Cinderella's Stepsisters

Summary of “Cinderella’s Stepsisters”

In his story “Cinderella’s Stepsisters” Toni Morrison compares modern day women’s rights to those of the ancient fairy tale figure “Cinderella.” According to him women stick together to wrong another woman, like Cinderella’s sisters had done, her, while copying their mother’s actions. He wants to know what happens to the sisters, after the story ends, when they grow up. He wants to know how their attitudes will be in regard to other children and old people. He feel’s that that sort of thing will apply to all of us someday, when we will be given the opportunity to choose between doing right and wrong. He goes on to tell us not to do what the stepsisters had done to Cinderella and tells us to help, not hurt women.

Toni is worried about how easily women ill-treat one another and feels that the problem is getting bigger. He says that we will all have the chance to play God in regard to this and that we might take that as our right to decide on others’ futures. He asks us to be more practical and think about the other person, not just stay selfish in our thoughts. He says “the function of freedom is to free someone else.” He wants us to be more compassionate and realize that we are all equals in every right.

Toni tells us to not be greedy and selfish to get something, or while reaching our goals in life as what we receive can be taken away, though we must not stop striving for the best. He feels it isn’t entirely secure to bring a child into this world today and that we can’t be a 100% sure that we aren’t out of danger when we veer from the ordinary. He says that it is never easy as there will be everlasting obstacles in our path. He says