This is a coming-of-age story in which a child or childlike protagonist makes the leap into the adult world. In archetypal terms, The Maid uses the maiden’s journey canonized in fairytales like Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. In Molly’s case, she experiences a delayed coming of age. Molly needs a prolonged period of security and protection for her unique personality to reach maturity.

Molly is thrust into the adult world with the theft of her money for school and the death of her grandmother, who plays the role of both mother and wise woman (Crone) in Molly’s life. Bereft of adult protection, Molly grows out of the rules and constraints of childhood to achieve adult understanding and authority in the world.

Giselle seems to recognize that Molly is in the role of the sleeping princess. When she gives Molly a makeover, she references the ugly duckling and Cinderella, which are both coming-of-age stories. She also describes Molly as speaking like Eliza in My Fair Lady—another example of the maiden archetype.

My Fair Lady is a forced or false coming of age in which a “rescuer” attempts to press the maiden into an adulthood that doesn’t fit her.