Blog Entry 4

Is it possible for someone to reach success or riches with the use of magic or marriage?  This, to me, is not realistic; however, it is realistic in fairy tales and folktales. Cinderella is one of those so-called “rise tales” which features a narrative arc of “from rags to riches through magic and marriage.”  In the fairy tale and in the movie, magic is realistic and actually expected. If it is not through the fairy godmother, then it is through the helpful birds that sing and talk to the prince and Cinderella. Magic is the most important and crucial theme in all fairy tales; especially that of Cinderella. “From rags to riches” is a common motif in these princess-type of fairy tales because the princess (or damsel in distress) is always rescued by a prince. During that journey to her success of finding the prince and becoming a rich princess, the use of magic and marriage may play a role. 

In the Grimms fairy tale of Cinderella, magic was not as easily seen as it was in the Disney movie. In the fairy tale, Cinderella actually married into her success and became wealthy from her marriage with the prince. The birds may have had something to do with some type of magic (because, after all, they were singing/talking birds) but it is mostly seen in the movie. The movie version of Cinderella included a fairy godmother (who was actually known worldwide to be magical) so with the use of her presence, Cinderella reached her success to go to the ball with magic and also reached riches with marriage.

I believe in the sense that in fairy tales, it is realistic that reaching success and/or riches with the use of magic and/or marriage is probable and likely. If this was not fantasy and this was the real world we are talking about, then magic will not help any human being become successful. Marriage might help a person become successful, and even wealthy. However, in my opinion, working hard to get what you want and need in life does not involve any use of magic or using someone else. You have to help yourself and want to strive to become successful and wealthy instead of relying on a marriage (that may not even be worth it) or magic to pursue your own desires. In today’s real-world, reaching success and riches with magic and marriage is not as realistic as it is in fairy tales, or even Cinderella.