Response to the argument

Settla(Shen Jiale)

Dr.Marquardt

ENG 1430 W10

Mar.30th

Word Count:#326

Response To The Argument

       My partner’s argument is the difference between the character’s attitude towards life. In the traditional Cinderella story, Cinderella is passive to change. Cinderella got the happy ending by magic with other’s help. In fact, she did nothing. But in the film, The heroine tried to study hard to get a opportunity. Maybe others gave her help. she tried to change her life by herself. It’s active for her to change because she made much efforts.

       I know what she said is a truth, but in some way I disapprove of her view. Cinderella did do nothing to change, which was a truth. However, she had an intense desire to change, which was essential to her further transformation. If she didn’t want to change, no one could force her to join in the party. Of course, her successful transformation disappeared.  Thus, I think it’s she had no competence to do something rather than she wasn’t willing to change. Her stepmother and her two sisters limited her personal freedom and didn’t provide her with beautiful clothes. She had no opportunity to change, so she had to ask for the pigeons for help.

   However, in the film, no one limited Liz’s personal freedom. Thus, she could do whatever she wants according to her will. Because her mother died when she was 15 years old and her father entered into the shelter, so no relatives took care of her. Also she has plenty of freedom to change her life. The helpers are also indispensable to her change. If they didn’t supply help to her, then she had no chance to change. I hold the view that though her efforts are important, the help from helpers is important as well.

  Consequently, through the analysis of the traditional Cinderella story and the film, the main characters of them are both active to change life. The only difference was that Cinderella had no freedom to change by herself and Liz could.

Cinderella

Shen Jiale (Settla)

Dr.Marquard

ENG1430 W10

Mar.17th

Word Count:#415

Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story

        Cinderella is a well-known story to us. In addition, there are a great number of films in the world, which is similar to Cinderella story. Personally, I think Cinderella story is a sad story in which a kind character oppressed and ill-treated by villains, transforming from low status to high status through help from a helper and eventually live happily ever after.

       “Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story” is a film based on the Cinderella story, but in some way they have different features. Liz was born in the slum in America, whose mother was on the drink, taking drugs and developed schizophrenia. At the age of 15, her mother died of AIDS and her father entered into the shelter. Consequently, she had to beg for money with wandering the corner of the city. The suffering of her life seemed endless. She gradually realized that only going to school can change her fate. She moved the headmaster through her sincere request and strived for the chance to go to school. Then she went to school while she worked for a part-time job. She learned 4-year courses in the high school only in two years.  She strived for scholarship because only full scholarship in the New York News can make her finish college life. At the end of film, she stepped into Harvard Business School.

      The film has some evidences which support that this film is a Cinderella story. First of all, it’s obvious to find the transition in the film. Liz lived in a poor and dirty environment while in the end, she was admitted into Harvard Business School. She transformed form low status to high status. Just like Cinderella. The second point is that Liz was a kind and sensible girl. She was virtuous which reflected in the scene that she looked after her mother when she was ill. What’s more, David and Peter was the helper in the movie. David is her headmaster, who helped her a lot. Not only he provided Liz an opportunity to go to school, but also he explained patiently to herald eventually help her go to Harvard Business School. As for Peter, he is the headmaster of Harvard Business School. In the debate of applying for offer, Liz talked about her family environment and learning experience, eventually moved him. It’s him that sent Liz to Harvard Business School.

Reference:

    Peter Levi, & Ronni Kern, (2003), Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.[DVD]. The United States: Lifetime Television

summary ENG1430 W10Jiale Shen

Settla(Jiale Shen)          
                                                                                                                                                    Page#1

Dr.Marquardt
 

ENG1430 W10
 

Due Date:March 6
 

Word Count#350

Summary

      Long long ago, there was a beautiful and kind girl. Unfortunately, her mother died of severe illness. Not long after her mother passed away, her father married a new wife. However, her stepmother was a selfish and cold-blooded woman. In addition, she brought with two beautiful but greedy daughters. The stepmother treated her badly, letting her wear worn-out clothes and eat remaining meals. Furthermore, the little girl had to do a great deal of housework, such as carrying water, washing clothes, setting fire and making meals. Thus, she covered with dust throughout the body.  Because of it, two vicious sisters made fun of her and called her “aschenputtel”.

     One day, the father went to the fair and brought her daughters what they wanted.  She planted the first branch which knocks against her father’s hat on her mother’s grave.  Her tear fell down on it and watered it, soon it became a handsome tree. It attracted the pigeons, which brought what she had wished for.

      The king invited beautiful young girls all over the world to join in a festival which lasted three days in order to choose a bride for his son. The aschenputtel looked forward to joining in, but the stepmother didn’t allow her to. The stepmother merely took part in the party bringing her two daughters who wear superb clothes. In the meanwhile, the stepmother prevented her from joining in the big festival. Then the aschenputtel went to her mother’s grave and prayed for a beautiful dress. The little tree helped her join in the festival. The first two days she succeeded in escaping, but on the third day, her left slipper remained stuck. The prince looked for her through looking for the owner of this slipper.  Her two sisters wanted to cut part of their foot off to wear this slipper so as to cheat the prince. Two pigeons reminded the prince and at the end of story, they pecked out one eye from each of two sisters.

Reference:

The Grimm brothers(April,1884) Household Tales

http://germanstories.vcu.edu/grimm/aschen_dual.html