Symbolic Messages in Cinderella

As with many other fairy tales, the symbolism in Cinderella plays a very important role, especially when directed at the fairy tale's primary audience - the children. With Cinderella, the symbolism begins from the very first lines and has to do with the message of how to react to the loss of a parent. From the dying woman's conversation with her daughter, it is obvious that the child is asked to believe in the existence of God and in the existence of afterlife. In order to deserve God's favor, the child must be "good," and this also will assure the love and favor of the mother who, although dead, will be looking down upon her daughter.

Goodness, however, is not the only thing the dying woman asks from her daughter on her deathbed. She also asks her to be pious, which is a word that may be unfamiliar to children today, but was in wide use at the time the story was written. Today, the word 'modest' would successfully act as a substitute. As a symbolic message, to be modest to a child does not mean to deny herself the pleasure of things she might want, but rather to make sure that her wants are not unnecessarily extravagant. This message is reinforced later on by the fact that the two evil stepsisters ask their stepfather for dresses and jewels - things they already have plenty and have no real use for more.

Cinderella, on the other hand, asks for the first branch that knocks her father's hat off his head. This request carries multiple meanings. First, the branch serves as a symbol of attracting father's attention, since he has to stop and come back for his hat, as well as to break off the branch. The second meaning is in the search for closer connection with the father because it involves him directly into action, such as breaking off the branch, instead of him doing what he probably does all the time for other girls, which is shop for them. Finally, Cinderella's request means to attract father's attention by its uniqueness and thus reestablish the connection between the father and his obviously neglected daughter.