When reading “The Chosen and the Beautiful”, I noticed the word “Cendrillon”. For a normal person, it seems like a new unfamiliar name. However, for me, I actually heard and seen this name before. Let me break it down for you:
Cendrillon came from the French word “cendre” which means cinder and it is basically the French version of Cinderella. I know that it was Cinderella but what surprised me was that Cendrillon was written for an opera, retelling the story of Cinderella.
I was under the assumption that Jordan took Nick to an opera and probably had him be “tortured”. With discussions with my peers and my professor, I was proven wrong as it turned out to be a club. When hearing this discovery, it makes me feel interested in connecting the dots. It was not just an ordinary club; it was gay club. Why was a gay club named Cendrillon? I feel like the reason that the author chose this name is as it connects back to identity and also outcast. In the Cendrillon story, she was treated like an outcast by her stepmother and stepsister and wanted to escape. She was transformed into a beautiful gown by the fairy godmother in which she was portrayed as a beautiful woman, falling under a false identity. I think it was a smart move for the author to use Cendrillon to connect with identity. Jordan Baker didn’t feel like she fit in society so going to the club makes her feel like herself and fit in a community full of outcast and homosexual. I remember discussing with a peer about how Jordan would drag Nick to Cendrillon, but he really dislikes it. The signs were obvious, but I assumed he was quiet, and an introvert just like in TGG; Then I was told that Nick being scared was a sign that he was still in the closet. This all makes sense that it was foreshadowing the conclusion of Nick’s sexuality.
