Chapter Three: Tradition in The Tale of the Shoe and The Tale of the Apple

Introduction

This study aims to have a look on to what extent the use of the syntactic device

"modality" can convey a predominant thinking of the time and carries out discourses and

hidden messages of certain ideologies. The analysis which will be carried out in this study in

both short stories "The Tale of The Shoe" and "The Tale of The Apple" strives for revealing

data analysis through the existing auxiliary verbs. As a first step, each tale will be scrutinized

and looked for the modal verbs used and then counting their frequency. Then, the ideational

analysis will be extracted from the use of participants and processes. In doing so, sentences

are divided into clauses on the basis of the semantic traits which are shown in the table

below. As a final step, a semantic study will be fulfilled to the parts of the clauses in order to

show when there is a cut of agency and when characters are agentive. In addition to the

application of the eclectic approach.

Section One: Modality Analysis

3.1. Analysis of Sample Short Story The Tale of The Shoe

3.1.1. Modality Analysis

Table 14. Modality Analysis of "The Tale of the Shoe"

Sample Total Must Can Could Could not

The Tale of Number

The Shoe N % N % N % N %

1 0.076% 1 0.076 7 0.53% 3 0.23%

Sample Total Will Will not Shall Would Would not Have to
The Tale Number

of the

Shoe

N % N % N % N % N % N %

00 00% 00 00% 00 00% 00 00% 00 00% 1 0.076%

The first aforementioned table reveals the use of modal verbs by Emma Donoghue

in the story of "The Tale of The Shoe". The use of these modal verbs in this story in

particular is very significant in the sense that less intentions and more possibilities are

provided by the characters. The chief aim for Emma is to bridge the experience of the

narrator, first and her projection on the world of other female characters and to offer

possibilities for them expressed by (could) which constitutes the majority frequency in the

story. In addition, although the narrator is in position of power, the use of modal verbs gives

insights on realities about how characters are ordinary humans capable as well as incapable

of doing things, thus laying the roads for readers to identify themselves to the characters'

experiences by making it familiar to them. Therefore, here the observer is not talking about

haphazard use of these modals but intensive purposes behind this use. The weakness of the

first person narrator is overcame with that bridge between the reader and the narrator. For

instance, the narrator's aim is to make readers identify themselves with that character's

experience.

"Could" is the predominant modal verb which is used by Emma Donoghue with a

frequency of 0.53%. Although, "could" occurs in the story in a considerable number, yet it is

significant in its way. In fact, Emma's use of this modal verb in particular could be

interpreted as follows: despite the fact that the grammatical structure is a way to downplay

agency in which the agents of these sentences are suppressed, it is used in a way to offer

possibilities, to question truths which are set as true via an ironical voice. For instance, these
examples illustrate the aforementioned point "[i]t could do spectacular things" and "[s]he

could make me laugh" respectively (Donoghue 10). These two examples obviously

highlight the ironical view on the existence of magic in particular. Here, the narrator

"Cinderella" makes ironic statement as a reply to the statement of the stranger when she said

that her finger is of a magical power. Ironically, Cinderella replies with the use of the model

verb "could" by indicating the possibility that magic exists, however not necessarily true.

Thus she is questioning the stranger's claim by showing disbelieve and avoiding to be seen as

naive.

The second majority frequency is "could not", in which two grammatical syntaxes

are used; the modal verb "could" as well as "negations". In this respect, the possibility that is

normally offered by "could" is absolutely negated by negation, leaving no room for any

possibility. For instance, these couple of example will illustrate the above mentioned

statements: "He asked me my favourite colour and I could not think of any " and " He asked

me my name and I could not remember" (Donoghue 09) respectively. In this couple example,

Cinderella has been asked a question and she is supposed to answer it, but instead she is in a

position of almost total absence; she is physically present, but psychologically is paralyzed

and this is another way not to answer that question. She is passive yet active, how? She is

passive in the sense that she cannot answer the question as if she did not hear it. "Could not",

for instance is used to welcome the reader to experience passivity displayed by the one who

asks the question for readers to know what is meant to live in an oppressive patriarchal

society.

Both "can" and "must" occur only once in the story. The example of "How can I

describe the transformation?" is the only example with "can" modal. "Can" modal verb

describes an ability displayed by the narrator, in this case, she is able to describe what span

new about her. However, this modal verb does not denote a complete action, there is
 something missing. Finally, "Must", is used to describe logical necessity in this example "I

thought that she must have come from fire". Due to the stranger's magical entering, it is may

be a possibility to come from fire. It is logical because since the door was opened and there

was no one there. There is no certainty in the protagonists' own statement and again Emma

breaks the magical nature that existed and believed in classical fairy tales. By this, Emma is

insisting on the ordinary nature of these tales.

Table 15:Modality Analysis in The Tale of the Apple

Total Must Can Could Could not Might

Sample
Number
The Tale of
N % N % N % N % N %
The Apple

2 0.0 1 0.03 11 0.40 2 0.0 1 0.030

0% 74
74 %

Sample 2 Total Will Will not Shall Would Would not May

The Tale Number

of the

Apple

N N N N N N

4 0. 00 00% 00 00 05 00 00 % 1 1%

1 %

"Could", in The Tale of The Apple, is of a high frequency. It constitutes almost more

than the half in the story with a frequency of 11 times. "Could" in this story is used for

different purposes for different situations. To illustrate this more, examples will be provided
as follows: the first example is of the narrator "Snow White" and the other is by the

stepmother. Snow said "I could tell she would be my enemy", the narrator's first impression

about her stepmother puts it in this statement (Donoghue 60). First, she prejudges her

stepmother after the first glances she sees her as a first impression on her. Second, the

narrator is not certain about the statement she does because the emphasise is put on "would

be my enemy "which expresses future intention. Thus, it is found that "could" makes the

agent "she" passive, first offering only a possibility which may not happen, thus makes the

stepmother much more passive. Therefore bringing the reader to sympathize and love the

stepmother. Then, the other example by the stepmother "If you cross me in this, I could have

a huntsman take you into the forest and shop out your heart", in this example, the modal verb

"could" is used to show that the agent is passive and that only there is a possibility to do that

and it might happen. While using this modal verb in this case, he stepmother is not assumed

the responsibility of what she is saying (Donoghue 68).

As far as "Would" and "will" are concerned. Both modal auxiliaries present

willingness and intention. As an example "Somehow I trusted she would find me and kill

me". Although, "would" is used to present "willingness", yet the choice of this modal verb in

particular makes intention of telling things is not important, thus not assuming responsibility

of the threats. Additionally, the example of "Will you come home now?" (Donoghue 76) In

this case, this question offers a direct request to the heroine with a probability of refusal.

Section Two: Semantic Analysis of Participants and Process with Relation to Agency

3.2 Data Analysis of Sentences that Contain Action and Stative Verb in The Tale of The

Shoe"

Table 16 . Data Analysis of Sentences that Contain Action and Stative Verb in "The Tale of

the Shoe"
Argumentative, informative utterances Semantic traits

Sentences Participant Process

Agent Patient Dynamic Stative

-Till she came * *

it was all cold * *

- Every since my mother died * *

the feather bed felt hard as a stone floor. * *

-Every word that came out of my mouth * *

limped away like a toad.

-I heard a knocking in my skull, * *

and kept running to the door, * *

but there was never anyone there. *

- I scrubbed and swept * *

-I raked out the hearth with my fingernails, * *

and scoured the floor until my knees bled. * *

-I counted grains of rice and * *

divided brown beans from black. * *

-nobody scolded me, * *

nobody punished me but me, * *

-The shrill voices were all inside. * *

-Do this, do that, you lazy heap of dirt. *

-They knew every question and answer, the * *

voices in my head.

-Some days they asked why I was still alive. * *

- I listened out for my mother * *

-Some nights I told myself weep,

- I thought for a moment * *

she must have come out of the fire. * *

- She took me into the garden * *

and showed me a hazel tree * *

I had never seen before. * *

-I began to ask questions * *

-How can I begin to describe the * *

transformations?

-And then, because I asked, * *

she took me to the ball. * *

- I knew * *

just how I was meant to behave. * *

- I smiled ever so prettily * *

-I refused a canapé * *

and kept my belly pulled * *

-Under the thousand crystal candelabras I *

danced with ten elderly gentlemen

- I answered only, Indeed and Oh yes and Do *

you think so?

-she swept me away. *

-But she was old enough to be my mother, * *

and I was a girl with my fortune to make. * *

-They each told me to do something different. * * *

-Take me back tomorrow night *

-She showed me the sparkle in my eyes, * *

-I was lithe in green satin now * *

-I tittered at the old king’s jokes; * * *

I accepted a single chicken wing * *

- I danced three times with the prince, *

-He asked me my favorite color, *

but I couldn’t think of any. * * *

-He asked me my name, * *

and for a moment I couldn’t remember it. * *

-On the way home I leaned my head on her * *

narrow shoulder

-She could always make me laugh. * * *

-The prince hovered at my elbow like an * *

autumn leaf ready to fall.

-the prince came to propose. * *

-Out on the steps he led me * *

- he seemed like an actor on a creaking stage. * *

-I opened my teeth * *

-And I leapt backward down the steps, * *

- I threw the other shoe into the brambles, * *

-So then she took me home, * *

or I took her home * *

The Analysis of The Tale of the Shoe:

The observation that the one can draw from the first table is that there exists

threesome characters in which focus is put on them in the first story; the narrator, the

stranger (the godmother) and the prince. For each character, Emma ascribes a certain use of

verbs which she sees best to describe their situations; whether they are in a position of power

or are just receptive. For the protagonist, there is a shift from sometimes using stative verb

and in other times dynamic verbs. However, for the godmother, she is more agentive and

dynamic than the protagonist. And as far as far the prince is concerned, he is very agentive

and active in approximately all situations. All in all, the significance of the choice of verbs is

seen as the best to describe the situations in which they lead or they are lead.

As for the protagonist, Cinderella own activeness, dynamism and passivity are

conditioned with the situation she is put in. It seems in the beginning of the story that

everything that she does is meaningless even speaking. She seems active and agentive but

since her talking is meaningless, it is then shown that it goes fluently without her control or

even her awareness. This is why it is mentioned that she speaks only for the sake of

speaking. In the following example, her mental state of mind influences her sense of agency,

"[e]very word that came out of my mouth limped away like a toad" (Par. 01 Donoghue).

Given that her speaking is not meant to communicate, she seems uncontrollable of her

speaking. Then within her melancholic state, there is a shift to the use of material processes

which indicates her physical hardship she encounters while doing household shores. These

assignments are not assigned to her by her stepmother as in the Grimm version, but rather

they are her choice to do. Accordingly, these duties are done out of intention and willingness

and strong awareness just to fill her empty life and to overlook her miserable life. She says,
for instance "I scrubbed and swept" and "I raked out the hearth with my fingernails" (Par. 02

Donoghue).

In the protagonist's second phase of the story, it is with the coming of the

godmother that she shows a sort of more self-assertion which it shows itself in her initiations

of almost of the asking of questions and even the use of the imperative form. As an example,

she says " I began asking questions" and "Take me tomorrow, night" (). In this two examples,

her intention is strongly exhibited through her act of asking and ordering. This sudden change

of mood of speech mirrors the change of her wrecked psychological makeup into a renewal

state of mind more energetic and active as well.

With the same spirit, she goes to the first ball very energetic and aware of what she

is doing. For example, in a series of successive examples she uses verbs such as "to refuse, to

accept and to dance" (Par. 10 Donoghue) which highlights her in a position of power to

accept, refuse and even to dance. On the other hand, she uses stative verbs to describe

herself, as an example " to smile and to keep" (Par. 10 Donoghue). Moving to her interaction

with the prince, she is always passive until the end, she illustrates her total passivity in many

ways and in different occasions. For example, when the prince asks about her name, she is

doubly passive, first she is a receptive to his question, and she shows her inability to answer

by saying" (...) and for a moment I could not think of any" (Par. 14 Donoghue). In this

situation precisely, the use of the modal verb indicates her lack of complete thinking. In

other words, the act of thinking which belongs to the mental process designates the fact of the

protagonist's psychological passivity. Also the use of the auxiliary verb "could" can be

interpreted as a way to the fact that there is no interest in answering. This is why the

protagonist used negation to exclude any possibility of thinking.

 Last and not least, Cinderella is hyper active when she refuses the prince. These

two examples illustrates that point, she says "I opened my teeth but no sound came out" (Par.

21) and "And I leapt backward down the steps" and "I threw the other shoe into the brambles"

(Par. 21, 25). These examples show that after the refusal of the prince, the protagonist's

mental passivity turns into the use of material dynamic verbs such as "leap and throw". After

being passive, when she was put under the domination of a male character, now she is free

and uncontrolled by any one, and thus this is reflected in her sense of agency and use of

material processes.

Dynamism and stative in the case of the godmother is a matter of power and

existential state. Almost all the actions she takes have an effect on the protagonist. In

situations, the protagonist is the initiator and for other times the godmother is the one who is

the initiator. In the example that will be shown next, the godmother is the one who takes the

first step in many situation in her interaction with the protagonist. In the example "[s]he took

me into the garden and showed me a hazal tree" (Par. 06 Donoghue), the woman is the one

who leads the protagonist, thus she is the initiator of her action. This position of power is

given to this character because she is endowed with some power, not necessarily magical but

as an authoritative figure in "The Tale of the Shoe". In other words, the godmother is

responsible for helping the protagonist and guiding her through her way. And since she is a

authoritative figure in the story, her verbal utterances are easily transformed into real actions

which makes her be seen in a more active light.

In other situations, as it is mentioned earlier, this guiding character transforms only

into less position, not of guiding but as a receiver of orders, and in this act she is more

receptive than initiator. To illustrate more this point , the narrator says " [a]nd because I

asked, she took me to the ball" (Par. 09). In this sentence, the one finds an act of asking by

the protagonist and in this case she could exhibit her sense of agency, her intention and
willingness into a verbal asking which will have an effect later on in her fate and her

realization. On the other hand, the action of going cannot achieved without the godmother.

Therefore, as the one observes that the act of asking is not complete unless the godmother

carries the act of going to the ball.

Almost all utterances by the prince echoes him as hyper agentive with the use of

different dynamic verbs. Therefore, in this sense, the prince is very active. Although, the

twice times the prince appears in the story, thus he exerts a great impact on the protagonist.

When dealing with her, he is the initiator in every situation, in asking, in dancing and in

proposing to her. Such as when the protagonist says in a couple of examples "[h]e asked me

my favourite colour" and "[h]e asked me my name" (Par. 14). According these two questions,

the situation is that of getting knowing someone for the first time, this is why the questions

are about the name and favorite things the addressee is asked about. In this sense, the prince

is of a position of asking questions for the reason that he is the one demanding for answers.

Therefore, he is the initiator of the question and the protagonist is a patient that receives the

act of asking. The other situation is when the prince comes to propose to the protagonist, she

says"[t]he prince came to propose" (Par. 20). In this example, there is a shift from asking to

proposing. This act is real and more dynamic than asking and also there is intention and

willingness which presupposes a "yes" answer from the part of the protagonist. There is only

one situation in which the prince is passive; it is when the protagonist says that "(...) he

seemed like an actor in a stage" (Par. 20). The protagonist just reduces the whole action with

her use of the verb "seemed" into a stative situation. By doing so, the protagonist makes the

prince agent less. 3.3 Data Analysis of Sentences that Contain Action and Stative Verb in

"The Tale of the Apple"

Table 17 . Data Analysis of Sentences that Contain Action and Stative Verb in The Tal of

The Apple"
Argumentative, informative utterances Semantic Traits

Sentences Participant Process

Agent Patient Stative dynamic

-Though I was so much smaller that she was, * *

I was stronger; * *

-I had no reason not to want to live.

-he found me wandering the drafty corridors * *

of the castle *

-She was not many years older than I was

-she kissed me and spoke sweetly in front of * *

the whole court. * *

- she would be my enemy. *

-But it was me the folk waved to as the * *

carriage rattled by; * *

-I would have liked her

-But I knew from the songs that a * *

stepmother’s smile is like a snake’s,

I shut my mind to her from that very first day * *

-In the following months she did all she *

could to woo my friendship * *

-Eventually I let her dress me up in the silks

and brocades * *

-It was she who laced up my stays every * *

morning
-Two such fair ladies, he remarked, have * *

never been seen on one bed. *

-We looked at each other, she and I, * *

- how am I to judge between two such

beauties? * *

-I looked at my stepmother,

and she stared back at me, * *

-He questioned every doctor who passed * *

through the mountains. *

-He made his young wife drink cow’s blood, * *

-Finally he forbade her to go walking in the * *

orchard with me, or lift a hand, * *

-I took to walking in the orchard on my own * *

again

-My stepmother had me called to the throne * *

room where she sat *

-Say that I am queen * *

-The moment I am a widow, she said, * *

I could have you cast out. * *

-I could have a huntsman take you into the * *

forest,

chop out your heart, *

and bring it back on a plate. *

-I have the power. * *

-I decided not to stay * *

-I was haunted by the image of my * *

stepmother.

-They let me dream by the fire like a cat. * *

- There was nothing of the wife about her *

when she smiled. *

my stepmother had to be a sorceress * *

- I heard the jangle of her harness. * *

-I shut my eyes * *

and let the points of the comb dig into my * *

scalp

They warned me to stay inside * *

-For some weeks I did as I was told patient *

-I stared around me till I could see the castle, * *

- I turned my face toward it, * *

-and started walking. * *

The Analysis of The Tale of the Apple:

In "The Tale of the Apple", almost the use of dynamic and stative verbs are

approximate. However, for each character, the use of verbs vary The focus is put on the

protagonist and her stepmother.

For Snow White, her activeness is exhibited in her verbal answers and her passivity
 represents herself when she uses mental processes while describing her psychological

wandering through the story. From the beginning, Snow White states the fact about her

strength and self-assertion. For instance, Snow states that "[t]hough I was so much smaller

that she was, I was stronger" (). The use of the verb "to be" indicates a state of being and a

fact about the speaker. In her interaction with her stepmother, Snow White is always doubtful

towards anything the stepmother does even if it is good. This doubt reflects on her way in

using language. In one of her descriptions to her stepmother, the protagonist says "[b]ut I

knew from the songs that a stepmother's smile is like a snake" ().

The protagonist often uses mental processes to show herself in a passive not in a

dynamic state of being, but mentally active. To represent her psychological wandering, Snow

uses verbs such as "to think, to imagine and to picture". And in order to shift from her

situation in her father's palace and her actual moving to live the palace to the forest, she uses

verbs such as "to decide and to run". Not affected by any one, Snow shows an autonomy in

the decisions she has to take in order to save her life. Nonetheless, while she is in the house

of the woodsmen, she is again seen in more passive light. For her living in the house of these

men is not for free and in order to earn her living, she has to pay the price for her freedom. If

the one projects this on her situation, /she finds that she is once again enclosed on herself via

her mental wandering. Examples such as "I let me dreaming like a cat" and "I was lost in

gaze" are illustrations of such situation. In an example, the protagonist is also passive, it is

when she has to obey the words of the woodsmen. She says "[t]hey warned me" and "[f]or

weeks, I did what I was told" (). In this experience in particular, as it is observed the

unbalanced powers which reflects itself in master/slave or dominator/dominated relationship.

In this case, Snow is the receiver of the orders and she is totally passive. Unlike the

woodsmen who easily order as they are the owners of the house and the rules are theirs.
 Finally, there is a last shift to a more dynamic situation when she finally more aware

and more decisive. Once again, these examples highlight her self-assurance, autonomy and

high sense of agency "I gagged, coughed, sat up" and "I stared around me till I could see the

castle" and "I turned my face toward it, and started walking".

It is worth to mention the dual state of the stepmother. She is agentive and agentless at

the same time. The writer prefers to portray this character as a real one to do her some justice

because in the long tradition of fairy tales, she was one dimensional and very active

character. In her conversation she asks the protagonist to say admit that she is a queen. For

that, she says "Say I am queen, she said" and in another example the protagonist reports that

the queen says "I have the power". By focusing on the second example the fact that the queen

has power there is a possibility to fulfill her promises and make them true because there is

nothing that can obstacle her.

Dissimilar to that is when the queen has a very low sense of agency by not being able

to fulfill the threats or to transform them from verbal threats into real actions. The examples

that illustrate this point particularly deal with the use of modal verbs. Examples, such as "

The moment I am a widow, she said, I could have you cast out" and "I could have a

huntsman take you into the forest, chop out your heart, and bring it back on a plate".

Through looking closely to these examples, the one can notice how all the intimidations to

the protagonist are accompanied with the use of modal verbs such as "could" and "would".

This syntactic device is applied for a purpose of diminishing the intention of the speaker

into only a verbal intimidation, although the possibility is limited, it is still may happen. In

this regard, the character of the stepmother is shown as unable to carry out what she has in

mind, thus reducing her threat to its minimum.

3.4 The Stylistic Feminist Approach

 The story at the first sight is divided into two story lines in which the narrator, while

narrating her own expresses in both times; past and present, she shows a kind of change and

evolving of a new spirit which will change and bring up a twist to the story. Despite the fact

that Emma in her revision of the story of Cinderella wants to bring about justice to her

female characters and to explore them in depth in order to evaluate them with the light of the

new changes, she has sometimes to put them in the same situations as in the classical tales

for her to achieve her aim and to bring about changes later on in the story. This undiscovered

dimensions of the story cannot be explored without the help of examples of agency and to

see when, where and for what reasons Emma calls for the use of these grammatical devices

and for what reasons.

3.4.1 Characterization of "Cinderella In the Tale of the Shoe"

3.4.1.1 Coldness Emptiness and Lowliness

The patriarchal world where the protagonist has lived during her adulthood is described

as very cruel and cold. The protagonist has to live alone at an early age and to experience

orphanage at a very early age. Without a parental presence and guidance, the protagonist is

aloof in that world missing most her mother. Without her mother, Cinderella described her

abandonment, depression and the futility of her life (Bartu 102). Her mother was the source

of warmth in her life as well to the house. Cinderella puts it like this "Every since my mother

died the feather bed felt hard as stone floor", she further adds "Every word that came out of

my mouth limped like a toad" (Donoghue 4). The emptiness the heroine has to live is very

huge and the gap is very wide that she cannot fill unless someone comes and makes her life

worth living. Despite all of that, she managed her life because she has her reasons to live.

Worth to mention that she never misses her father.

3.4.1.2 Beautiful and Passive

"The Tale of the Shoe" keeps many of the things from the traditional story of

"Cinderella" with some twists in the plot. The most important element she kept is that

Cinderella is the protagonist, who is the orphaned girl and helpless in a way. As readers, they

perceive the world from the eyes of the protagonist, thus only limited to her. As the narrator

of the story, Cinderella never perceives that she is beautiful. In fact, emphasize is put on her

physical attractiveness only in the ball by the starring men. The projection of this beauty

which is mirrored in the male's eyes and through their gazes, both Ellen Cronin (1983) with

Gilbert and Gubar (1979) have called the "mirror metaphor" (Bhattacharya 46). In fact,

Donoghue's emphasizes a very obvious and collective way of thinking that dominated the

patriarchal society. It is the predomination of beauty in all aspects of life and that beauty

could open closed doors ad brings up good fortune. In old days it was considered a privilege

for "women to elevate their social status and to marry handsome and rich men" (Rorem 34).

In "The Tale of the Shoe" actually Cinderella has each ball to appear in different dresses or

"skins" as she calls them.

3.4.1.2 Helplessness and the Heterosexual Nature of Fairy Tales

As the story goes, Cinderella asks the stranger, who is supposed to be her godmother,

to go to the ball. She said "and then, because I asked she took me to the ball" (Par. 09

Donoghue). The reader, then gets the first hint on the helplessness of Cinderella by asking for

the help to be provided by the godmother. Hence, for Donoghue to emphasise her parody, she

has to equip "Cinderella both with the traditional helpless representation and the features of

the hostile stepmother" (Bartu 102). Traditionally, Cinderella cannot go to the ball, so each

time the fairy godmother takes her and then waits for her upstairs the castle and then asks her

"Had enough?" (Par. 05 Donoghue) The second time she goes to the ball, she said "I was lithe

in green satin; my own mother would not recognize me" (Par. 14 Donoghue). By stating that,
Cinderella points how much beauty is very important to the patriarchal society and it was

because of her attractiveness that many elderly men danced with her. Before going to the ball,

the young girl has to be ready and to behave properly. Bhaattacharya believes that "(females)

are commonly flat, one dimensional characters who come to fit an account of a male

character" (44). In this regard, "unworthiness" is the best description that is attributed to

females. Whether in real life, they are unworthy and not contributors to their societies as

human beings, and in the fictional world, their worthiness is limited. In addition to beauty,

good manner are counted as well. This is why the godmother shows Cinderella how to talk,

how to walk and many other things. As Vasela has pointed out that everything a girl has to

be is "good and kind" (28). Those things that she has to learn on which the young girls will be

evaluated whether to fit into that high world that has special criteria of evaluation. Beauty,

good manners and nothing else. The second time she goes to the ball, Cinderella said that

"That night my new skin was red silk, shivering in the breeze" (Par. 19 Donoghue). She

referred to her body that takes the colour of the dress presenting that her body is what worth

in a patriarchal society. Fitting and worthiness, therefore are matters of how beautiful you

are even though you are not good. This obsession with beauty is threatening even though the

girl is not good. Thus, the protagonist shows that she could easily deceive those men only

with her beauty because of their naivety and idealistic thinking. It is based on beauty that

whether inclusion or exclusion, acceptance or refusal is based.

3.4.1.3 Patriarchal Society as a Materialistic Society

With a sense of detachment, lowliness and not fitting, each time Cinderella goes to the

ball she describes the world out there as cold, emotionless and lifeless despite the luxurious

life. Actually, People are very practical and materialistic. People are not happy and it seems

that they are deceiving each other and themselves with what they wear. Thus, Cinderella

describes her interaction with the men when they asked her questions as "I answered only
Indeed, Oh yes, and Do you think so?" (Par. 05 Donoghue). From these short answers that

she provided the men with, she points out that the discourse they are talking about is not the

one she is interested in and that it is emotionless and void of any interest. For her, since these

men are so shallow their speech are as sallow as them. Also the answers are of a flattering

nature and formalities. Indeed, they are these answers which highlight her detachment from

the ball's context although her pretending to have contact with the men in the ball. This

contact is, in effect void of many meaning.

3.4.1.4 Beauty and Marriage as an Inevitable Fate and Social Necessity

Emma insists on how good manners are of a great importance because the first

impression is very significant and it could possibly make Cinderella's fortune happen.

According to Holcombe, marriage is the only option (5). In the second time in the ball, she

could attract the prince and she danced with him three times. Then as an attempt to know her

better, he asks her two questions. These two questions show her in a passive light. She says

"[h]e asked me her favourite colour but I couldn't think of any" and then, "[h]e asked me my

name and "I couldn't remember it" (Par. 15 Donoghue). For both answers the protagonist

used double grammatical syntaxes represented by modal verbs and negation. The use of the

modal verb "could" shows that there is a sort of a possibility, yet it undercuts the transitive

verb" remember". And although there is a possibility of remembering, the verb is not

complete, in addition that "could" undercuts agency of the grammatical subject directly,

highlighting the agent's limited possibilities. In the second example also, Cinderella has no

control over herself; she is very passive and agent-less showing herself as a receptive to the

questions of the prince. The choice of the modal verbs and negation together are not

coincidental but it is a way to show how in a patriarchal society, when you are asked, first

you have to answer . The verbs "think" and "remember" are of mental processes. These verbs,

therefore indicate her mental and psychological status, she is paralyzed psychologically
either of great surprise or because that whole world is too huge for her (she is never herself in

there). In addition to her hesitation in answering because she is of a calculating mind.

The third time at the ball, the time she must make her fortune happen. This time after

she as usual danced with the prince, she goes to the balcony and suddenly he proposes to her.

Cinderella said "I had barely wiped my mouth before the prince come to propose" (Par. 20

Donoghue). All the circumstances were ready, it was a night with full moon "All fairy tales"

(Par. 20 Donoghue). The moment the prince started talking, she could not understand him or

just the words were not familiar to her as Bartu (2014) states that [w]hile the Prince is

proposing to her, she cannot hear him but the shrieking patriarchal voices commanding her to

say yes. She knows that the words have to do with her future which is about to happen. When

she described her future, she said "[a]s soon as the words began to leak out his mouth, they

formed a cloud in which I could see the future" (Par. 23 Donoghue). The use of modality

shows, in this case, how she is in a passive status, as if there is a possibility that what the

prince is saying is her future. However the use of the perception verb "see" indicates that the

use of much mental verbs means that the person thinks a lot about his steps and never hurries

in his decisions, thus her refusal was her answer after thinking too much. Not fitting in the

role assigned to her, "Donoghue’s Cinderella cannot be a fairy tale heroine that she is

supposed to be" (Bartu 105). She was like enchanted people, she is mentally paralyzed and

she almost says yes. Disappointing those voices she runs away home with her godmother. Commented [U1]: Does this means that she eventually says
"no"?

Male dominance and oppression is very apparent when the prince wants to own her when he

proposes to her. His marriage proposal is like a claim of a property that his eyes lay on first.

The Fragmentation of the Female Body of Cinderella Commented [U2]: Ennumerate the titles.

In relation with beauty, each time Cinderella has to go to the ball, she repeats this

phrase "[...] my new skin was red silk or velvet" or any other colour" (Donoghue, par. 10). By

this, she refers to her dress and the way men in the palace conceive her as a skin. This artistic
device which has the author used is called synecdoche. This device, in its meaning represents

the whole with a part of the body, thus is a usable technique to suppress agency by showing

and referring to characters, not as a whole living entity but as a fragmented body

(dehumanize them). Commented [U3]: Delete the parentheses and encorporate this
part in the sentence.

3.4.1.5 Domestic Female Roles

Keeping with the protagonist, the domestic issue is not imposed on her, yet rather she Commented [U4]: delete

is doing them willingly just to ease her pain and fill her empty life with anything. Domestic

house chores in this sense are a sort of a catharsis to the heroine from a psychological point of

view. Since she is severely afflicted with the loss, in order to ease the pain she devotes herself

to the household chores by raking out the hearth with her fingernails, scouring the floor until

her knees bleed, counting the rice and beans (Donoghue, par. 02).

3.5 Characterization of the Stepmother

3.5.1 Evil as a Social and Internalized Idea

The stepmother is just an idea which is created by her society and is imaginary.

Cinderella's voices pomp up from time to time but she internalizes them and sometimes she Commented [U5]: ?????

could control them. The role which is assigned to the story in "The Tale of the Shoe" is the

same as in the Grimm Brother's version "Little Snow White". By having the same oppressive

and villain voice, Ann Martin states (2014) that the stepmother has the same will, but since

Cinderella internalizes them "she has internalized the discourse of the patriarchy" (Bartu

105). Those voices are the stories which created the myth of the monstrous stepmother who

never does anything and she only orders Cinderella. The domestic issues have to do them

herself without someone telling her to do so. She does her out of routine and emptiness in her

life. Cinderella illustrates that by saying "[n]obody made me do that. I did, nobody made me

scolded me, nobody punished me but me. The shrill voices were all inside me" (Donoghue,

par. 03). This is why she used dynamic verbs and material processes in order to describe that
all what she is doing is willingly and there is no oppression over her. As an example "I

scrubbed and swept because there nothing else to do. I raked out the hearth with my

fingernails, and scoured the floor until my knees bled. I counted grains of rice and divided

brown beans from black" (Donoghue, par. 02).

3.6 The Formalist Approach Commented [U6]: A vague title!

3.6.1 Journey and Ironical Mood as repetitive patterns deliberate by the Narrative

Voice Commented [U7]: The title is too long and grammatically

awkward. Reformulate it.

Postmodernist writers are known for their experiments on both style and content of

their writings and Emma is one of them. Stylistically speaking, she does not respect any rule Commented [U8]: Use the last name of the author.

and she foregrounds her work, such as capitalization after commas and no capitalization after Commented [U9]: Her work contains many cases of
foregrounding.

question marks. She also uses some similes, although not frequently, but since the form is an

analogy of the real experience or what characters want to seek, the form should represent Commented [U10]: reflection

that. Therefore, and in this regard, best to illustrate that experience was the narrative voice of

the protagonist through which she expresses her disappointment and ironies to the patriarchal

societies and that revealing bitter truths about how women were and how they should liberate

themselves going through journeys which form repetitive patterns in the story. Commented [U11]: This sentence is grammatically awkward.
Reformulate it.

The story is of episodic nature in which the first half of the story is summarized in one

episode and she is referred to as "dusty"; she is not obliged to go deeply through. Few Commented [U12]: What does "she" refers to?

sentences are enough to summarize her orphanage and hard life. That first part is never the

whole truth, but only the half of it; the other half comes with the coming of the stranger. The Commented [U13]: begins

moment the stranger comes, she coloures her life and makes her evolve again. This new

chapter is presented with the three nights in which we consider them as episodes. The journey

of the protagonist starts with the first ball and ends with the third ball. Through this journey,

Cinderella has to look for her lost self. In addition, in the beginning of this journey,

Cinderella has to experience disappointments in her society; the society she feels is very
shallow. And the more she goes deep, she is convinced of this truth. She is searching for the

piece that she could not find in that world. She seeks liberation in that world but the opposite

she was choking inside. Although the other world is very dreamy, she just wants to buy her Commented [U14]: reformulate this clause.

freedom even if this meant hard life. Life always be hard, yet it would be sweet if people

choose what to do and not to choose for us by others.

Going and returning from home to the palace and vice versa is a kind of a journey.

Despite the fact that she is the only one who gets hints about the life of the protagonist since

she is the narrator, and despite her unreliability yet it indicates some truths are revealed about

her experience. The first point narrator is believed to be subjective; however, this choice is Commented [U15]: Delete.

significant in two ways. First, the story is told by a female character, thus reflecting the

general mood of the story, not only hers. According to Selen Aktari (2010), Donoghue

employs the first person singular narration for her character to "tell their own story from their

own perspectives and this strategy enables them to control their own narratives while

revealing their “autonomous agency” (Bartu 392). It might deceive sometimes, but she never

portrays herself as perfect girl, she comments on herself even when this objectivity reflects

negatively on her. She is honest and open minded to herself. Thus, the point of view, which

Emma carefully has chosen, offers a position from which the reader must consider. Cutolo

(2012) highlights that "[a]ll the retellings are accounts of oneself, told by that self through a

narrating ‘I’ on which the whole narrative necessarily relies. The first-person narration is

engaging and activates the readers, instead of leaving them like passive recipients of the

omniscient, de-personalised and authoritarian voice of a third-person narration" (217). The

narrator, then, becomes the medium and the norm for her story. It is only through her eyes

that readers can measure the paradoxes and hypocrisy of her society.

The mood of the speech of the protagonist is ironical. For her, it is because her society

which shows high standards of civilization that "the mass of humanity is hopelessly
depraved, and the genuinely honest individual is constantly being victimized, betrayed and

threatened" (Guerin et al 129). The form of the short story is a journey from home to palace,

from innocence to and then to awakening and epiphany at the end of the story. As an analogy

to land and river in Huckleberry Finn, freedom is seen at home not in the palace, as it is

stated by Wilfred Guerin (et al) "In contrast to the oppressive places on land, the raft and the

river promise release" (129). Freedom and liberation are achieved only at home and this is

what Cinderella realizes at the end of the story. Freedom as an abstract idea is associated with

home, the home that is much more a psychological idea of belonging more than a physical

setting.

3.7 The Archetypal Criticism Commented [U16]: delete

3.7.1 The Process of Individuation in "The Tale of The shoe"

The whole story of "The Tale of The Shoe" symbolises the process of individuation.

For Carl Jung, the process of individuation refers to "[...] the unconscious aim of all humans

to become their own self.[...] Individuation is the final stage of the human development that

represents the union of the matured identity with one unconscious archetypes." This story

symbolises a story of the maturation of a feminine psyche (Achieving Individuation, par. 77).

The Protagonist is not yet psychologically mature enough, thus she needs a sort of a

psychological drowning for her to relate with her true self in order to feel peace finally.

Finding peace is strongly related to meaningful life and as Von (1964) highlights that "The

contemplation of the mandala is meant to bring an inner peace a feeling that life has again

found its meaning and order" (Von 213). Without this necessity journey, her psychological

balance and balance cannot be restored. Mandala here refers to the Hindu notion of the Self

as it has been used by Jung (213).

3.7.2 Godmother as a Surrogate Mother

As the story begins, Cinderella expresses a nostalgia to her dead mother. She needed

the warmth and guidance that the mother provides to her children. That deep hole and Commented [U17]: What does this mean?

lowliness which she feels represents a primary instinct all humans need called mothering. Not

only that, but also Cinderella lives a melancholic life; it seems that nothing she does is done

properly and it is meaningless. For her, no uttering of words is appropriate, sleeping and even Commented [U18]: delete

dressing is meaningless (Aktari 274). That psychological hole represents itself in an external

idea that was embodied in the Mother archetype "the stranger". To illustrate more, since

children loose one of their parents, they seek for a surrogate mother or father. According to

Carl Jung, "for the welfare of children, godparents, in keeping with custom, are endowed

with a kind of 'magic authority... a wisdom and spiritual exaltation that transcend[s] reason'"

(qtd in. Knapp 69). The suppressed thoughts and desires show themselves in external objects,

they could be ordinary things that we do not pay attention to them. The protagonist, thus,

projects the mother like description and qualities on the stranger, she said "[t]he stranger said

that my back must be tired and the sweeping could wait" (Donoghue, par. 06). The stranger is

the sort of the guide and authoritative figure that young girls need (a disciplinary guide).

Since the godmother is the embodiment of the dead and good mother, thus this figure obtains

the qualities of the mother and becomes the "Mother Archetype" (Bartu 389). According to

Carl Jung (1999), qualities associated with the good mother “… are maternal solicitude and

sympathy; the magic authority of the female; the wisdom and spiritual exaltation that

transcend[s] reason; any helpful instinct or impulse; all that is benign, all that cherishes and

sustains, that fosters growth and fertility” (Bartu 398).

3.7.2 The Absence of the Animus

While Cinderella is the only real character in the story, the other characters are

imaginary and each represents an aspect of the Cinderella's psyche (Achieving Individuation,
par. 77). Her immaturity lies in the missing part of the caring mother inside her (79). Since

the father is absent in "The Tale of the Shoe", who represented the Animus which is the

masculine side of the feminine psyche. Thus, we find the inner voices of the stepmother

overcome her and they sometimes cause the heroine to cry. With a meaningless life and no

protector, the protagonist realizes the need of an urgent help to overcome her problems. That

urgent call was the knock in her head that brings her a mentor and a guide which Cinderella

calls her "the stranger". Cinderella is passive at the beginning, her Self is repressed at this

stage (Achieving Individuation, par. 81). She calls the godmother a stranger at first because

she could not recognize he nature due to the power of the shrill voices that represent her

instincts. The protagonist's realization of that something wrong about her is her realization of

her own weaknesses, and therefore her weaknesses are brought into light by her ego.

3.7.3 The Stepmother as the Shadow Archetype

Basically, the realization of the unbalanced psyche does not mean that it is easy to

solve those problems. First, it needs to have a clear mind and not destructed one in order to

understand the messages sent by the Self to the ego. And in "The Tale f The Shoe", the

protagonist is destructed by some inner voices. Von states that "[t]here are two reasons why

man looses contact with the regulating centre of the soul. One of them is that some single

instinctive drive or emotional image can carry him into one sided that makes loose his

balance" (Von 2). Commented [U19]: delete.

3.7.4 The Self Archetype

It is true that the Self archetype is very important and is of a guiding force; however, if

the ego does not highlight and bring into consciousness the things that the Self needed,

uniqueness of the individual will remain all the time hidden (Von 162). Therefore, Cinderella

was always courageous to decide finally about her fate, yet she needed to realize first the

messages and then to work on them in order to achieve what life means to her and where does
her uniqueness lay. Cinderella refuses the prince although the shrill voices were louder than

any time and almost convince her to do the opposite what she is naturally is. It is in this Commented [U20]: delete

moment that "her ego must listen attentively, without any further design or purpose, to that

inner urge towards growth" (163). When she refuses the prince as if there exists "some supra-

personal force is actively interfering in a creative way" (Von 262). Finally she could

internalize the voices and silence them forever. The silence of the shrill voices inside her

forever was conditioned with her awake and realization of her true Self that is the godmother

and knows immediately that both were meant for each other. Hence she reached the

wholeness of herself and she became mature and she reached the mothering status.

3.7.5 The Realization of the Shadow

At the beginning of the story, there is a dominance of the Shadow and absence of the

Animus. She is aware of her desires and she wants to reach them. The awareness of this

power is the first sight to her connection to her true Self. Since the stepmother, or more

precisely her voice in "The Tale of the Shoe" symbolizes the Shadow archetype in the story,

she realizes and internalizes them. For instance, Von points out that

"The hidden purpose of ongoing darkness is generally something so unusual, so Commented [U21]: delete

unique and unexpected, that as a rule one can find out what is only by means of

dreams and fantasies welling up from the unconscious. If one focuses attention on

the unconscious without rush assumptions or emotional rejection, if often breaks

through in a flow of helpful symbol images. But not always. Sometimes it first

offer[s] a series of painful realization's of what is wrong of one conscious attitudes.

Then one must begin the process by swallowing all sorts of bitter truths." ( Von 167) Commented [U22]: delete

Von says that Carl Jung called this realization of this negative side as the "realization of Commented [U23]: delete

the shadow" (167). In "The Tale of the Shoe", Cinderella could realize her shadow side of her

personality and she could in a way or another not reject them totally but to do what they want
despite the fact they sometimes cause her to weep. Von illustrates this point by saying that

"[...] the shadow does not necessarily always to be an opponent. In fact, he is exactly like any

human being with whom one has to get along, sometimes by giving in, sometimes by

resisting, sometimes by giving love_ whatever the situation requires. The shadow becomes

hostile only when he is ignored or misunderstood" (173). Or in a better way, "[i]t would be

relatively easy if the one could integrate the shadow into the conscious personality just to be

attempting to be honest and to use one's insight" (173). However the individual cannot easily

confess and be honest about the undesirable things s/he most hates.

The protagonist is a heroine as usual that needs to be rescued. However, rescue this

time is not by a prince but by a godmother. The heroine has to go through in much more a

psychological journey in looking for her liberation and true self. She has to go her journey

three times to the ball. Of course in her journey, she needs a mental guide and mentor that is

represented through the godmother. The good mother has never pushed for the decisions

Cinderella, but rather she is only a mentor. The line of that journey was not that clear for the

heroine this is why there is a sort of hesitation in her decisions. She has to go first, second

and third in order to realise totally that this world cannot fit in. When she goes to the balls,

she almost looses herself. She has to behave in a certain way, to smile and sit in a certain Commented [U24]: loses

ways. And most importantly she has each time to dress differently. Dress refers to the

persona as Knapp has stated (71). And the change of dress each time indicates the change of

new identity (Knapp 71). Sometimes the protagonist displays happiness, sometimes of

shyness and sometimes flattering. For the protagonist needs a sort of a medium through

which she can bridge the other world and to initiate communications with people.

Consequently, she has to wear a mask which is the called Persona in Carl's terminology.

Persona is a social mask that individuals need to wear in order to establish social connections
and it is a medium as well (Myth/Myth Criticism 4). All kinds of dress are persona even the

shoe.

3.7.6 The Prince as a Negative Aspect Animus: Power of Possession

For the men in the palace, they were all attracted to her beauty and physical

attractiveness especially the prince who saw a kind of virgin princess reflected in his eyes and

in all other old men's (Knapp 76-77). Some internal power attracted him towards her and he

wants to be his, this is why he dances with her three times. As a child who wants to possess

everything his eyes gets on, he directly proposes to her in order satisfy his sexual drives. As

the Anima archetype, "which is defined as autonomous psychic in the male personality", the

moment he sees the heroine, "he recognizes that she is his" (qtd. in Knapp 89). She has to get

the trust of the old king first because he is the one will appreciate and then make his son to

marry this woman and then her fate will happen. The home is a sign of protection and

nourishment and is the mother's womb where protection is provided. The heroine was like a

child which needs care and consolation and satisfaction, this is why the mother has to help

her and comforts her and shows care about her.

The stepmother is as an idea in the head of the protagonist and also is screaming as in

the classical tale. This side is her shadow archetype; the side she does not want to show to

people and she wants to repress. There is no jealousy between her and these voices but since

they exist in her unconscious, they take the archetype of the villain stepmother. However,

Cinderella shows that this side is a complimentary one by her and never gets rid of it

completely but only silence it for moments.

The other opening of the door is of the palace is wrong because she is searching in the

wrong places. That door is deceiving and it leads her into her unconscious where all her

desires rest there especially the sexual ones represented in males in the story. This

identification Carl Jung called it the process of individuation which is ultimate to think of Commented [U25]: delete
yourself as the whole "the Whole Archetype". This is why we find a relief and a rest at the

end and a total happiness and self satisfaction.

4. The Tale of the Apple

"The Tale of The Apple" is the revision of "Little Snow White" by Grimm Brother.

Like the first story, "The Tale of the Apple" narrates the experience of the protagonist and her

stepmother in a patriarchal society in which they used to live. Through her narration, Snow

White highlights the threats of the patriarchal society and living in it which could lead to

insanity sometimes to women.

4.1 Characterization of Snow White

While narrating, Snow White never refers to her physical appearance or to how she

looks like; however, the reader takes insights only from what other characters reflect on her

especially her maid. The protagonist narrates that "[t]he maid who brought me up told me

that my mother was restless. She said I had my mother’s eyes, always edging towards the

steep horizon, and my mother’s long hands, never still" (Donoghue, par ?). As the story

goes, Snow describes her magical born as a wish of her own mother. As in the original

version of the Grimm Brothers, the mother's wish stays the same. Actually Snow White said

"[m]y mother said to her maid, The daughter[sic] I carry will have hair as black as ebony, lips

as red as blood, skin as white as snow"(Donoghue 58-59). The mother's wish becomes true

and Snow comes to life.

Unlike her mother, Snow White shows a strong attachment to life despite her very

young age. She said: "[t]hough I was so much smaller that she was, I was strong; I had no

reason not to want to live" (Donoghue 59). She used the verb "was" which is stative and is a

verb of being in the sentence "I was strong" and by this she indicates the truth about her

strength. Bartu (2014) states that "Snow White is left motherless and has been looked for by

her maid" (113). After the death of her mother Snow needs care, and her maid cared for her.
This is shown in this illustration "Every autumn in her pocket, she brought me the first apple

from the orchard" (???). The father of Snow, unlike the classical story, is portrayed as

"neither passive nor an indifferent towards his daughter" (Bartu 113). Unlike the old story of

Snow White, Emma establishes a strong relation between the father and his daughter in order

to intensify the strong conflict between the stepmother and the stepdaughter (Bartu 113). The

time the stepmother comes home is very critical, it is the time Snow needs the ultimate care

of her father. She becomes matured with "a red patch on her crumpled sheet". It was Snow's

feeling possible unrest from the stepmother (Bartu 113).

The protagonist shifts from her angry and suspicious mood of thinking to a more

released and trusty one. In the first meeting between the stepmother and the stepdaughter,

there is no feeling of rest by Snow White. Snow said that her stepmother was not much older

than her (rivalry). Snow thinks that she does not have to surrender to the loving of her

stepmother and that she has to question and doubt all of her behaviour as she is supposed to

do. According to Snow White, stepmother should be evil, she is convinced by this idea, but

she is not blamed on this idea, the blame is put on her society and the songs she knows. She

said "I know from the songs that a stepmother's smile is like snake's so I shut my mind to her

from that very first day when I was rigid with the letting of first blood" (Donoghue 60). She

added "I knew she would be my enemy" (61). Enmity is a possibility which the protagonist

has shown openly based on her first encounter with the stepmother.

4.2 Beauty and Mirror Entrapment

Unexpectedly, both the stepmother and the stepdaughter become friends after many

attempts by the queen to woo the friendship of Snow White. Their friendship puzzled the

king and here comes the threat of the mirror. Although, the fact that the rivalry is omitted

from the story, we find the presence of a threat through the king (Bartu 114). In the classical

story, it is the mirror which tells the queen that Snow is the most beautiful girl ever, but in
"The Tale of the Shoe"; it is the king who utters such a comment (114). The King said "Two

such fair ladies, he marked have never been seen in one bed. But which of you is the fairest

of them all?" (Donoghue 63). Baugus admits that since then "(...), both women found

themselves trapped in the mirror" (46). The king, then, uttered another comment "[t]ell me,

he asked, how am I to judge between two such beauties?" (62). Joosen (2011) states that the

king unwittingly “instigates jealousy between two women so that they start competing for his

affection” (Bartu 114). According to Bacchilega, eventhough the king is identified with an

object, his words are of a great influence and through his words; he could reduce the wife into

"competing beauties"; one is supposed to bring him a son and his daughter to be "a dutiful

daughter" (Bartu 115). Regarding the mirror imagery in the eyes of these two women,

Vanessa Joosen (2011) emphasises the awkward situation as follows:

The mirrors in the women’s eyes function as an intertextual marker, drawing

attention to the object that speaks the father’s words in the traditional tale. In Commented [U26]: Is this a quotation?

addition, these mirrors show that Snow White and her stepmother have internalized

the king’s voice [...] Before the king’s ominous words, the two women tried to

enhance each other’s beauty as friends. Once the competition has been instigated,

they can no longer take each other for what they are; it is suggested, but only see

the other in comparison to themselves (Bartu 115).

4.3 The End Justifies the Means: Bringing Heir to The Throne

By the passing of about one year, Snow shows sympathies to her stepmother, who has

to face the same as her mother, yet this time Snow is present to see that. The father does all

he can to make his new wife pregnant. Paugus states that "When all other methods fail, the

King simply tells her to stay still and lie on her back and 'wait to find herself with a child'"

(47). The unfortunate queen has to go through all kinds of physical and psychological torture

for her to bring an heir for the king. To satisfy his desire, he legitimizes the use of a very Commented [U27]: delete
unhealthy methods to obtain his wish of a son. In this respect, he is portrayed as a cruel and

merciless in contrast to the first description as a caring father. However at death bed, the king

is harmless and very passive, despite all his attempts, he fails to bring an heir to the throne.

As a reaction to his passivity and unworthiness "[h]e cursed the doctors, he cursed the

enemies, he cursed the two wives who had failed him, and finally with a wet mouth he cursed

the son who had never come" (Donoghue 67).

Husbands, in any patriarchal society, they are supposed to do what they want even if

this meant hurting the wife. Wives are seen as objects used and thrown latter, they are bodies

and experiment on them. This fact is legitimized by the patriarchal society which shows signs

of superiority which are harmful to women. The passivity of the king is accompanied with a

bruise in his manhood because for a patriarchal society the king should have a son heir or he

will be stabbed at his manhood.

As the story goes, the father dies and his wife becomes a queen of the whole Kingdom.

Loaded with many responsibilities, the queen showed a kind of harshness in her treatment to

Snow. The queen, thus, threatened to kill Snow, thus Snow runs away to the forest to live

there. The kind of threat the stepmother showed, Snow expresses it as follows: "I could have

a huntsman take you into the forest, chop out your heart, and bring it back on a plate."

(Donoghue 68). The use of this modal verb "would" in significant in two terms. The

protagonist never feels that there is a willingness of harm by the stepmother, yet this intention

and willingness suppressed any kind of a complete action by the queen, thus suppressing her

agency.

4.4 Enslavement and Domestic role as a Price for the Female Freedom

Fortunately, she has been saved by a group of woodsmen. In return, Snow is supposed

to do domestic issue like cleaning and cooking. Similar to the traditional tale, Snow has to

live as a maid although she is a princess. Willingly, Snow accepts her enslavement as a price
for her freedom because she knows that in order to survive she has to pay. She was

responsible of every tiny thing in the house food, cleaning, etc. As a woman, she is supposed

to fulfil all these assignments before the return of the woodsmen (Paugus 47). Everything

made a challenge to her because she has never served herself before, but rather everything

was done for her. As a kind of heterosexuality which is present in the story, the woodsmen

are seen as a sexual threat to female characters. The woodsmen are accused of sexual

harassment and threat to Snow White when she indicates that "One of them asked what was

in my skirts to make them so heavy, and I said, Knives, and he took his hand off my thigh

and never touched me again" (Paugus 47).

4.5 The Stepmother not as Stepmother and a Queen or a Mother Commented [U28]: Reformulation this title.

As in the Grimm's version of "Little Snow White", the protagonist in "The Tale of the

Apple" encounters death three times. The three times of the visit are not of a harm to the

princess but to reconstruct the bounds between them. As Bartu (2014) states, the queen comes

in her real appearance and not disguised in a way the stepdaughter cannot recognize her

(116). Her coming as she is in reality indicates no deceiving or misdoing by the stepmother,

but rather she comes with her recognizable face, the face which Snow used to see and

appreciate in her old days in the castle. The woodsmen felt angry when they did not find food

as usual and they intentionally accused the stepmother of sorcery when she found her in these

deep woods (Paugus 48). Paugus (2014) added that "in another occasion, they called her a

witch for putting 'poison of idleness' in her head'" (48). Without being aware of the complete

truth, these woodsmen built their own judgment on not concrete evidence. This fact is a

second evidence of the attempts by the patriarchal society "where authoritarian male voice

divided the female characters into the obedient and the uncontrollable, the good and the

wicked" (Paugus 48). In the third time, when Cinderella eats the apple, she really cannot

breathe and she falls a long sleep. Her body was so precious "I thought I was a treasure,
stewed away from safekeeping" (Donoghue 78). Supposedly that she is dead, the woodsmen

carried her into the hill in a glass coffin. After a great surprise with her own wakeup, one of

the woods men "[...] now we’re taking you to another kingdom, where they’ll know how to

treat a princess." (Donoghue 79). And the end was unexpected, there is no prince and no

wedding but returning home.

5. The Formalist Approach

5.1 The Narrative view as a Voice of Truth: Projection of Thematic Experience into

Form

"The Tale of the Apple" could be seen from the lenses of an old character. As a central

character and a narrator at the same time; she is loaded with an immense power, yet a huge

responsibility to recite the events she lived with the other characters objectively, in a way the

reader does not question the reliability of the "I" narrator. As Kreiman & Sidtis have pointed Commented [U29]: Delete.

out that "[v]oice is a carrier of the speaker’s features, concerning physical, psychological and

social characteristics" (Cutolo 212). That is why helps to shape truths about the speaker and

provides the listener some pieces of information about him or her. In fact, the choice of this Commented [U30]: Reformulate it.

first person narrator becomes a ritual in many feminist writings, and with it they through back

a long tradition of third person omniscient in fairy tales. The reasons behind the choice of

such point of view vary, yet a predominant thinking of many writers particularly Emma

Donoghue is that the tales are meant of females and almost all characters are females, why

not to be the voice heard since the experience is theirs? Commented [U31]: Rewrite this sentence in the interrogative
form?

As not fully reliable, the story holds some truths beneath as it projects a worldwide and

universal experiences not only of the characters in the story, but rather a historical evidence

taken from different living eye proofs. In addition, these tales just give a second chance for

the marginalized characters in the story to narrate their experiences. Objectively, Snow

witnesses atrocities and threats from her society. She just portrayes how holding some beliefs
and sticking to them most can bring about disaster to the other inferior part of society,

precisely in a patriarchal society. She adds further by highlighting some hidden facts that not

what seems shining is considered as gold, it is not always the case. Patriarchal societies in

particular live a masked life full of disguise and hypocrisy. They seem to be civilized but

their manners showed their savagery and canibalistic nature. For instance the father when he

strongly needs a male heir, not bearing in mind what would his measure, that he takes, has an

effect on his wife. These societies are paradoxical in all ways. As Cutolo highlights, it is only

through the narrator voice that the identity of the person is revealed (213).

With an ironical and critical eye, the protagonist examines the patterns and threats that

almost all women have followed and she draws to herself a different road to follow. Loaded

with the some gold she takes from the castle and a some of dignity, she starts her journey

from her palace to the woods, distancing herself from her previous life. Heading to the deep

woods, and yet objectively blaming herself for her own misdeed to her stepmother. And as a

redemptive act, she has to suffer in the woods because she is in a way or another helped in the

mistreatment of the stepmother. Thus, Snow White's journey is the total form of her own tale.

She goes from a naive person easily convinced by things to a more responsible and matured

liberated woman able to decide for her own self. According to Gayatri Rahman, the hero's

journey is an journey of which "the hero must leave the world of his or her everyday life to

undergo a journey to a special world where challenges and fears are overcome in order to

secure a quest, which is then shared with other members of the hero’s community" (35).

6. Archetypal Criticism

6.1 The Child Hero

The same as in "The Tale of The Shoe", this revision of the original story of Brother

Grimms "Little Snow White" is also considered as a process of individuation. According to

While Swann, the story of Snow White is a reflection of a young woman's development"
(Tatar, The Classic Fairy Tales 74). As first, the protagonist's own birth is a magical one, she Commented [U32]: Reformulate this phrase.

was born out of the queen's wish to have a child. And in the German fairy tale, "on a snowy

day while needle work the pregnant queen of a kingdom pricks her finger and it bleeds, upon

this she wishes her daughter to be as white as snow, as black as ebony and as red as blood

and she is called Snow White." Her wish comes true but she dies soon after" (Bartu 81). This

wish, which was repressed and then expressed by the queen, was represented in a beautiful

creature "Snow White". Motherless, yet strong, Snow has to live an emotional emptiness

despite the care of the maid and her father as well. The room is a symbol of the ego of the

queen in which all the undesirable or hidden secrets are kept there in that black box. She

hates that box a lot. Also, the room is a symbol of marriage.

As a very depressed queen and a mother, the queen lives a life struggling and is torn

apart between her ego, her desires ad what she has to be. Her ego which represents the desires

repressed to be free from the bonds of marriage, motherhood and those social rules of her

society. And due to the fact these opposing forces do not give up, it is the duty of the

unconscious psyche to create "a third thing of irrational nature, which the unconscious mind

neither expects, or understands" (Jung 167). This irrational creature is rejected by both

opposing sides (167). This Child Archetype has a redemptive significance since it tends to

create a kind of balance between the redemptive forces (Jung 168). In fact, the Child

archetype is of an evolving independence. This independence that the mother of Snow White

wants, yet she could not reach it. Therefore, Snow's birth is magical in the sense that the

Christ Child was born. Their birth was so miraculous. As Jesus Christ was scarified for the

salvation of Christians, thus Snow was brought to live for her mother's salvation. The

salvation that she needed when she wants to get rid of her psychological torn apart and to rest

for good and to get her freedom of all the bonds of the miserable life.
6.2 The Process of Individuation

After her birth in few years, Snow White shows a very strong attachment to life. As

any normal behaviour and Carl Jung's idea of the archetype is to explain the human

behaviour, Snow White's own strength is significant; she is like all humans who resist any

kind of threat just to live. The need for living and then survive is a primordial need and is our

first basic needs which humans need to satisfy. At an early age, survival means strength and

strength means survival. Snow knew that her birth is very worth and she has to live by any

necessary means. Fighting for living is a normal resistance and it could be conscious or

unconscious. For her survival to be complete, Snow needs, for sure, care and guidance. The

basic needs for any child at first early age. In Piaget's child psychology when the child is not Commented [U33]: Correct this fragment.

satisfied, s/he will be frustrated. Since she never knows what is to have a mother, she could

not accept her stepmother. The strength of Snow White as well comes from the fact that she

is born out of darkness but she represents light (white), she comes to represent the Commented [U34]: Complete this sentence.

6.2.1 The First Phase of the Individuation: Weakness

As a child hero, Snow is weak at first and she has to encounter the other sides, such as

the shadow that is basically her stepmother' projection in the story. Therefore, "The Tale of

The Apple" is another representation of the process of individuation in which a female

psyche is on the way to maturity (Achieving Individuation, par. 47). This Child is in constant

rejects all opposing forces, thus it has to prove its power to regain balance again.

6.2.2 Stage Two: The Father as a Double Edge Animus

Her father, in another sense, is double edge archetype, he is caring sometimes and

merciless and tough in other times. In "The Tale of the Apple", Emma purposefully

establishes a strong relation between the daughter and the father. Snow said "After the maid,

too, dies in her turn, he finds me wondering the drafty corridors of the castle and takes me up

in his stiff ermine arms. In the summer time, he likes to carry me through the orchard and toss
me high in the air, and then swing me low over the green turf. He was my toyman and my tall

tree. As I grew and grew, he bounced me on his lap till our cheeks scalded" (Donoghue 60).

Donoghue deliberately establishes a strong relationship between the father and the heroine in

order to emphasise the strong conflict between the stepmother and the daughter (Bartu 116).

And as Bruno Barthlem states that "Snow White is the successful resolution of Oedipal Commented [U35]: delete

Complex." A projection could be drawn on the father when he brought a very young wife

only years bigger than his own daughter. As an evidence of this complex was when Snow

said "But it was me the folk waved to as the carriage rattled by; it was me who was mirrored Commented [U36]: Correct this subordinate clause. It is
grammatically awkward.

in my father’s fond eyes" (Donoghue 61).

Now, the king, as he has done to Snow White's mother, does to his second wife. Driven

by his manhood as a king and by his desire to have a heir son, he legitimizes his torment to

his wife. Snow emphasizes this point when she says: "[h]e made his young wife drink cow’s

blood, to strengthen her, though it turned her stomach. Finally he forbade her to go walking

in the orchard with me, or lift a hand, or do anything except lie on her back and wait to find

herself with child, the child who would be his longed-for son" (Donoghue 65-66). The king,

in this respect, objectifies his wife to satisfy his desires to have a son. The negative outcome

on the queen was very huge. Like an animal, the king resembles the Marquis. In her thesis

Bartu points out that "the Marquis is a true predator whose aim is to eat and to consume the

things he sets his eyes on" (61).

As a symbol of the Animus, the king as a father provides his daughter with a paternal

love, yet not able to protect her from the shadow which is represented in the stepmother (Par.

75 Achieving Individuation). In the old story of the Brother Grimm, the stepmother is a kind Commented [U37]: Delete.

of a witch which possesses a great knowledge which she uses to plot for the heroine's death

(Par. Achieving Individuation 52). Unlike in this tale, there is no magic and no supernatural

events (Par. Jabar 02). Everything is normal and very ordinary.

6.2.1 Animus and Power of Possession

Despite the appearance twice in the story, he is shown as exercising his power over his

wife and thus consuming her power little by little. The first time is when Snow White and her

Step daughter were together in the room and they were trying earrings, the king pushes his

daughter outside the room in order to sleep with his wife. The second time is when he ordered

her to do nothing unless she finds herself with a child. In the first time, he consumes her body

and reduces her to an object and a wife. In the second time, he consumes her beauty, physical

and mental health, youth, joy and happiness. She only becomes the womb of the heir. For that

reason it seemed that the father never enjoyed his life until his death. For Jung, "for a couple

to enjoy meaningful connectedness required still inquires an inborn confidence on the part of

the partners" (Liebewitz Bettina 96). This is what lucks the marriage of the King with his

both wives.

6.3 The Stepmother as the Shadow

The stepmother as a shadow aspect of the unconscious seems in competition with the

developing ego of Snow White or the light side. According to Burthlem, it is not the

stepmother which is jealous; it is the way around; it is in fact the child who is jealous of the

mother and sees her competing for the affection of the father, especially with the presence of

a young and very much beautiful like the daughter. For Bettelheim,

"the malice of the stepmother is, in the end, nothing Commented [U38]: Delete the quotation marks.

more than a projection of the heroine's imagination. Thus the jealousy of the evil

queen has nothing whatsoever to do with a mother's possible competition with her

daughter and reflects only the daughter's envy of the mother: "a child cannot permit

himself to feel his jealousy of the projects his feelings onto the parent. Then 'I am

jealous of all the advantages and prerogatives of Mother' turns into the wishful

thought 'Mother is jealous of me. ' " (Tatar The Classic Fairy Tales 75) Commented [U39]: Delete the quotation marks.
 In this sense, as Rowe actually highlights, the necessity for the girl to feel secured and

to flee certain persecutions from the part of the mother. This rescue is provided only with the

masculine which is represented by the paternal figure and his affection which is provided as

well. However, at puberty phase of the child development, the child is competed again or the

love of her father of another young and beautiful wife (Aktari 299). It is a natural feeling of

jealousy from the part of the child.

6.3.1 The Stepmother as a Mother

In "The Tale of the Apple", the stepmother is seen in a more favourable and positive

light as a Mother archetype. According to Carl Jung, the mother archetype can take many

forms and aspects. It could be a grandmother, a step mother or any other woman. As it could

symbolize havenly earth, city or even a cave (81). What is common between them is that they

provide futility, shelter and warmth in most cases. In his own terms, Jung labelled the double

edged Mother archetype as "the loving and the terrible mother" (81). A terrible mother's

qualities can be like dark, hidden, or "anything that devours, seduces, and poisons, that is

terrifying and inescapable like fate" (81). As an indication of some symbols of the Mother

archetype is the snake. Generally speaking, a snake is of a malicious and deceiving nature. It

seems peaceful creature but when just the one turns his head, she is able to kill him. In

addition, the Snake has religious roots, the story of Adam and Eve. Here the stepmother

(woman) is essentially like the snake who tempted Adam to eat the True of Knowledge and

caused him downfall to Earth and later hardship in life. This is only one side of this

archetype. Jack Jackeline Schectman in her book which is entitled Through Bereavment and

the Feminine Shadow uses the "stepmother" in their psyche, and that this aspect emerges

whenever pushing, with holding aspects arises and the 'good mother' retreats" (21).Since the

Mother archetype holds also a positive side, it could provide maternal solitude, wisdom

guidance, and futility (Jung 82). For instance, Snow says "She used to feed me fruit from her
own bowl, each slice poised between finger and thumb till I was ready to take it" (Donoghue

63). Also, the stepmother uses to help her in lacing up her stays and taking her bed to sleep.

6.2.3 Stage Three: The Animus is Back Again

6.2.4 Stage Four: Unification of the Shadow and the Ego and Reaching Wholeness

Not yet knowing her essence of her shadow side and unfamiliar with, Snow runs into

the woods frightened of the threats of her stepmother. In the woods, she has been saved by

dwarves who represent a kind of guidance, helpful and enlightenment to the heroine. And

since they are attached to nature because they are woodsmen, they are necessary forces to the

heroines' success to individuation (Par. Achieving Individuation 40). The hard life that she

has to live with the dwarfs was necessary to be more responsible, more wise and also to be

herself again. The dwarves in this case represent the positive side of the Animus. In the first

and the second phase, Animus was absent because her father's death, but in the third and

fourth stages, it helps the protagonist in defeating the shadowy part of the unconscious.

Nonetheless, when Snow felt into sleep in the when she eats the apple, her sleep was the

overwhelming of the shadowy part on her, but when she wakes up finally not by a prince by

her own self, her ego is brought to life again and her shadow is recognized and accepted by

the ego (Par. Achieving Individuation 42) Then it is the unification and marriage of the ego

(Snow White) and the shadow (Stepmother) metaphorically speaking.

Conclusion

All in all, both Cinderella and Snow White don't differ too much from each other or the

way they have been characterized. Both have been put in certain situations out of their will

and control which showed them passive, hesitating and unable to decide; however, the

protagonists altered their fates with their strong decisiveness at the end. Although, they

seemed helpless and in miserable situations with their inner positive voices of change and

consistency, they were sure of what they want. Both were emotionally open about their
desires, what they like, what they hate and with whom they want to stay with them. Also, as

readers, the view was very clear to what they were pointing in the story, and indeed they

coloured the readers' eyes with their experience. Those experiences which were much alike

many other stories in the long history and thus they proved their real nature although they

were fictional pieces of writing.