"CINDERELLA DREAMS VS. MY REALITY" in THE WORDPLAY WARRIOR

Out of randomness, I agreed to watch the latest version of “Cinderella” (directed by.Kenneth Brannagh) last Sunday night with my best friend. Aside from the fact that it wasn’t the type of movie that I normally choose to watch, we’d cracked up laughing through it. It was unexpectedly comical.
I found the characters were mostly more…humanized, even The Evil Stepmother (brilliantly played by Cate Blanchett). They tried to make Cinderella (Lily James) look not as helpless when – in the end – she tried standing up to her abusive stepfamily, just minutes before she was being picked up by Prince Charming and the guards. Unfortunately, Cinderella was still Cinderella…a typical damsel-in-distress, waiting for the help of Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming to solve all her unhappiness with a ring on her finger and a royal kingdom life. (Yes, I am a bit disappointed – but then again, what else is new? It is the same old ideas about selling dreams and fantasies to girls.)
Of course, we’re not going to kid ourselves, are we? It is still (and always) the same:
There should be a happy-ending, so that kids could go to sleep okay and the majority of audience would feel satisfied. If you find me sarcastic with the previous line, then I am sorry that you just don’t get the idea. It’s not that I completely hate the movie. (Remember, I am a writer who still need to learn, despite my undying love for mystery and thriller!) This movie is only good for mere entertainment, but let’s not forget the real world and all it holds.
Do I sound bleak already? Well, hang in there – for I am not done yet.
Honestly, I thank God that I’ve never had any dreams about being a princess or a queen like in fairy tales. No, seriously. I have looked up all children’s fairytales – and there were no princess or queen characters that fit to my physical (and personality) descriptions:
I’m not tall nor blond, but then again – so what if I’m size 16…or more? So what if my parents had raised me to be more independent and self-sufficient?
Not every girl is meant to – or should – be a princess or a queen. After all, Prince Charming is a myth. (Unless someone could prove me wrong.)
However, I did enjoy being one of the homely, evil stepsisters on a play when I was a kid. I was cast as Drusilla and suggested that I improvise my role. Of course, knowing me, I ended up doing what had cracked the audience up back then:

1.Tearing off Cinderella’s dress...with my teeth. (I swear to you, I remember scaring off that poor little girl who played Cinderella!)

2.The scene where the evil stepsisters prepared themselves in their shared room before going to the dance:
I pretended that I had a bottle of perfume with me. With my make-believe perfume, I pretended to spray on my armpits, my neck, and...my open mouth.
Then I pretended to choke and gag...and start coughing. The audience were roaring with laughter!
Last but not least, once I was in my party dress – I pretended to take one last, long look in the mirror...and flex my (nonexistent) biceps! (Remember, Drusilla is supposed to attract Prince Charming at the ball.)

Anyway, I had fun then. I was glad that I could also make people laugh with that. Honestly, if I’d thought about making that a career – probably somewhere abroad instead of here – I’d be more like Melissa McCarthy or Rebel Wilson by now!)
I am also glad that I have learned good enough to accept the fact that Cinderella dreams just don’t exist in my reality. That’s okay, as long as I am (and know how to be) happy with my life.
Some things are certain, though:
Although there might be a Prince Charming somewhere out there (which is beyond very rare!), that doesn’t mean that he should be your only solution to happiness. True happiness should start from within. (Err, this shouldn’t be something new...right?)
Besides, there is no happy ending. (Now, don’t give me that look. Why would anyone ever hope for the end of the story of their lives?) This is real life. As long as you still live, why not hope for (and more importantly, work on) better, more hopeful sequels instead?

R.