So... (about Cinders)
Aug. 17th, 2012 11:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rainwatersparkWasn't sure where exactly to put this (too many internet blogs = confusion all the time!), so I decided it would go here.
I liked Cinders. I thought it was thought-provoking and surprisingly nuanced, but I didn't really agree with all the messages that were there. I was slightly miffed when I played through the first time making the choices I wanted, and I ended up being the "good but useless" queen. Society likes to talk about the dangers of dreaming too much and having one's head in the clouds, but without dreams, we'd never push the boundaries of what's possible or not. If Cinders never dreamed about having a better life, what's there to motivate her to achieve something more?
My bigger issue, though, was with the story's treatment of Carmosa. Don't get me wrong, I thought her characterization was great, but I was uncomfortable with the story's positive treatment of her character. Just because you only want what's best for your family does NOT mean you have the right to trample all over their lives. A character such as Carmosa is understandable, but understandable does not equal sympathetic. What's the point of getting the best for your children if you ruin them emotionally?
I'm very touchy about this situation, because I feel like this line of reasoning is only one step away from saying, "Parents can do no wrong" and "Children don't know what they're talking about, they should just be quiet and be grateful, how dare they have their own opinion." And I think it goes back to the whole Tiger Mom debate: some children can survive this kind of upbringing, but not everyone can. Those who can't may very well have to deal with their past overshadowing their lives for a long time afterward, and nothing can outweigh having to shoulder that emotional burden.
I liked Cinders. I thought it was thought-provoking and surprisingly nuanced, but I didn't really agree with all the messages that were there. I was slightly miffed when I played through the first time making the choices I wanted, and I ended up being the "good but useless" queen. Society likes to talk about the dangers of dreaming too much and having one's head in the clouds, but without dreams, we'd never push the boundaries of what's possible or not. If Cinders never dreamed about having a better life, what's there to motivate her to achieve something more?
My bigger issue, though, was with the story's treatment of Carmosa. Don't get me wrong, I thought her characterization was great, but I was uncomfortable with the story's positive treatment of her character. Just because you only want what's best for your family does NOT mean you have the right to trample all over their lives. A character such as Carmosa is understandable, but understandable does not equal sympathetic. What's the point of getting the best for your children if you ruin them emotionally?
I'm very touchy about this situation, because I feel like this line of reasoning is only one step away from saying, "Parents can do no wrong" and "Children don't know what they're talking about, they should just be quiet and be grateful, how dare they have their own opinion." And I think it goes back to the whole Tiger Mom debate: some children can survive this kind of upbringing, but not everyone can. Those who can't may very well have to deal with their past overshadowing their lives for a long time afterward, and nothing can outweigh having to shoulder that emotional burden.
