Modern Day Cinderella Essay

The two films, Maid in Manhattan and Pretty Woman, can be considered a modern day Cinderella story. The two plots are loosely based on the the Disney classic. The Disney Cinderella was known as innocent, naive, and passive. The main character in Maid in Manhattan, Marisa, better showcases the new traits of an improved modern Cinderella than Vivian from Pretty Woman by keeping the same innocent nature, but adding more drive and determination to the role.

The Disney Cinderella accepts her fate as the family’s maid. Madonna Kolbenschlag writes, “This willing acceptance of a condition of worthlessness and her expectation of rescue (as a reward for her virtuous suffering) is recognizable paradigm of traditional feminine socialization” (Kolbenschlag,

535). Vivian wants to be saved by a Prince. She tells Edward her childhood fantasy of being saved by a Prince on a white horse from her tower. Vivian’s only friend, Kit, brings her down by getting her involved in prostitution. From the start of the film, Vivian is hunting down men that will save her for the month’s rent. Vivian tells Edward that it is easier for her to believe the negative rather than the positive. Marisa on the other hand does not wait for a man or prince to come save her from her situation. Like the Disney Cinderella, she surrounds herself with loyal friends who want to help her accomplish her goal and be happy. Marisa is fighting for something bigger than just a man that will come and pay her way. Marisa wants to prove her mother wrong and break the stereotype of hispanic women working as maids. She does not feed into the fact that a maid has not made the move to hotel management. She wants to save herself.
Vivian does not a have a plan to get income other than relying on Edward for money.

She does not have a job, just the credit cards he gives to occupy her for the day. Jane Yolen states, “The unliberated corollary is that even a poor girl can grow up and become the president’s wife” (Yolen, 538-539). Marisa works for her money. She is not looking to latch onto someone or become their sidekick. She has to be strong and consistent for her son, Ty. She has to be responsible with her decisions because they affect more than just herself. By being in the working class, Marisa can represent many young women today. She can even represent the working, single mothers in the world. She shows them that if one works hard enough, they can make their way up the ladder. She had her sights set on management from the start. She does not want to get involved with her prince, Chris, because she knows that it will deter her from her path going upward. She is hardworking, goal oriented and responsible. Vivian lacks those traits. She does not have a legal occupation, does not have an idea of a better life, and does take responsibility to the fact that men are paying to use her body. She was not even responsible to graduate from the high school level. She firsts goes to Edward because she is in need of money and nothing more. Vivian has the mindset to be the president’s wife, not the

president.
Marisa is the prime example of what James Poniewozik when he writes, “You can have the girly dream of glass slippers and true love as well as the womanly ideal of self-determination and independence” (Poniewozik, 322). She love Chris, but she knows the chances of the relationship between the two succeeding and wants to get her dream job. In the end of the film, she gets the best of both worlds. She gets to continue her relationship Chris and move up to hotel management. She deserves the step up because of her years of hard work making an honest living. Vivian only gets one side, the glass slippers. Edward comes to retrieve her off her balcony, but what did she truly accomplish in the end. She did not gain anything for herself. The Disney Cinderella is considered deserving to get her prince, but Vivian did not deserve anything. By seeing Vivian’s life as a modern Cinderella story, the innocent aspect is lost. Marisa may not be the poster for innocent for she has a child, but she shows the loving nature toward her son by going to work everyday to provide for him.
In conclusion, Vivian character trait cannot compete against Marisa. Vivian loses sight of being independent and working for something greater. She lacks the traits that makes a true Cinderella. Marisa shows from the Disney Cinderella, but puts a modern spin on them. She represents the women of today. The Disney Cinderella was hardworking when she was cleaning the house for her stepmother. Marisa was hardworking because she had to make a better life for her family. The Disney Cinderella cared for her mice. Marisa loves and cares for her son. Marisa is the best modern Cinderella due to her traditional character traits that parallel to the Disney Cinderella and the new traits added to survive in today’s society.