Writing about Literature: A Jungian Psychoanalytic

Reading of Cinderella

Roy Angga Octavianus Sugianto

The analysis of Cinderella’s story by Jung’s Theory

Abstract
Nowadays, Psychoanalytic is commonly used as an approach to the Psychoanalytic
aspects, including literature work, especially the characters of the main characters. The
psychoanalytic theory attempts to explain the nature and development of the human
personality. Moreover, this paper entitled the story of Cinderella story which recorded by
Grimm, Jacob (1786-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859). This paper aimed to reveal the
personality structure of the characters. To achieve the aim, Carl Jung’s Theory was used
in this paper. which in the contents of the collective unconscious are archetypes, they are
persona, shadow, anima, animus, and the self. The five archetypes deal with personality
and behavior of the characters by their unconscious experience. The data were collected
by inventorying the text in this story which related to the analyze. This paper shows that
all of the archetypes are found in this story, however there is a limitation of this paper
since it does not have many of previous research.

INTRODUCTION

One of the oldest literary genres in Fairy Tale. Fairy Tale is a story that features
fantasy characters such as fairies, elves, giants and mermaids. The fairy-tale genre
represents the relic of mythology, folk wisdom, moral lesson and entertainment. In times
of its most circulation, the fairy tales also presented the social norms of human’s behavior.

A fairy tale represents very popular form of folk narration. As an elusive narration,
fairy tale changes a bit every time it is told. The teller modifies the storyline and characters
to interest his audience. These modifications designed for a specific audience are usual
in the whole history of every narration. Such an adaptation of a story guarantees its further
circulation because the story is kept current and interesting. These changes intermesh;
more noticeable additional motives or plots can be added and influence the consequent
choice of characters. In the course of time, it is impossible to separate these changes and
follow their chain into history. On that account, it is unattainable to trace a fairy-tale to the
place or the culture of its origin certainly.
 That is one of the ways to analyze the Literature work is a Psychoanalytic, actually
there are three theories in Psychoanalytic, they are: Sigmund Freud is considered to be
the founder of the psychodynamic approach to psychology, which looks to unconscious
drives to explain human behavior. Freud believe that the mind is responsible for both
conscious and unconscious decisions that it makes on the basic of psychic drives. The
Id, ego and superego are three aspects of the mind Freud believe to make up a person’s
personality; then the theory which revealed by C.G Jung depart from Freud about the
concept of the unconscious Jung postulated the idea of “Collective Unconscious “the
contents of collective unconscious are known as archetypes. The archetypes are
Persona, Shadow, Anima-Animus and the-self; another is Lacan Theory, which divided
three stages of life, they are Imaginary, Mirror stage and Symbolic stage.

However, this paper analyzes the fairy tale of a Cinderella story based on the
Jung’s theory to show the archetype characters, especially how the characters in this
story present their self-based on the one of the theory psychoanalytic, which the concepts
of archetype and the collective unconscious, the core of Jung’s theory has come from his
own inner experiences. The acceptance of these concepts lies more on faith than on
experiential evidence. Through this story, I want to analyze by its Persona, Shadow,
anima-animus and The-self. Can be understood as the universal images of certain thing
that people have as their basic consideration to take action. It is believed that these
universal images bring similar universal values which are once manifested in the recurrent
characters in Cinderella Story. Jung’s concept in archetype and collective unconscious
theories is not only applied in psychological field, but also literary studies such as
characters and motifs.

For the analysis, I chose a version of Cinderella story which recorded by Grimm,
Jacob (1786-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859). They were German philologists whose
collection “Kinder-und Hausmarchen,” known in English as “Grimm’s Fairy Tales.” The
brothers transcribed this tale directly from folk and fairy stories told to them by common
villagers. Cinderella (1821) – The tale about a poor and kind girl, who becomes a queen,
is well known all over the world. The Cinderella story exists in all European, African and
Asian nations in countless variations, which are sometimes clearly adapted to the social
and cultural norms of each nation. The famous tale of a girl who is mistreated by her evil
step-mother and step-sisters but goes on to marry the prince. This, the original
“Cinderella,” differs greatly from many of its modern variations.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Jung was born in Switzerland and spent his life there, except for trips to African,
India, American Indian tribes, and other peoples as an adult. His father was a minister.
Jung spent much of his childhood among the fields and hills and streams of rural
Switzerland and as an adult lived on the lakeshore. He was a self-described introverted
child who spent much of his time in his rich imagination. As an adult, early in his career
he lived on the grounds of a mental hospital and worked with the psychotic patients. He
married a woman from a wealthy family, Emma, who made it possible for them to live a
very comfortable life. After Alfred Adler broke away from Freud, Jung was the next one
anointed by Freud to carry on the psychoanalytic movement, but eventually Jung's
differences from Freud became so pronounced that he too left the Freudian
psychoanalytic circle. Emma eventually became trained as a Jungian analyst herself.
Jung attracted many students and followers. He had two ongoing affairs as an adult, one
with a Russian woman who broke off the affair when Jung refused to father a child for
her, and the other with Toni Wolff, another student, with whom it appears, remarkably
enough, that Emma enjoyed a friendly relationship. Jung lived a long and productive life,
left a remarkable treasure of writings, and a unique body of thought.

Jung proposes a term called as ‘collective unconscious’ or “inherited in the

structure of brain” (Jung 1962, as cited in Huck et al 2004, p. 236). Simply put, collective
unconscious can be understood as the universal images of certain thing that people have
as their basic consideration to take action. It is believed that these universal images bring
similar universal values which are once manifested in the recurrent characters in
mythology, folklore, or literature in the form of archetype. For instance, a well-known
Greek myth of Oedipus which highlights the story of mother-son incest is found across
cultures with quite a similar viewpoint, that mother-son romantic relationship is banned
and completely unacceptable. Jung’s concept in archetype and collective unconscious
theories is not only applied in psychological field, but also literary studies such as
characters and motifs. On study, Riska Karina Rosliana, 2013 was analyzed the
Indonesia Folk tales by using Jung’s theory to analyze the woman Archetype.

Thus, the content of collective unconscious is known as archetypes, those are:

Persona
Persona define as the "mask" or image we present to the world. Designed to make a
particular impression on others, while concealing our true nature (Victor Daniels, 2011)

For Jung, was the social face the individual presented to the world - 'a kind of mask,
designed on the one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and on the other to
conceal the true nature of the individual'. (It acts as a mask to shield the ego from negative
images. According to Jung, the persona may appear in dreams and take a number of
different forms), Akanksa Malhautra, 2011.
 Related to the word person a personality, a persona (Latin: mask) represents people’s
public appearance. The origin of this archetype in Jung’s theory might be his interaction
with his No. 1 Personality, who made accommodation to the outside world. Although
persona is necessary on facing the social world, one who identifies himself too closely
with his public face might be confused of his individuality and thus blocked from attaining
self‐realization. A psychologically healthy person strikes balance between the demands
of society and who the person really is, (according to Feist’s book in Marhaeni Sekar FP,
2010)

The last of the archetypes is the archetype of the persona that is facing outward. It
allows us to make contact with the outside world. Adaptation of the persona to external
conditions promotes mental health, but it is only possible when we are aware of it. It is
very important that the persona is not transformed into a rigid mask, but to be flexible and
permeable, fulfilling the role of the regulator between the inner and outer. It is a mask that
adjusts to standards, social values, and behavioral patterns, and is an attempt to adapt
the individual to these requirements. As an archetype, persona drives each individual to
adapt to a society, and as a personality structure, it is the part of the ego which is situated
between three factors: the ideal, I, and the social model of human mental and physical
conditions limiting these ideals. If there is no balance among these three factors an
individual becomes a puppet. A properly formed persona is a flexible structure that
mediates between human individuality and social conditions, allowing the contact with
society, while protecting human individuality., according to Prokopniuk, 1998 in Adam
Adamski, 2011.

The Shadow

According to Victor Daniels’ book (2011) The side of our personality which we do
not consciously display in public. May have positive or negative qualities. If it remains
unconscious, the shadow is often projected onto other individuals or groups. The Real
Bad Dude, for example, may push his friendly, nourishing sides into the shadow.

Additionally, according to Jung’s book in Mary C. Miller, the shadow is the dark
counterpart to the persona. The shadow is like an infant, immature and uneducated. The
shadow represents the repressed consciousness; therefore, it belongs to the personal
unconscious. Jung called the dreams of heroes or monsters the battle for deliverance.
These shadow selves are generally the same sex as the dreamer. Jung believed that this
was an indication that we are more tolerant of the shadow in the opposite sex.

Besides, As the archetype of darkness and repression, shadow represents

qualities that we hide from ourselves and others. Jung contended facing our persona as
the first test of courage—that is, to come to know our darkest side and face it. Shadow
archetypes appear as The Devil (Tarot card), Satan, Sauron (The Lord of the Rings),
Voldemort (Harry Potter), etc. according to Feist’s book in Marhaeni Sekar FP, 2010.
 Moreover, Adam Adamski, 2011 stated that Archetypes of the shadow are a
negative aspect of the personality; it has source in the collective unconscious, and it is
derived from instincts. The shadow passes into unconsciousness partnership focusing on
the needs of all unacceptable thoughts, feelings and actions. One can be also aware of
the contents of the dark side of the psyche. The shadow archetype also includes the
concept of original sin, or Satan's idea. The shadow is one of the empirical archetypes
that mostly affects ego. The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole
personality.

The shadow may appear in dreams and visions in various forms, and typically
'appears as a person of the same sex as that of the dreamer'. The shadow's appearance
and role depend greatly on the living experience of the individual, because much of the
shadow develops in the individual's mind rather than simply being inherited in the
collective unconscious. Nevertheless, some Jungians maintain that 'The shadow...
contains, besides the personal shadow, the shadow of society. fed by the neglected and
repressed collective values, Akanska Malhautra, 2011.

Anima-Animus

Anima and Animus are Personifications of the feminine nature of a man's

unconscious and the masculine nature of a woman. This psychological bisexuality is a
reflection of the biological fact that it is the larger number of male (or female) genes which
is the decisive factor in the determination of sex. Anima and animus manifest themselves
most typically in personified form as figures in dreams and fantasies (dream girl. dream
lover") or in the irrationalities of a man's feeling and a woman's thinking. As regulators of
behavior they are two of the most influential archetypes. The animus and the anima
should function as a bridge, or a door, leading to the images of the collective unconscious,
as the persona should be a sort of bridge into the world (Victor Daniels, 2011).

Furthermore, Jung (1928/1977b) gives the simplest definition of anima as the

feminine aspect in a man and of animus as the masculine aspect in a woman. He argued
that there is a feminine element in the psyche of every man and a masculine element in
the psyche of every woman. It is in the process of falling and being in love that these
elements become most prominent and animated in the psyche. The experience of in-
loveness will be the dynamic in which anima and animus are explored in this paper.

Anima also define as All feminine psychic qualities in a man---moods, feelings,

intuitions, receptivity to the irrational, his personal capacity for love, his sense of nature,
and most important of all, his relationship to the unconscious, Von Franz’s book in Wanda
M. Woodward, M.S and Saybrook Graduate School, 2009.
 Anima is thus part of a woman in a man; the Animus is the male element in a
woman. Female Anima compensates for male consciousness in a man, whereas male
animus compensates for female consciousness in a woman, according to Jung’s book in
Adam Adamski, 2011.

According to Jung in Victor Daniels’ book, 2011: Animus is Archetype symbolizing

the unconscious male component of the female psyche. Tendencies or qualities often
thought of as "masculine." In women, animus refers to developing the kind of assertive,
capable powers often tribute primarily to men. There is also the other side--the "Animus
ridden women" --problem of career women who overemphasize animus, in a kind of
overcompensation, to the detriment of anima "In its primary 'unconscious' form the animus
is a compound of spontaneous, unpremeditated opinions which exercise a powerful
influence on the woman's emotional life, while the anima is similarly compounded of
feelings which thereafter influence or distort the man's understanding.” Consequently, the
animus likes to project itself upon 'intellectuals'' and all kinds of 'heroes,' including tenors,
artists, sporting celebrities. etc.

The Self

This archetype is the most important among Jung’s archetypes, known as the
archetype of archetypes because it pulls the other archetypes together, unites them in a
process of self‐realization. It is symbolized by a person’s ideas of perfection, wholeness,
and completion, drawn as a mandala which is depicted as a square inside a circle, or any
other concentric figure, according to Feist’s book in Marhaeni Sekar FP, 2010.

Moreover, according to Jung’s book in Mary C. Miller, the self can be contrasted
with the ego. The self is the center of the unconscious. It is what gives one the drive to
strive toward psychic wholeness through individuation, the realization of self-hood. If one
is able to achieve individuation in middle or late adulthood, one experiences a sort of
rebirth of the self. The Mandala has come to represent this self in unity at the center of
the unconscious.

The Self for Jung comprises the whole of the psyche, including all its potential. It
is the organizing genius behind the personality, and is responsible for bringing about the
best adjustment in each stage of life that circumstances can allow. Crucially, it has a
teleological function: it is forward looking, seeking fulfilment. The goal of the Self is
wholeness, and Jung called this search for wholeness the process of individuation, the
purpose being to develop the organism’s fullest potential (Ann Hopwood).

It is a distinguishing feature of Jungian psychology that the theory is organized

from the point of view of the Self, not from that of the ego, as early Freudian theory was,
and the teleological perspective of Jung is also distinctive. The ego, along with other
structures, develops out of the Self which exists from the beginning of life. The Self is
rooted in biology but also has access to an infinitely wider range of experience, including
the whole wealth of the cultural and religious realms, and the depths of which all human
beings are capable. It is therefore capable of being projected on to figures or institutions
which carry power: God, the sun, kings and queens and so on (Ann Hopwood)

FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

This paper shows the analysis in Cinderella story presented by the aspect of the Persona,
The Shadow, Anima-animus and the self.

a. Persona Archetype in Cinderella’s story

How a character presents their self in public, work and family. It means that a
character has a face that based on someone’s expectation & others’ expectation.
However, in this case, a character can possibly live not as their true self.
Analysis:

Based on this story, the characters of Cinderella how she faced someone’s
expectation called Persona.
As we can see the words below, it means that Cinderella wore a nice dress
to fulfil the king’s expectation about his festival. Cinderella attempt to adapt her self
in order to fulfil someone’s expectation by her action, as we can see, she went to
the haze bush, and there she cried her desire to become the Prince’s bride.

Reflected in the following quotation:

“Now it came to pass that the King ordained a festival that
should last for three days, and to which all the beautiful
young women of that country were bidden, so that the
King’s son might choose a bride from among them.”

“Cinderellla went to the hazel bush and cried, “Little tree,

little tree, shake over me, That silver and gold may
come down and cover me”.

Then the next of Cinderella Persona showed when she fulfilled the prince’s
expectation about his future wife by wearing a nice dress when she attended the
festival.
 Reflected in the following quotation:
“Then the bird threw down a dress of gold and silver,
and a pair of slippers embroidered with silk and
silver. And in all haste she put on the dress and went to
the festival.”

“The King’s son came to meet her, and took her by

the hand and danced with her, and he refused to
stand up with anyone else, so that he might not be
obliged to let go her hand. And when anyone came to
claim it, he answered, “She’s my partner””.

b. The Shadow Archetype in Cinderella’s story

It means the weaknesses and failings. It may lead to the dark side or the devil side
of humanity. All that one represses to build a persona goes into the shadow. This
is close to Freud’s concept of id. However, shadow may have positive
connotations.
Analysis:

In the analysis of this story, there found two of Cinderella Shadow, they are her
Stepmother and her step sister.

We start from the Stepmother, in this story Cinderella’s step mother

underestimate Cinderella by not letting her to go to the festival in the sake of nice
dress that is not possessed by Cinderella, and keep asking her to do many chores
so that she could not attend the festival.
Reflected in the following quotation:
“Then the maiden brought the dish to her step mother,
feeling joyful, and thinking that now she should go to the
feast, but the joyful, and thinking that now she should go
to the feast; but the step-mother said, “No, Cinderella,
you have no proper clothes, and you do not know how
to dance, and you would be laughed at!” and when
Cinderella cried for disappointment, she added, “If you
can pick two dishes full of lentils out the ashes, nice
and clean, you shall go with us,” thinking to herself, “for
that is not possible.”
(Stepmother’s Shadow)
 Then The shadow of Cinderella’s stepsisters was reflected by the
stepsisters who did not regard Cinderella as their stepsister, but merely as their
housemaid.
Reflected in the following quotation:
“Is the stupid creature to sit in the same room with us?”
said they; “those who eat food must earn it. She is
nothing but a kitchen- maid!” They took away her
pretty dresses, and put on her an old gray kirtle, and
gave her wooden shoes to wear.”
(Stepsister)

c. Anima-Animus Archetype in Cinderella’s story

which anima mean that the man who has act like women, then Animus mean
women act like man.
Analysis:

In this story the anima and the animus was found, the anima was reflected by the
Prince, while the animus reflected by Cinderella

We start from the anima of the Prince, it happened when the prince cried The
personality of the Prince, as we can conclude, he revealed the women feeling in
his self. When he cried, it showed his feminism side

Reflected in the following quotation:

“And when she stood up, and the Prince looked in her face,
he knew again the beautiful maiden that had dance with
him, and he cried, “This is the right bridge!”
(Anima)

Then, the Animus was reflected by Cinderella, it shown when Cinderella attempt
to go to the festival, even her stepmother and stepsister did not know her. The
courage of Cinderella to attend the festival showed her masculine side.
Reflected in the following quotation:
“And in all haste she put on dress and went to the
festival. But her step-mother and sister did not know
her, and though she must be a foreign Princes, she
looked so beautiful in her golden dress.”
 (Animus)

d. The self
which means is the stage where a character has found his/her true self.
Analysis:

By this analysis, was found two characters which reflected to this. Cinderella and
the Prince, they have their true self.

Start from the Cinderella, she found her true self when the golden shoe fitted
perfectly with her feet.

Reflected in the following quotation:

“Then she sat down on a stool drew her foot out of the
heavy wooden shoe, and slipped it into the golden
one, which fitted it perfectly.

Another “the self” of Cinderella also found when she became prince’s wife
and live happily in the castle.
As following quotation:
“And when she stood up, and the Prince looked in her
face, he knew again the beatiful maiden that had
danced with him, and he cried, “This is maiden that had
danced with him, and he cried, “This is the right
bridge!”.
Moreover, there also “the self” reflected by the Prince, when the prince found
Cinderella as his true love, he found Cinderella at the festival, the stage where he
found his true love also known as the self of Prince.
His “true self” reflected on the following quotations:

“The prince danced with her alone, and if anyone

else asked her he answered, “She is my partner”

“And when she stood up, and the Prince looked in her
face, he knew again the beatiful maiden that had
danced with him, and he cried, “This is maiden that had
 danced with him, and he cried, “This is the right
bridge!”.

DISCUSSION

Based on the Cinderella’s Story recorded by Grimm, Jacob (1786-1863) and

Wilhelm (1786-1859). Which involving Psychoanalytic theory by the Carl Jung, it revealed
that the contents of the collective unconscious are archetypes, consists of Persona,
Shadow, Anima-animus and the self. By analyzed this story. Therefore, this paper also
confirms the study (Riska Karina Rosliana, 2013) which also Involved Jung’s Theory in
the analysis. This story provided those five archetypes reflected the characters inside the
story. The characters

The Persona aspect which mean how a character has a face that someone
expectation, reflected by Cinderella, when she did the act which aimed to fulfil someone’s
expectation. As we know she fulfil someone’s expectation, which in this story she fulfilled
the expectation of the king’s expectation and the prince’s expectation. The king expected
that his son or the Prince choose a bride from among the women in that festival. While
the Prince expected that he would find his future true love. Then those expectation was
fulfilled by Cinderella. This finding confirming the theory in Victor Daniels, 2011. Which
have been explain the use of archetype to analysis literary work.

As has been explained in the previous explanation, the shadow means the
weaknesses and failings, in this story was reflected by the Cinderella’s Stepmother and
stepsister. Both of them lead to the Cinderella’s shadow. The Stepmother underestimate
Cinderella by not letting her to go to the festival since Cinderella have no proper clothes
to joining to the festival. The stepmother also gave many of chores to Cinderella so that
Cinderella could not attend the festival. While the Cinderella’s stepsister did not regard
Cinderella as their stepsister, but merely as their housemaid.

Anima mean a man who act like woman. The archetype anima here was reflected
by the Prince, when the Prince look at Cinderella’s face, he cried and said “this is the right
bridge”. “cried” here mean that he has a feminism side in his self.

Meanwhile, Animus mean the women who act like man. While the Animus here
was reflected by Cinderella, when she attempted to go to the festival, even her stepmother
and stepsister did not know her. The courage of Cinderella to attend the festival showed
her masculine side.

The self here mean is the stage when a character has found his/her true self, then
“the self” of this story was revealed by Cinderella and the Prince, when they have their
true self. Cinderella found her true self when the golden fitted perfectly with her feet and
when his desire to became prince’s wife, live happily in the castle with the Prince. While
the self which reflected by the Prince was when he found Cinderella as his true love, he
found Cinderella at the festival.

Limitations

This Paper is about the analysis based on the Jung’s theory which aimed to
analyze the personality structure of the characters. Although all of the archetypes in this
story have been revealed, however this paper had limitation.

The story of Cinderella has many of different version, so it made this study difficult
to analyze. And there were no one of many stories that really valid for reference, so when
the study of Conducted, then may have different version with other paper.

This paper only has small of literature review since the source was limited and
this study were not involved the previous research since the writer did not find from the
sources. This one of the weakness of this paper, since there were no enough sources,
then it influenced this study to make many of citation that needed. And it also made the
researcher did not use many of the previous research as in other paper.

Additionally, in this paper has no methodology. By methodology, the writer may

know the detail step and procedures that also can be easily to read. It caused by the
limitation of the source.

In the future research, research should not just depend on the archetypes alone,
but also having findings identify based on the tree key characteristics of archetypes.
CONCLUSION

This paper was made in order to analyze the Cinderella’s story based
on the Jung’s theory. Psychoanalysis study actually can be involved as a
way to analyze the literature work. Jung revealed the content of collective
unconscious is known as archetypes. Therefor, there are kinds of
archetypes from Jung’s Theory, Persona, the shadow, anima-animus and
the self. Persona is how a character has face that based on someone’s
expectation. Shadow is the weakness and failings. It may lead to the dark
side or the devil side of humanity. Anima is a man who act like a woman,
it shows a feminism side of a man, meanwhile Animus is a woman who act
like a man, it shows a masculism side of a woman. The self is the stage
where a character has found his/ her true self. All these archetypes have
been analyzed and presented in this paper.