The Silence in Cinderella’s House

The Silence that Lives in Houses by Henri Matisse

The Silence in Cinderella’s House

by, Diana B. Thompson

I had the pleasure of attending the Matisse exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC some years ago.  The line wrapped around a city block to see the mass collection of a lifetime of work. Canvasses filled one room after another.  The painting, Dancers was enormous and filled a single room. Around the corner, a small print was nearly overshadowed by its counterparts.  The Silence that Lives in Houses (http://www.henri-matisse.net/paintings/ei.html).  It shows the shadowy outlines of an adult and child in a dark room.  In contrast, the window to the world outside reflects a bright and sunny day. There is a stale ‘silence’ in the room, a sense of stillness and entrapment.

While designing the illustrations for CinderSilly, we turned to this little known Matisse painting for inspiration.  As CinderSilly’s family is facing the reality of a life after the money runs out, they are trapped in a room filled with fear.  Cinderella stands in the light of the window as a beacon of hope.  But, her bright perspective is rejected again and again.  In the end, the silence that lives in Cinderella’s house, is alive and well.  But it is the Stepmother who keeps it company. She sits alone in the darkness of her own making.  While CinderSilly goes out to play, the stepmother’s life is a chore, a very hard chore.

The Power of Silly

The Power of Silly

by, Diana B. Thompson

Don’t be fooled by the title.  CinderSilly is quite CinderSerious, (pun intended). The word silly is usually defined as foolish or ridiculous.  But, according to the British Library Board, the word silly "derives from the old English word seely, meaning happy, blissful, lucky or blessed. From there it came to mean innocent, or deserving of compassion,"* and later evolved into the definition we know today.  But, CinderSilly is more reflective of an older definition of the word silly.  In our story, Cinderella looks for happiness and finds it.  Through her own positive attitude, she creates a self-fulfilling prophecy of a happier ever after.

It just goes to show how a girl’s good luck can come straight from a happy heart and resourceful mind.

There is a pile of wisdom wrapped up in this playful little story.  From learning to "think for yourself", to "not waiting for magic".  CinderSilly is filled with empowering messages through silly fun.

*(http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/dic/oed/silly/silly.html) 

Finding the Fun #2

Finding the Fun #2

by, Diana B. Thompson

We missed the flight.  It was all my fault, I admit it.  I could not blame it on the long line through security, traffic, or problems during check in.  Fact is, I had the wrong time in my calendar.  Oh, and the wrong date, too. You see, the original schedule meant leaving the following day. When plans changed, my calendar didn’t.   Then, I got the phone call informing me of my mistake.  I grabbed my daughter and rushed to the airport.  Gushing with apologies, the ticket agent was sympathetic and offered a sweeping list of standby options. We would miss a whole day of vacation because I got days mixed up. I turned to my young travel companion and flinched, prepared to take my punishment.  Instead, she looked up and said, ‘Mom, our vacation just started.  We have a day in the airport, so let’s make the best of it.’  And, to my surprise, it was fun. Did you know the airport is an amusement park? It offers free train rides and endless escalators.  The airport is an art gallery, with public displays in unexpected places. The open floor space is perfect for a spread of playing cards, and people watching.

Eight hours later, we were on our way.  Thanks to a CinderSilly state of mind, we started vacation right on time.




*Photo credit:  "Stuck in the airport, might as well jump" ~

By Cassondra Louise☆

Finding the fun #1

Finding the fun #1

by, Diana B. Thompson

At a summertime gathering, the hostess displayed an array of amazing foods she’d been preparing throughout the day. Friends gathered around to fill their plates with fresh roasted vegetables, herb chicken, gazpacho and pizza made from scratch… even the cheese.   The glass-top table was hardly visible, covered with a collection of grandma’s fine china.

The hostess was the last to the buffet.  As she prepared to fill her plate, the unthinkable happened.  The glass table suddenly broke.  Food and china crashed to the tiled floor.   There was complete silence as everyone stared in disbelief.  Shattered porcelain was sprayed with gourmet food.

Finally, someone said, “Let’s get this up.”  And a five-year old CinderSilly fan chimed in, with, “and let’s make it fun.”   Everyone turned to look at her. “Chores can be fun, you know.” Her enthusiastic remark caused a cascade of laughter.  Everyone suddenly jumped in to help with the clean up.  Jokes followed about piecing dishes together, and sharing tasty treats with the hostess who made them.  This little girl challenged the group of friends to find the fun in a difficult situation, and they did. A little girl single handedly redirected the emotions of a dozen adults.  That’s what CinderSilly can do.






Photo Credit: http://www.readingrosie.com/2010_04_01_archive.html (walkway at the Jubilee Gallery in Tennessee)

How the CinderSilly Movement Began

When CinderSilly Started

by, Diana B. Thompson

When my daughter was little I watched her and her friends play princess games for hours.  Though she had never seen a single animated princess movie in our home, she knew them all.  She pretended to be each and every one. Despite my own commitment to fill her princess perceptions with empowering stories, the role playing games were anything but liberated. When I asked what princesses do, I was woefully informed: ‘They sweep, they dance, they wait to marry a prince.” I knew then I could not battle the cultural saturation of the princess role model. It was my job to redefine it.  So, the CinderSilly movement began.

What Makes CinderSilly Different?

What Makes CinderSilly Different?

by, Diana B. Thompson

CinderSilly is no ordinary fairy tale

Thousands of books and movies tell the same old Cinderella story.

It seems the main character is always a victim until something magical happens to reveal inner beauty and a kind heart. The ultimate reward is marriage to royalty.

CinderSilly is different. This Cinderella is never a victim. The stepmom is not evil, but instead misguided with a defeating life view. When the money runs out, Stepmom believes that life is a chore, and Cinderella believes that life is what you make it. To prove her point, the stepmother sends Cinderella to do chores. Cinderella vows to make chores fun. With each new challenge, she brings an imaginative spirit. Her stepsisters tease her with the nickname CinderSilly, but she responds each time in a way that regains her power. CinderSilly is a resourceful girl who finds magic in her ability to solve problems. She stays true to herself and in the process brings new life to those around her…except of course, for the stepmother. She will always believe life is a chore. CinderSilly is a child who lives each moment to the fullest. Her reward? 'To live HAPPIER ever after.'

The beautiful picture book is filled with invaluable life lessons delivered in a playful way:

- Your attitude affects your experience

- Creativity is an invaluable tool to solve problems

- Good natured responses are great tools for teasing

- When you are true to yourself, you decide what is right for you

- It's important to keep promises

- Misery loves company, but you have a choice in whether to participate

- If you expect life to be hard, you might make things harder than they need to be

- When you change what you think and say, it affects what you feel and do

- You may not have control of your circumstances, but you can always control how you respond

- A positive attitude can result in living happier ever after

Victim Danger

In the traditional story, Cinderella is powerless. She is a servant at the mercy of a cruel step family. In some versions, she is physically and mentally attacked, then locked away. Cinderella is a victim.

CinderSilly is different. Though her stepmother gives her challenging chores, CinderSilly looks for opportunities to change her experience and finds creative solutions. CinderSilly is not a victim. She is a resourceful girl who takes charge of her own destiny. She goes through the motions of completing the tasks, but does it on her own terms. Her step family is demanding, but far less than abusive.

The problem with the traditional model is that it can glamorize the helpless role. It can convey the message that suffering in sweet silence will produce great reward. It’s impossible to know how a young listener is interpreting the Cinderella character or of if she is identifying with her. The traditional story may also glorify the role of the rescuer for boys. If boys imagine the ‘prince in shining armor’ as the ideal, he could subconsciously strive to fulfill those shoes. It can create an unrealistic task and unhealthy relationship cycle between victim and rescuer.

For a brief moment, CinderSilly considers assuming the role of a victim, while waiting for magic to rescue her. When she rejects the role, she is again empowered and moves to action. CinderSilly offers children an alternative to the traditional tale with positive and proactive role models. There is no victim or rescuer here, just good clean fun.