Cinderella by Anne Sexton Cinderella by Anne Sexton

Cinderella by Anne Sexton with Discussion Questions

1. Caritas Christi Urget Nos! Subject English Grade 10 SY 2020 - 2021 Inclusive Dates Apr 6-May 1 Topic: Cinderella by Anne Sexton

2. PP UNIT 4: World Literature as an Instrument to Resolve Conflicts

3. What do you know about…?

4. What do you know about…?

5. What do you know about…?

6. What do you know about…?

7. What do you know about…?

8. Cinderella by Anne Sexton Lesson 3

9. Vocabulary Words

10. luscious Definition if you  describe  a person or something about them as luscious, you mean that you  find  them or this thing sexually attractive. Sentence What I like most about Gabby is her luscious lips! Part of Speech adjective Synonym sexy, attractive, arousing, delectable Antonym austere, bland, distasteful. dull

11. homogenized Definition Homogenized   milk  is milk where the  fat  has been  broken  up so that it is evenly  distributed . Sentence The homogenized suspensions were significantly more uniform compared to unhomogenized suspension. Part of Speech adjective Synonym uniform, homogenous, standardized, mass produced Antonym customized, individualized. tailored

12. charwoman Definition a cleaning woman especially in a large building Sentence I  also   told   Miss  Peabody to give the charwoman similar  instructions . Part of Speech noun Synonym handmaiden, housekeeper, maid Antonym

13. devout Definition committed or  devoted  to religion or to religious duties or exercises Sentence His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people. Part of Speech adjective Synonym devoted, faithful, dedicated Antonym disloyal. unfaithful

14. heed Definition to pay attention Sentence Chris would have been well advised to heed the old saying 'Never bite the hand that feeds you.' Part of Speech verb Synonym follow, listen, mind Antonym Disregard, ignore, tune out

15. gussying Definition (coined by the author ; busy, preoccupied) Sentence Insert definition here Part of Speech Insert definition here Synonym Insert definition here Antonym Insert definition here

16. lentils Definition Lentils are the seeds of a lentil plant. They are usually  dried  and are used to make soups and  stews . Sentence They were eating a lentil and  carrot  bake --  Hugh  and  Clive  had  lately  become vegetarians. Part of Speech noun Synonym Antonym

17. jiffy Definition a very short period of time Sentence The rapidly  absorbed   mist   means  you can be out of the  door  in a jiffy. Part of Speech noun Synonym beat, eyeblink, flash, moment Antonym

18. cobbler Definition Sentence The same old cobblers and we  taxpayers  are the ones who have to  suffer . Part of Speech noun Synonym Antonym a mender or maker of shoes and often of other leather goods

19. amputation Definition to remove by or as if by cutting, especially : to cut (a part, such as a limb) from the body Sentence To save his life, doctors amputated his legs. Part of Speech noun Synonym Antonym

20. cinder Definition a piece of  charred  material that  burns  without  flames Sentence He  got  off the  bus , no  turning  back, no  thunderbolt  to  blight  him to a cinder  simply  by  hoping  for it. Part of Speech noun Synonym Antonym

21. Aschenputtel

22. Anne Sexton

23. You always read about it: the plumber with twelve children who wins the Irish Sweepstakes. From toilets to riches. That story. Lines 1-5

24. Or the nursemaid, some luscious sweet from Denmark, who captures the oldest son's heart. From diapers to Dior. That story. Lines 6-10

25. Dior

26. Or a milkman who serves the wealthy, eggs, cream, butter, yogurt, milk, the white truck like an ambulance who goes into real estate and makes a pile. From homogenized to martinis at lunch. Lines 11-16

27. Or the charwoman who is on the bus when it cracks up and collects enough from the insurance. From mops to Bonwit Teller. That story. Lines 17-21

28. Bonwit Teller

29. Once the wife of a rich man was on her deathbed and she said to her daughter Cinderella: Be devout. Be good. Then I will smile down from heaven in the seam of a cloud. Lines 22-26

30. The man took another wife who had two daughters, pretty enough but with hearts like blackjacks. Cinderella was their maid. She slept on the sooty hearth each night and walked around looking like Al Jolson . Lines 27-32

31. Al Jolson

32. Her father brought presents home from town, jewels and gowns for the other women but the twig of a tree for Cinderella. She planted that twig on her mother's grave and it grew into a tree where a white dove sat. Whenever she wished for anything the dove would drop it like an egg upon the ground. The bird is important, my dears, so heed him. Lines 33-40

33. Next came the ball, as you all know. It was a marriage market. The prince was looking for a wife. All but Cinderella were preparing and gussying up for the big event. Cinderella begged to go too. Her stepmother threw a dish of lentils into the cinders and said: Pick them up in an hour and you shall go. Lines 41-49

34. Cinderella went to the tree at the grave and cried forth like a gospel singer: Mama! Mama! My turtledove, send me to the prince's ball! The bird dropped down a golden dress and delicate little gold slippers. Rather a large package for a simple bird. Lines 56-62

35. So she went. Which is no surprise. Her stepmother and sisters didn't recognize her without her cinder face and the prince took her hand on the spot and danced with no other the whole day . Lines 63-67

36. As nightfall came she thought she'd better get home. The prince walked her home and she disappeared into the pigeon house and although the prince took an axe and broke it open she was gone. Back to her cinders. These events repeated themselves for three days.. Lines 68-73

37. However on the third day the prince covered the palace steps with cobbler's wax and Cinderella's gold shoe stuck upon it. Now he would find whom the shoe fit and find his strange dancing girl for keeps. Lines 74-78

38. He went to their house and the two sisters were delighted because they had lovely feet. The eldest went into a room to try the slipper on but her big toe got in the way so she simply sliced it off and put on the slipper. Lines 79-83

39. The prince rode away with her until the white dove Told him to look at the blood pouring forth. That is the way with amputations. They don't just heal up like a wish. Lines 84-87

40. The other sister cut off her heel but the blood told as blood will. The prince was getting tired. He began to feel like a shoe salesman. But he gave it one last try. This time Cinderella fit into the shoe like a love letter into its envelope. Lines 88-94

41. At the wedding ceremony the two sisters came to curry favor and the white dove pecked their eyes out. Two hollow spots were left like soup spoons. Lines 95-99

42. Cinderella and the prince lived, they say, happily ever after, like two dolls in a museum case never bothered by diapers or dust, never arguing over the timing of an egg, Lines 100-104

43. never telling the same story twice, never getting a middle aged spread, their darling smiles pasted on for eternity. Regular Bobbsey Twins. That story. Lines 105-109

44. Bobsey Twins

45. Women and Femininity Wealth Good vs. Evil Themes

46. Does Cinderella seem like a "strong" or "weak" woman in this poem? Why? How does the poem portray marriage? How would you characterize the relationships between men and women in this poem? Do you think that superficiality (shallowness) is tied to gender in this poem? Why or why not? Women and Femininity

47. How is wealth measured in this poem?  How do you think the poem elaborates on the old adage "money doesn't buy you happiness"? What might you say about the narrator's view of money based on the poem? How are money and marriage tied together in this poem? Wealth

48. Is there an absolute "good" force in this poem? If so, what is it? If not, why not? Do you think the stepsisters get what they deserve in the end? What do you think the larger forces of good and evil are in this poem? (If this seems a little difficult, we'll help: beyond good/evil characters, what else is good or evil about this poem?) Do you think that the prince is good? Good vs. Evil

49. Infer the different roles of women presented in the text. What social reality is implied by this? What factors influence this? Exit Ticket

50. Caritas Christi Urget Nos! Submitted by: MS. MARION JOYCE BENEDICTO Subject Teacher Checked by: MRS. MYRA M. MANGUIAT Subject Team Leader Noted by: MRS. AILEEN C. CAABAY Academic Team Leader Approved by: SR. EVELYN F. HULIPAS Directress - Principal