Welcome back for Day “U” of the Spanking A-Z Challenge. Phew! I’m almost there!

I would be lying if I said blogging every day came easy to me. LOL, being the happily, flighty (creative) person that I am , I have not actually done these posts in advance (which would have been smart).  But it is giving me a chance to explore a bit. Hehe, you should see my google search history. (Some day, I will learn how to delete it 🙂 )

I had a couple of different options for today’s “U” post. sexy underwear; the movie, Up; undulating hips; useless facts from google searches…

I decided to go with one that made me smile.

The “Ugly Duckling” scenario.

 

That’s probably not the most politically correct way I could discuss a female character from a favorite book or movie; but I am using the term as symbolism , so please don’t jump all over me and call me a meanie. This is metaphorical. Or allegorical. Or whichever “ical” means “symbolic”.

🙂

Everyone knows the story of the Ugly Duckling, hopefully.

 

Scorned by friends and family for being different, and seemingly less physically beautiful, the ugly duckling stayed strong, kept his head held high,

and eventually became the most beautiful swan of all.

 

This happens in a lot of books and movies.

The “Ugly duckling” can be :

a young woman who does not yet know her own worth or beauty; who needs a tiny nudge, to grow, and then blossoms into a beautiful “swan”, having never know she was capable of such beauty.

 

My favorite examples of this are

Cinderella

 

and Sandra Bullock from Miss Congeniality

 

Neither one should have been considered unattractive. Both were beautiful, in their own ways, before the transformations took effect.

In fact, Cinderella’s fairy godmother, only did her hair, and gave her a pretty outfit (and glass slippers, of course). Nothing else, was really altered in her appearance. It seemed that the self realization that she actually was worthy of being seen as beautiful was what transformed her.

 

Gracie Hart (played by Bullock) did receive a very good session with some wax strips, and learned how to walk in heels without falling (more than twice, anyway 🙂 ). But once again, I would say that all she really needed, was to believe in herself. Besides, her beauty came from her wit and humor. She was the perfect package once she gained a bit of self confidence.

hehe, this is my one my favorite scenes, because she falls right after all the “oohs and ahs” . LOL, I would have fallen on my face too. I don’t do heels. 🙂

 

An “Ugly Duckling” can also be seen as the one who doesn’t quite fit society’s “norm”, but decides to go her own way.

As far as being true to yourself and your own beauty , Mulan is my top pick!

Instead of acting in a way totally opposite to her nature, she runs away and joins the military- pretending to be a man (you all know this story, hopefully), so she can save her father.

Her true beauty shone in that she fought not only for her family, but to be true to herself. That is true beauty right there! (And I’ll admit I loved watching her kick the other guys’ butts during training. 🙂 )

 

But my favorite “Ugly duckling” scenario is the one where the gal is liked for who she is – even before her transformation.

And this one goes to Mia (Anne Hathaway) from the Princess Diaries. LOL, she was a little rough around the edges, and had a bit of a need for eyebrow tweezers too, but I adored her.  She was just so funny and charming and real.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t prefer her transformed look- she did look naturally beautiful.

But what I loved about her story, was how she used her transformation and maturity to not completely change, but just to grow. She kept her quirky, fun personality and quick wit, but learned the presence of a leader.

That’s not what I love so much about the story, though. What I love about this story is that the male character who finally became her boyfriend, was not some prince, or rich dude who finally saw her after her transformation. No, he saw her, and liked her, when she was just plain Mia, or as she said in one of my favorite quotes.

“You saw me when I was invisible.”

 

I loved all these different women for different reasons, and loved their stories! I loved how they each transformed into beautiful women without losing themselves in the process.

They were not really “ugly ducklings”. They were swans in training , who for whatever reason, just weren’t ready to acknowledge their beauty.

I love “ugly ducklings” as characters.

I love watching their transformations.

And the only ones I find to be truly ugly, are the characters with the black hearts; the ones who revel in the displeasure of others.

Long live the beauty of the “ugly ducklings”.

🙂