...Fairy tales, whether written or visual are used as a medium to teach children morals, life lessons and social etiquette. From interpretations, a fairy tale can be defined as a story that has fictitious and folklore characters which displays the message for every action there is a reaction whether it be positive or negative. These fictitious characters influence children and help them to understand the messages so that children can be socially accepted (Hohr). The origins of fairy tales can not be narrowed to a specific time line but they were once old wives tales which were passed on from generation to generation which writers have modified to become or claimed as their own. Although fairy tales are useful to teach children morals fairy tales are inappropriate for children because of the psychological effects, presentation of the content and morals. This has given reasons for the modifications of fairy tales although these modifications are believed to be better both traditional and modern fairy tales are in somewhat way unsuitable for children. The early versions of fairy tales are not filled with the sanctified, altruistic images seen today but are filled with gory and sadistic images. In an attempt to understand these reasons for modifications of fairy tales we must understand the journey which the traditional writers took. Thomas O'Neil senior writer at the National Geographic and Maria Tartar the chair for program in Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University both go...
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...Title: Varying Interpretation of Fairy Tales in real life and The effects when introduced early in childhood. Justin L. Soriano Vincennes University Abstract This paper explores published articles that report studies done from research conducted upon observation of young children by Bettelheim (The uses of enchantment, 1976). The articles however vary in their definitions today. Bettelheim suggested that fairy tales have an emotional and symbolic importance especially those traditional stories that included abandonment, death, injuries and evil witches. These tales allowed children to cope up with their fears and understand moral values in their own terms. This paper also examines how preferred relationship traits are created based on stories like Cinderella or Snow White and how it affects us in choosing an ideal suitable partner. Varying Interpretation of Fairy Tales in real life and The effects when introduced early in childhood. Everybody as children has been read or told a version of “ Cinderella” at one point in their lives. They were recited to us by out parents and grandparents, aunts and uncle, older siblings or other relatives and of course our dear teachers at school when we were young. We can’t help but feel enthralled as our imaginations transport us to the enchanted time and place. But what really draws us to be so interested in fairy tale stories like these? How does these stories affect us or the children exposed to it in the long run as we...
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...1010 November 16, 2009 Women’s Position in Stories A folk tale is a short story that comes from the oral tradition. Folk tales often have to do with everyday life and frequently tell an inspiring tale of the lower class (peasants) triumphing over the higher class (nobles). In their original versions, most folk tales are not children's stories because of the violent nature of the story. Most folk tales come from true stories with tragic endings or violent and horrific events. For example, the “humpty dumpty” story was about a man who tried to commit suicide several times and succeed at the end. Also the “little red riding hood” story masked the ending of little red riding hood falling victim to a rapist. Unlike a folk tale which has cultural background, a fairy tale involves magic and fantasy. Examples of fairy tales are, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”, “Beauty and the beast”, and Disney’s “Cinderella”. Usually fairy tales include fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, gnomes, and talking animals. Since folktales usually mirror the values and culture of the society from which they originated, a fairy tale can be a folk tale. In essence a fairy tale can also be a subgenre or genre of a folktale. Up until 1450 folktales were passed on orally, so not all folktales were the same. Because Folktales have been told by so many different people there were many different versions. In 1450 the printing press was invented and the folk stories were written in books. People around the world...
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...Fractured Fairy Tale” by A.J. Jacobs This is a modern interpretation of the classic fairy tale. Jacobs took all the clichés from the classic fairy-tale, and either commented on them or simply altered them slightly. A good example of Jacobs commenting on the classic fairy-tale writing would be the introduction to the fairy tale, in which he wrote: “Once upon a time there was a magnificent golden castle on a silver cloud high up in the sky, which has nothing to do with anything because our story is about an old woodchopper who lived in a shack, but that's a good way to start a fairy tale.” This is a somewhat fairy tale classic since it starts with the characteristic “Once upon a time…”, but Jacobs have merely altered it a bit and states that it’s simply a pleasing way to start a fairy tale. At the time the reader gets past this, he or she instantly realise that this is no regular fairy tale. Another rather significant difference between this interpretation and the original fairy tale is that in this story, the main protagonist is the “beast” and the prince she is pursuing is, at first glance, the beauty. Our main protagonist is described as somewhat ugly, hence her feeling very lonely. In order to cope with her loneliness, her father brought her a mule. And then something interesting happens: She tries to kiss the mule, in a desperate attempt to turn the mule into a magnificent prince. The interesting thing about this is that she somehow knows about the fairy tale phenomenon...
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...German philosopher Friedrich von Schiller once said, “Deeper meaning resides in the fairy tales told to me in my childhood than in the truth that is taught by life.” Fairy tales are a great way to educate young children, since they posses much more than their face value of merely providing entertainment at a young age. One may argue that fairy tales paint children a false picture of the world they live in. However, keeping children away from fairy tales would hinder their creativity as fairy tales help them grow mentally and develop their imagination. According to Bruno Bettelheim, “ more can be learned from them about the inner problems of human beings, and of the right solutions to their predicaments in any society, than from any other type of story within a child’s comprehension.” (270) I agree with Bettelheim’s claim that Fairy tales are essential for children as they teach children copious lessons. They are likely to recall these tales even as they grow older. In their versions of “Little Red Riding Hood”, Roald Dahl and James Thurber teach children why it is important to be independent, intuitive and always aware of danger. Unlike many other fairy tales, both these versions of “Little Red Riding Hood” assure girls that they do not need a prince to save them. Roald Dahl’s version as well as Thurber’s encourages children to be independent. In both stories the girl kills the ‘Wolf’ without any help. Readers might argue that the pistol carried by the girl teaches children...
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...of storytelling. One folk-art in particular, fairy tales, seems to be quite affected by this transition. Although the mass printing and marketing of fairy tales as reproduced books, movies, and other media has increased availability of the public like never before in history, there also seems to be a “cheapening” of the art itself, as well as art in general, as the role of the storyteller has been removed. Once only heard if one were to run into a skilled storyteller, fairy tales with the help of printing and mass marketing are now available to everyone able to buy an inexpensive children’s book. This simple fact cannot be overlooked as the whimsical tales that define childhood imagination are now readily available to all that seek them. Previously, if a child did not have any storytellers in their family or, let’s say, their village- then they may never have heard certain tales that other like-aged children would. This is just simply not a problem anymore, and is a testament to the benefits of mass printing fairy tales- though one would still be wise to realize what has been lost in the process. The commercialization of fairy tales has removed the role of the storyteller which directly affects the ability of fairy tales to be modified by the storyteller to reflect current socio-trends and concerns as they once did. Fairy tales are now sometimes referred to as “timeless classics” which in a way is quite different to fairy tales of old which while always taught a certain lesson...
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...of the story I am going to relate.” ---from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens In Great Expectations the fairytale mode breaks "the homeopathic rhythm" by which the system of secondary (connotative) meanings are brought together to constitute the "real". It renders as strange and alien what domestic realism would seek to represent as familiar and internally integrated. Retaining the subversive charge and the painful ambiguities inherent in its original form. References to such moral children's tales as Sandford and Merton indicate that, in his mind, there was no serious distinction between adult and adolescent morality, and that, like his acquaintance, Hans Christian Andersen, he used one to reinforce the other. . . . [At times] the fairy tale is of structural importance, as the Cinderella fable is for Great Expectations. Pip starts his career in a low state before a forge (if not a hearth), and, by the aid of a supposed fairy godmother, achieves a high station. Because Dickens means to convert the fable to a Christian purpose, Pip must relinquish the glass slipper of pride (a showy, but impractical item), and return to ordinary, but ennobled circumstances, freed from the fairy-tale illusions that have so long misled him. It is worth noting that Great Expectations is also a Christian tale, opening on Christmas eve, partly located in a manger-like forge, and progressing to a symbolic crucifixion (Pip's wounded hands, symbolic illness, and resurrection). The child's fairy tale...
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...kiss. The trend of these movies has continued throughout the years, until a recent changed in one of their recent movies. In the Disney fairytale Tangled, it utilizes the same stereotypes where the main character, Rapunzel, has beauty, she can sing, she has an evil mother, she cleans up around the house, has an animal friend, and the list goes on. Yet the movie itself also pushes against the fairytale expectation. They say that most fairytales focus on the woman of the movie, and that the male figure is barely present. In Tangled, however, there is a focus on men who are much more developed then the typical Prince Charming character. While the roles of women have significantly changed in fairy tales since becoming popular, the roles of men have stayed the same. The heroes of these fairy tales appear to be rich and powerful but what they do lack is personality. For example, in the movie Snow White, the Prince comes out of thin air but he’s handsome, and rich, and his character hadn’t even been developed. The males tend to be royalty, handsome, and they are everything that a Princess ever dreams of. But yet, they seem to be very simple, lacking in any serious needs and barely having any emotions other than “love.” These heroes tend to fall in love, and they like to fall in love with these Princesses at first sight. Even when the Prince or hero’s actions may be questioned at times, and even at times...
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...Risk-taking and social mobility in “Jack and the Beanstalk” One of the common themes in most fairy tales is extreme poverty and starvation. This is because these tales were folk traditions told by peasants and poverty was one of the few things that they knew very well. In “Jack and the Beanstalk” poverty is the central theme. Joseph Jacobs and Andrew Lang tell the story of a poverty-stricken boy and his adventure to rise above his childhood poverty and become rich. In both Jacobs and Lang’s version of "Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack is depicted as an ambitious risk-taker and clever boy who steals to overcomes poverty yet the audiences that Jacobs and Lang are writing for is clearly different. Jack takes numerous risks that allow him to get out of poverty in both versions but Jacobs’ version would be much more appealing to peasants while Lang’s version would be more appealing to the middle class who would not favor social mobility of peasants. Jacob’s and Lang’s version of the tale are remarkably similar because they both depict Jack as a risk-taker and resourceful boy who is able to use his cleverness to escape the clutches of poverty. In each tale Jack takes four risks. These risks are selling his cow for magic beans and each of the three times that he goes up the beanstalk to the giant’s/ogre’s castle. The very act of selling the family cow for a few magic beans is an incredibly risky one. This act is risky because the beanstalk has no economic value whatsoever...
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...The Grimm Brothers tale, Snow White, is a Phallocentric story about a young princess who is on the run from her mentally unstable step mother who is trying to kill her. Relationships between the characters are often gender specific as the roles between males and females are strongly defined. The Evil Queen, the Huntsman and the Dwarfs are all key characters which help with the demonstration of stereotypes, paternalism as well as gender roles. Stereotypes are very prominent throughout the tale. Snow White and the Evil Queen are quite different as far as stereotypes go. Right from the beginning, Snow White portrays typical female stereotypes such as being gentle, kind, sensitive, and dependent. It is also assumed by these qualities that she is not able to protect herself from...
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...parents who is living their life though their child. We see that same pressure in The Shining Mountain. The story takes place in Scotland around the early 1930. In addition, the story also takes place in a secondary world, in fact, it is a fictional universe that can be almost indistinguishable from the real world. The story feels like a fairy tale because they use terms like “Once there was” and the way they refers to the parents. For example, they refers to the parents as “the mother” and “the father”. The story also has some fantasy elements, for instance, when Pangma-La turns into a swan and when she gives her heart away. In true fairy tale fashion, Pangma-La is the receiver and she is getting help from a supernatural fairy tale source, which is the mountain goddess. The mountain goddess could for example be representing the motherhood, which is a more powerful and stronger version of her own weak mother. Maybe the goddess is representing Pangma-La’s inner self. The part of her inner self tells her not bend to her father’s will. The goddess offers Pangma-La if she could lighten her burden, which is a magical term. Each time Pangma-La takes the goddess offer, it feels like she is drifting further away from her father. Then, she feels like her father has governed her life until that moment. Just like in most fairy tale, Pangma-La is improving though out the story and becomes...
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...the potential for feminist appropriations of folklore -- when you take folk stories or folk practices that people already know well and transform it to contain a feminist message. Does it have emancipatory potential? Why? How? Among the ways children learn gender norms are folk stories. Girls must be beautiful and polite, while boys must always be brave and stoic. The perfect ending is associated with the prince and princess getting married and living Happily Ever After. These tales teach kids the behaviors expected from them and expose them to an ideal life, in other words, a gender-conforming heteronormative world. A feminist appropriation of folklore would add a much-needed twist to the stereotypical narratives, creating an alternative route, one which subverts gender stereotypes. Exposing children to tales with diverse characters and varying storylines would allow them to live their best life. Kids can be introduced to LGBTQ+ characters during childhood and escape the tumultuous process of piecing together their identity, while simultaneously knowing there is absolutely nothing wrong with who they are. Moreover, the alternative endings would allow kids to find a life which would best suit them, rather than conforming to a set standard. Transforming already well-known tales further...
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...It meshed together many of my childhood fairy tales and stories, creating an unique plot for the musical. The main theme that stood out, in my opinion, was greed. The musical shed light on how many people have selfish tactics and will do anything in their power to get what they want. Jack wanted gold, the married couple wanted a baby, and Cinderella's husband wanted a beautiful woman. Each person did what could to get what they wanted, and everything seemed fine. Just like in reality, everything that glitters isn't gold. Once each person had what they wanted, things started to backfire on them because of the way they recieved these different wishes. Everybody still wanted more than what they had, or at least wanted to add to what they already had attained. The musical also showed how easy it was to lose things, once you have taken them for granted. Jack's mother died, the wife of the married husband died as well. If I had to create an alternate ending, I don't think I would have had anyone die. I did appreciate how the musical was shedding light onto great values and life lessons, but I would have altered death being involved. When I think of my favorite fairy tales, they all ended with happy endings. I wanted the musical to end that way, maybe the people could have been punished for their wrong doings. I would have maybe had everyone lose their prized possesion, but not their family member or spouse. It is still supposed to be a fairy tale. The musical did not end with a happily...
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...Cinderella fairy tales. The story emphasizes the importance of inner beauty of women. In all versions of the story, Cinderella was not only beautiful but also had her inner charm. In the story written by Charles Perrault, he portrayed her as a women who had good sense of beauty to consult her stepsisters’ clothing. She was also so generous to share the oranges, and lemons with her stepsisters who insulted her, and to take them to live in the palace with her. Although the author illustrated Cinderella’s forgivingness and generosity as her charm, I think she was unrealistically nice. In the modern day, if she was too nice, the sisters might take advantage of her and she would not have a happy ending. The moral of the importance of inner beauty continues in other versions. In the ‘Cap o’ Rushes’ of Joseph Jacobs, Cinderella became smarter, and more confident. In this version, there was no element of fairy or fate. Cinderella stood up for herself by asking to serve in the mansion for shelter, going to the dance, and volunteered to cook the soup for the son’s master so he could find her again. Cinderella’s beauty is now in her intelligence...
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...Magic realist elements in ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ by G.G. Marquez. Paradoxically enough, a reception of a book starts even before it is taken to reader’s hands and opened. When one only hears the name of the author or the title of the novel, some associations appear almost automatically. These associations can later on influence the reader’s impressions or even – to some degree – the analysis of a chosen literary work. Thus, when the name of Marquez is evoked, the very first thing to come to one’s mind is probably ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ and – for some readers – the term of ‘magic realism’. Every other Marquez’s work must ‘take into an account’ such inevitable context. Then, the title also determines reader’s expectations. In the case of ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ – the subject of this essay – all enormous tradition of love literature passes in the background, due to the novel’s title. To what degree these associations help in the understanding of Marquez’s famous book it is to be discovered. To begin with, obviously not all of the Colombian writer’s works have been created in the magic realist mode. In ‘In Evil Hour’ (1961) or ‘The General in His Labyrinth” (1989) there are hardly any magic realist elements. On the other hand, ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ still functions as the main and most eminent example of magic realism in the world literature, and the one best recognised by an average reader, too. As to ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’, it seems...
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