Essay 2 Storyboard Work in Progress by Emmanuella Hunter

Introduction

emmabh12 — 2024-10-21 15:51:36 UTC

Context/background

little mermaid (hans christian anderson): classic tale, young mermaid dreams of the world above and sacrifices her voice and tale for human legs, must win the love of the prince or else she dies
woman of the sea (helen waddell): woman forcefully taken from the sea to marry a man on land, becomes his wife and has children, all while waiting for her moment to return

Problem/question

little mermaid - she has no voice to show her personality, sacrifices too much for love, yearning for more
woman of the sea - settles for a life she never wanted and sacrifices her freedom, yearning for more

Response/claim

societal standards on women to sacrifice for love and be content, all while they lose their identities in the heartbreaking process.

emmabh12 — 2024-10-21 15:51:52 UTC

emmabh12 — 2024-10-21 15:53:42 UTC

Love is both a motivating force and a source of suffering; the heartbreak often outways the minimal joy experienced in its complexity.
A male dominated society places restraints on women who have to break out of their traditional roles and fight harder for their dreams and aspirations.
Undergoing a physical or spiritual transformation is important for personal growth; however, it can cause a loss of self identity.

emmabh12 — 2024-10-23 03:18:08 UTC

emmabh12 — 2024-10-23 03:34:08 UTC

What motivates the Little Mermaid to transform into a human? Is it solely her “love” for the prince, or is her own desire fueled by an obsession with unknown territory?
What is the symbolism of her sacrificing her voice, the one tool that gives voice to our personality? How did she communicate with the prince and win his friendship without it?
Is love in the tale realistic or idealized?
Are women in fairy tales ever truly in love? Or are they simply in love with the idea of it and the security that comes with a happily ever after marriage?
At what point is a sacrifice past the point of no return, and the pay off is not worth everything that was lost?
The story is told through a male perspective, so he is depicted as passive and loving. How would this tale differ if it was told through her eyes? Would she still call him a good husband in the end?

emmabh12 — 2024-10-23 03:43:20 UTC

“She ran down to the edge of the sea and stood with her feet in the foam; crying to her people to wait for her, but they had long gone too far to hear” (Waddell 162).
“Although she hid her face in her hands and fell again to crying, more hopeless than ever, he was not moved” (Waddell 163)
“For the first time she ceased her crying and sat looking into the heart of the fire. I was the first thing that made her forget, even for a moment, the sea which was her home” (Waddell 163)
“…she never lost the wonder of the fire and it was the first thing she brought her children to see” (163 Waddell)
“…he thought she was content, for he loved her dearly and she was happy with her children” (Waddell 163)
“It was the sea whispering down on the sand” (164)
“For a moment she rested on the surface of the sea, then she cried with a voice that was like the waves singing in a shell, “Fare ye well, and all good befall you, for you were a good man to me” (164)
“For a long time her husband watched for her to come back to him and the children; but she came no more” (164)