h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

'Try to walk a mile in their shoes' is a brilliant principle.

This must mean knowing something of the beliefs and attitudes of the people of the time. Which aren't the same as ours.

When I wrote my first draft of a historical novel, I was making my characters know things they wouldn't have done at the time. OK, I know what happened next, but they didn't! Which all seems to suggest an awful lot of research.

Well, uh...in a word, yes.

"How can we figure them out, these other people?"

This links in with your Entry about how we're not alone on the internet - some text, or a picture or video appears on your screen, but someone put it there so understanding why that person might have done that helps to shape what response is appropriate

Good point!

Which brings us to Cinderella.

I always wondered how shoe size could be a good way of determining someone's identity. The only way this could have worked is when Cin had really, really big feet. If the shoes had been small, everyone with bigger feet has once in their lifetime passed this smaller size, so the chance of only one person with a perfect fit in small shoes is neglectable.
Huge feet would have made the ball more memorable (but painful) for the prince as well.

So it is probably a case of publicity winning over science.

About the article: Like it. I was already planning to try "The Crown" after my current Matt Smith / Doctor Who rerun.

Thanks!

That's a really good thought about the shoes. Here's a discussion that will probably tell you more than you ever wanted to know about those slippers:

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002886.html

That was a good opportunity to take the dust off my French.

With size 50 glass slippers, I imagine you would really want to get rid of that kilo of glass on each foot... In case of fur, you would probably need a bear instead of a squirrel. (or a badger)

'Light she was, and like a fairy, and her shoes were Number 9,
Herring boxes without topses, sandals made for Clementine.'

If I put my feminist hat on (a bowler, perhaps?) I could call Cinderella a piece of propaganda designed to persuade young girls to be good and do the housework without complaining.

I agree.

Just wondering if men can be feminists as well. If so, sign me up.

Apart from the housework theme, here is also some hint of golddigger ideals. (If you marry the prince, you can forget the housework and be cared for, although for royalty, that probably goes for the prince as well).

Being good is just a case of perspective. Independent thought and development should rate pretty high, in my opinion.

So Cinderella should decide she prefers a pair of walking boots to glass slippers, jilt the prince and go off to explore the world!

Sound like a good plan.

I met my wife while exploring the world. She was wearing walking boots, so the principle works fine. (that's 27 yeas ago)

I was wearing walking boots when I met my husband!