The new Cinderella's Identity Confusion : in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Abstract: The fairy tale of Cinderella is known for its romance, but she seeks independence while being confused by her identity in a new version by Marissa Meyer called Cinder. This essay will present how Meyer’s Cinderella, Cinder, confuses the gender roles by taking on both feminine and masculine ones. This blend makes Cinder not entirely compatible with the norms, and her identity confusion makes it even harder, which results in her losing her conception of self. While she is trying to conform to the gender norms and receive recognition from others (be accepted by society), she denies her heritage and cyborg self to the point of creating a false identity. However, her cybernetics and abuse prevent her from being recognized – she even loses her only source of recognition, which indicates that a norm breaker is not worthy of having it. Nevertheless, Cinder shows signs of what a queer cyborg would do if forced into an identity; as queer, Cinder is not meant to be embodied or forced into an identity and should also have the ability to be free and change her identity as she pleases. Regardless of being queer, the abuse and society’s views prevent her from escaping her identity confusion.