TRADITIONAL LITERATURE BLOG #2: The Korean Cinderella

TRADITIONAL LITERATURE BLOG #2: The Korean Cinderella

A. Bibliographic data

Heller, Ruth. Ed 1993. THE KOREAN CINDERELLA. First ed. by Shirley Climo. Mexico. ISBN 0-06-020432-X

B. Brief plot summary

This version of Cinderella takes place in Korea. Pear Blossom is the beautiful daughter of her happy Korean mother and father. When her mother passes her father remarries an awful woman who treats Pear Blossom horribly and makes her do seemingly impossible chores. But with the help of some magical creatures Pear Blossom gets the chores down and attends the village festival where she meets the magistrate who seeks her out to marry.

C. Critical analysis with specific literary considerations pertinent to each genre.

The characters in this traditional fantasy story are not developed thoroughly as is explained in the Tunnels and Jacobs text page 102. The character development is lean and spare and the characters are mostly symbolic in terms of basic human traits. The step-mother symbolizes evil and Pear Blossom symbolizes beauty and goodness. The ability to hope, one of the values of fantasy, is illustrated by the Cinderella story. Pear Blossom may have a terrible step-mother and step-sister, but when she is about to lose all hope, magical animal friends come to her aid. I enjoyed this version of the Cinderella story because it brought in elements of the Korean culture, her straw sandals replace the glass slippers and tending rice paddies replace cleaning out the chimney. I also really liked the fact that Pear Blossom does not have to change her appearance or get all “prettied up” in order to attend the festival. Her basket of fruit and honey candy are all she needs to have a fun time at the festival. The fact that the magistrate falls in love with her the way she is, is a welcome change from the original.

The illustrations are done in a realistic style but with an ornate eastern feel. The illustrations are done in a painterly media and fill the entire page, save space for the type. I like the way some times two pages together will be reserved for illustration only. This allows the reader to absorb the beauty of the picture which is telling the story as well.
The Illustrator explains that the designs found on the cover and throughout the book were inspired by patterns painted on the eaves of Korean temples.

D. Review excerpt(s)

From Publishers WeeklyConflating several Korean variants of Cinderella, this story is "at once comfortingly familiar and intriguingly exotic," said PW, with "lavish" and extensively researched art. Ages 5-9. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Book Description‘Climo and Heller conflate several Korean variants of Cinderella to offer up the story of Pear Blossom, a lovely girl who is sorely mistreated by her nasty stepmother and stepsister.… At once comfortingly familiar and intriguingly exotic, the text is especially noteworthy for its instructive but unobtrusive incorporation of Korean words.’—Publishers Weekly. ‘Heller’s paintings are exotically lush and colorful as well as engaging.… An agreeable retelling of the Cinderella story.’ —BL.
Notable 1994 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)

E. Connections

Students can read the following

* The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo and Illustrated by Ruth Heller
* The Irish Cinderlad by Shirley Climo and Illustrated by Ruth Heller
* The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo and Illustrated by Ruth Heller

Activities:
* Discuss the similarities and differences of the books
* Create their own Cinderella story, student can use own culture and knowledge and be creative!