father becoming her future husband so she gives out tasks that her father must obey in order for the marriage to happen. Of course her father obeys and even gives her the skin of the donkey that provides the kingdoms fortune. She sets out wearing the donkey skin so her father won’t find her and finds herself in home with a handsome prince. The Kingdom, unaware of her beauty, treated her as if she was a monstrous slave. The Prince, aware of her true beauty, wanted to be married to the girl known as Donkey skin. It was interesting in this story that the key to finding Cinderella’s prince charming was through an emerald ring. When the ring fit, Cinderella got her happily ever after and her father came back wanting to be apart of her new life.  My favorite part of the story is the explanation that all women should think they are beautiful and believe that they will get the happily ever after.  It shows that true virtue and character get you to a happier place.

Cinderella by the Brothers Grimm was much more similar to the version that I grew up with, but there were some differences that I couldn’t help but notice. In this version, there is no fairy godmother but doves and turtledoves that give her beautiful clothes and shoes during the three-day festival. Another difference is Cinderella’s escapes from the Prince as she leaves each ball.  I was used to the magical pumpkin carriage bringing her home at midnight. My favorite part, in which this version kept the same, was the fitting of the slipper on Cinderella’s foot. It’s her time of triumph over her ugly stepfamily and the doomed fate of her stepsisters.

Each version had their own interesting twist on the story Cinderella.  It was interesting to see each version and the similarities and differences each version had with the version of Cinderella that I grew up knowing.  Some of the stories, I felt, didn’t seem as if they had anything to do with Cinderella and it was especially hard to believe that one the versions Cinderella was actually a little boy. I think Cinderella is instilled with certain values and norms that are placed in each version of the story.