Ellis Sondrup

Pecha Kucha Script

Slide one: Introduction

Good afternoon, my name is Ellis Sondrup. Fairytales are something that, as kids, we
never consider having deeper meaning. They’re bedtime stories, and create our fantasies as
children. However, many stories explore issues with underlying details and elements of the plot.
One of these issues being marxism, a theory exploring class struggle and conflict, is addressed
in the story, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”

Slide two: Summary

Once there was an emperor who, instead of ruling, was focused on fancy clothing and
grand outfits. 2 weavers traveled through this king’s kingdom, telling of their fine clothes that
were invisible to anyone unfit for their job, or stupid. The king brings the weavers to the palace
and provides them with the needed materials. The weavers weave nothing, and eventually the
king walks in a royal parade in his underwear, his new clothes, nonexistent.

Slide three: Powerful vs. Powerless

Marxism is based off of class struggle: the proletariat, the lower class, wanting to be like
the bourgeoisie, the upper class. In the situation of the Emperor’s New Clothes, the powerful
first seems like the king, however, as the story progresses, it becomes apparent that the
weavers are the powerful in this situation. The king strives to obtain the beautiful clothing,
wanting to be like the bourgeoisie, ​creating a struggle between the two.

Slide four: Why the Powerful Have Power:

The weavers have their power from certain things that they possess, the main thing
being a reputation, which they created themselves, nonetheless, giving them high status among
the people of the kingdom. They already had a high status preceding them, reflecting the
society from which Karl Marx based his ideas, where high status was inherited through
bloodline. The proletariat have no way to climb except through the bourgeoisie, creating power
for the bourgeoisie.

Slide five: Values of Society and Distribution of Wealth:

 This society considers status as fancy clothing, money, and a reputation. The king
recognizes this. He strives for the fanciest clothing and the reputation to precede him, and in
some ways attains it. However when the weavers come into town, it is apparent that the king no
longer has the highest status. The weavers have wealth while the king does not, showing an
uneven distribution of wealth in this society, a key element of marxism.

Slide six: Materialism in the Upper Class:

The bourgeoisie are adorned with fancy clothing and promises of prosperity, entirely
focused on looking good and acting the part. The weavers and their materialistic views cost the
king, or the proletariat, high amounts of money and materials, promising him the beautiful
clothes in return for the high cost. They portray that status comes from the money you have and
the money you spend, creating a high sense of materialism, a key element of marxism.

Slide seven: Exploitation of the Lower Class:

Because of the inherit need to climb the rungs of society, the proletariat are constantly
exploited. This is very much evident in this fairytale. The king is told he will receive beautiful new
clothing which only the intelligent can comprehend, if he would give the weavers expensive silk
and thread. Because of the want to obtain these clothes, the king provides all of these materials,
and in the end, gets nothing but embarrassment and humiliation out of it.

Slide 8: Alienation:
The final crowning gem on this story is the king’s royal parade, where his beautiful
“clothes” were to be unveiled. The king walks into the parade, and his people believe that they
are unworthy of their jobs, not being able to see the king’s clothes, however, a young child
points out the king is not wearing clothes, and the entire crowd realizes the same thing,
separating the king from the rest of his people, creating alienation, further supporting this
marxist stance.

Slide 9: Conclusion:
A deceiving simple story with a moral to be learned by children, can be read in an
entirely different way by the older that are presenting it. The hints of class struggle and class
difference, along with the materialism in and exploitation by the bourgeoisie support a complete
marxist reading of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Thank you.