Cendrillon: a caribbean Cinderella illustration analysis
The story of Cinderella has been retold and revised numerous ways by cultures around the world. Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella (1998) by Robert D. San Souci provides his readers with a slightly different version of perhaps the most famous version by Charles Perrault. At a young age Cendrillon’s mother dies causing her father to marry a woman who treats Cendrillon like a servant. Despite Cendrillon being a servant since a young age, Cendrillon is able to go to the ball with the assistance of her godmother, Nannin’, where she wins the affections of the handsome host and later marries him after she is discovered as the owner of an embroidered, pink slipper. Brian Pinkney, the illustrator, uses acrylic paints as his artistic medium creating vibrant colors and overall intriguing illustrations to further expose the reader to Caribbean culture. These illustrations not only engage the reader, but also evoke certain emotions through the use of color and perspective.
Pinkney uses bright, vivid colors to portray the characters’ personalities and to create aesthetically intriguing illustrations similar to that of traditional Caribbean art. The colors that are commonly used throughout all the illustrations are yellow, green, white, purple, and blue (both dark and bright). One of the most common colors used by Pinkney is white. At the beginning of the story Nannin’ is dressed in pure white until Cendrillon is introduced. Cendrillon from this point becomes the only character that is dressed in pure white (see image 1 in "Gallery"). The association between Cendrillon and the color white was purposefully created to show the reader that Cendrillon has a pure heart. White is the absence of color similar to how purity is the absence of sin or fault.
The color green is used to represent jealousy and envy within this story. This characteristic is most clearly depicted through the character Madame, the stepmother to Cendrillon (see image 2 in "Gallery"). She is the only character throughout the story that is dressed in green. Unlike the other colors used in this book, this green is of a darker hue giving the impression that jealousy is a darker quality to have in a person. This depiction of jealousy can clearly be seen in the part of the story where Cendrillon enters the ballroom. In this scene Madame is not only dressed in dark green, but is also shown with her hands on her hips as she scowls at the fact that Cendrillon is receiving everyone’s attention.
Unlike the other colors, the color yellow is used simply as a background color throughout the illustrations and is used to convey happiness. The first time this color is used is when Nannin’ says that Cendrillon’s smile “was sunshine even when clouds hid the sun” (Souci 11). It is later used when Nannin’ is using her magic to transform breadfruit into a carriage and to transform Cendrillon’s attire (see image 3 in "Gallery") and when Paul, the “Prince Charming” figure in the story, discovers that Cendrillon is the owner of the lost slipper. When comparing these events to the rest of the text, they are without a doubt the most happy and joyful moments.
There are three hues of blue that are used throughout the illustrations, each conveying a different emotion. The dark blue is used to create a melancholy feeling within the reader. This shade is used when Cendrillon turns back to normal and tearfully declares that night as a “happiness [that] I will never know again” (Souci 32). The more vibrant and bright blue is used to signify beauty. The reader only sees this hue when Cendrillon’s attire is transformed and she is shown wearing a long, flowing bright blue dress along with decorative jewelry and a matching hat (see image 4 in "Gallery"). When she arrives at the ball the text says that the other guests whispered to one another: “’Who is that pretty girl?’ ‘Look how fine her clothes are!’ ‘Did she come from France?’” (Souci 25). This makes the reader view her as far more beautiful than any of the other characters. As the story concludes with Cendrillon and Paul dancing in the ballroom after their marriage, a pastel blue is used as the background color. This shade of blue creates a sense of peace as Cendrillon is displayed as being finally happy and she is stated in the text as having the best wedding (Souci 39).
In addition to the use of color, Pinkney also uses perspective, the angle from which the illustrations are drawn, to portray aspects of the story that are only hinted at in the text itself. For example, when Cendrillon is in the marketplace she is shown as being distant from the other people. She looks longingly at a group of people who are standing on her right, as they happily talk among themselves. This perspective, along with the placement of Cendrillon in this illustration, shows the reader how she is not only physically distant, but also socially distant from the rest of society. The reader further experiences this feeling of isolation on the next page when Madame is bossing Cendrillon and Nannin’ around commanding them to fix her hair and their attire. Here, the perspective is angled so that the reader is looking down on Cendrillon and Nannin’ similar to how society looks down on them as well. Both of these characters are shown with a sorrowful and fearful look as they are kneeling to help Madame and the stepsister. These illustrations show the reader the low social status of Cendrillon and cause them to feel isolated just as Cendrillon is isolated from society.
Perspective also plays a key role when Cendrillon’s carriage is approaching Paul’s mansion (see image 5 in "Gallery"). In this scene, the carriage is relatively small when compared to the mansion that is shown on the second page. The long train of horses leading up to the mansion creates a sense of suspense, as it makes the reader follow the trail of horses from the left to the right page where the mansion sits upon a cliff overlooking the ocean. The mansion is depicted as being large and grand, especially when compared to Cendrillon who is the only character’s face shown in this illustration. She is shown looking up at this mansion as she leans over the side of the carriage. From this illustration, the reader also experiences a sense of wonder and awe at how grand this mansion is and at the opportunity it represents for Cendrillon.
Throughout the story, Cendrillon continues to be the main focus. Pinkney does this by not only placing her in the center of most of the illustrations, but also by blurring most of the Cendrillon’s surroundings so that the reader can really only see Cendrillon. This too is accomplished by perspective. When Paul and Cendrillon dance at the ball, the reader is only able to see her and her facial expression since only Paul’s silhouette is shown. By angling the illustration this way, the reader is also able to see that they are on a balcony overlooking the ocean while dancing under the starry night sky, adding to the feeling of romance. Pinkney later takes a similar approach when the couple is shown dancing once again at the end of the story. The reader is still only able to see Paul’s silhouette, causing them to be able to focus on Cendrillon’s gleaming eyes and gleeful smile as she dances with her new husband. In this illustration, the reader is also able to see a crowd watching them dance, but the crowd is blurred directing the reader’s attention to Cendrillon once again.
The illustrations used in this book reinforce what is presented in the text and provide information that is not explicitly stated in writing. The illustrations within this book work together to help the reader experience the emotions that Cendrillon experiences. The reader, similar to Cendrillon, will go through a range of emotions: sadness, hope, happiness, love, despair, and then joy, in that order, once again when she is found by her love. This range of emotions is accomplished through the details included within each illustration, such as facial expressions and body language. The use of color is further used to influence the reader’s emotions towards certain characters and events. Each color subconsciously affects how the reader views the characters, causing them to view these characters and events the way Cendrillon herself would. The perspective helps the reader to view the events of the story the way that Cendrillon does. At times the reader will experience distress or love based on the angle from which the illustration is drawn. Each of these components is of great importance. Together they create a story of hope, giving the story a semi-light hearted tone overall.
Pinkney uses bright, vivid colors to portray the characters’ personalities and to create aesthetically intriguing illustrations similar to that of traditional Caribbean art. The colors that are commonly used throughout all the illustrations are yellow, green, white, purple, and blue (both dark and bright). One of the most common colors used by Pinkney is white. At the beginning of the story Nannin’ is dressed in pure white until Cendrillon is introduced. Cendrillon from this point becomes the only character that is dressed in pure white (see image 1 in "Gallery"). The association between Cendrillon and the color white was purposefully created to show the reader that Cendrillon has a pure heart. White is the absence of color similar to how purity is the absence of sin or fault.
The color green is used to represent jealousy and envy within this story. This characteristic is most clearly depicted through the character Madame, the stepmother to Cendrillon (see image 2 in "Gallery"). She is the only character throughout the story that is dressed in green. Unlike the other colors used in this book, this green is of a darker hue giving the impression that jealousy is a darker quality to have in a person. This depiction of jealousy can clearly be seen in the part of the story where Cendrillon enters the ballroom. In this scene Madame is not only dressed in dark green, but is also shown with her hands on her hips as she scowls at the fact that Cendrillon is receiving everyone’s attention.
Unlike the other colors, the color yellow is used simply as a background color throughout the illustrations and is used to convey happiness. The first time this color is used is when Nannin’ says that Cendrillon’s smile “was sunshine even when clouds hid the sun” (Souci 11). It is later used when Nannin’ is using her magic to transform breadfruit into a carriage and to transform Cendrillon’s attire (see image 3 in "Gallery") and when Paul, the “Prince Charming” figure in the story, discovers that Cendrillon is the owner of the lost slipper. When comparing these events to the rest of the text, they are without a doubt the most happy and joyful moments.
There are three hues of blue that are used throughout the illustrations, each conveying a different emotion. The dark blue is used to create a melancholy feeling within the reader. This shade is used when Cendrillon turns back to normal and tearfully declares that night as a “happiness [that] I will never know again” (Souci 32). The more vibrant and bright blue is used to signify beauty. The reader only sees this hue when Cendrillon’s attire is transformed and she is shown wearing a long, flowing bright blue dress along with decorative jewelry and a matching hat (see image 4 in "Gallery"). When she arrives at the ball the text says that the other guests whispered to one another: “’Who is that pretty girl?’ ‘Look how fine her clothes are!’ ‘Did she come from France?’” (Souci 25). This makes the reader view her as far more beautiful than any of the other characters. As the story concludes with Cendrillon and Paul dancing in the ballroom after their marriage, a pastel blue is used as the background color. This shade of blue creates a sense of peace as Cendrillon is displayed as being finally happy and she is stated in the text as having the best wedding (Souci 39).
In addition to the use of color, Pinkney also uses perspective, the angle from which the illustrations are drawn, to portray aspects of the story that are only hinted at in the text itself. For example, when Cendrillon is in the marketplace she is shown as being distant from the other people. She looks longingly at a group of people who are standing on her right, as they happily talk among themselves. This perspective, along with the placement of Cendrillon in this illustration, shows the reader how she is not only physically distant, but also socially distant from the rest of society. The reader further experiences this feeling of isolation on the next page when Madame is bossing Cendrillon and Nannin’ around commanding them to fix her hair and their attire. Here, the perspective is angled so that the reader is looking down on Cendrillon and Nannin’ similar to how society looks down on them as well. Both of these characters are shown with a sorrowful and fearful look as they are kneeling to help Madame and the stepsister. These illustrations show the reader the low social status of Cendrillon and cause them to feel isolated just as Cendrillon is isolated from society.
Perspective also plays a key role when Cendrillon’s carriage is approaching Paul’s mansion (see image 5 in "Gallery"). In this scene, the carriage is relatively small when compared to the mansion that is shown on the second page. The long train of horses leading up to the mansion creates a sense of suspense, as it makes the reader follow the trail of horses from the left to the right page where the mansion sits upon a cliff overlooking the ocean. The mansion is depicted as being large and grand, especially when compared to Cendrillon who is the only character’s face shown in this illustration. She is shown looking up at this mansion as she leans over the side of the carriage. From this illustration, the reader also experiences a sense of wonder and awe at how grand this mansion is and at the opportunity it represents for Cendrillon.
Throughout the story, Cendrillon continues to be the main focus. Pinkney does this by not only placing her in the center of most of the illustrations, but also by blurring most of the Cendrillon’s surroundings so that the reader can really only see Cendrillon. This too is accomplished by perspective. When Paul and Cendrillon dance at the ball, the reader is only able to see her and her facial expression since only Paul’s silhouette is shown. By angling the illustration this way, the reader is also able to see that they are on a balcony overlooking the ocean while dancing under the starry night sky, adding to the feeling of romance. Pinkney later takes a similar approach when the couple is shown dancing once again at the end of the story. The reader is still only able to see Paul’s silhouette, causing them to be able to focus on Cendrillon’s gleaming eyes and gleeful smile as she dances with her new husband. In this illustration, the reader is also able to see a crowd watching them dance, but the crowd is blurred directing the reader’s attention to Cendrillon once again.
The illustrations used in this book reinforce what is presented in the text and provide information that is not explicitly stated in writing. The illustrations within this book work together to help the reader experience the emotions that Cendrillon experiences. The reader, similar to Cendrillon, will go through a range of emotions: sadness, hope, happiness, love, despair, and then joy, in that order, once again when she is found by her love. This range of emotions is accomplished through the details included within each illustration, such as facial expressions and body language. The use of color is further used to influence the reader’s emotions towards certain characters and events. Each color subconsciously affects how the reader views the characters, causing them to view these characters and events the way Cendrillon herself would. The perspective helps the reader to view the events of the story the way that Cendrillon does. At times the reader will experience distress or love based on the angle from which the illustration is drawn. Each of these components is of great importance. Together they create a story of hope, giving the story a semi-light hearted tone overall.
Gallery of illustrations referenced:
Works Cited
D., San Souci Robert, and Charles Perrault. Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 1998. Print.
D., San Souci Robert, and Charles Perrault. Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 1998. Print.