A
Tiny Taste
Fairy
Story
FAIR-ee STOR-ee
What
- A narrative
with an oral tradition (passed on by word of
mouth), although most have been written down in books with pretty
pictures.
- Although you could
consider romance novels to be fairy stories, the majority of fairy
stories are designed for small children (under six years of age).
- All cultures have
them and it's amazing how similar the stories are from different
cultures.
- Due to the fact that
these stories are primarily told to young children at their most
impressionable stage, you must be aware of the messages and agendas
they carry. They are designed to pass on the values of a society.
- Sometimes, society
will up-date a fairy story to reflect its changing values.
When
- According to a handful
of stories, a girl will be a success when she:-
- Marries a rich,
good-looking guy. "Snow White", "Sleeping Beauty",
"Cinderella"
- Works
hard. "Snow White", "Cinderella"
- Is beautiful.
Any of them.
- Turns a Nigel
No-friends into a gorgeous hunk (by kissing the frog).
- Waits patiently
for her man to come along. "Sleeping Beauty"
- Can create things
of value for her man. "Rumpelstiltskin"
- Has beautiful
hair. "Rapunzel"
- Is modest, early
to bed and sensitive. "Princess and the Pea", "Cinderella",
"Snow White
- Obeys her parents.
"Little Red Riding Hood"
- Ugly, lazy girls NEVER
get their man. Old women and step-mothers ("Hansel &
Gretel") are witches and men are easily swayed by a pretty
face and a manipulative woman (any of them).
- Fortunately,
our fairy stories are slowly changing and we are considering those
voices which were silenced in the originals. See Silence.
- Roald Dahl considers
the position of the Big Bad Wolf in "Little Red Riding
Hood"; similarly, the Big Bad Wolf has had his say about
what happened with "The Three Little Pigs".
- "The Paper
Bag Princess" depicts a more active and assertive princess
who doesn't merely sit around and wait for the prince to rescue
her from the dragon.
- Unfortunately, some
of the stereotypes still remain. Consider "Thomas, the Tank
Engine", which is not really a fairy story, but is designed
for children. The engines are all male and spend their days having
wonderful adventures; the girls are either sleeping or dining
cars and spend their days chatting in the railway yard and only
get to go out if a male engine takes them.
Why
- Students
don't seem to be aware of the power of the subliminal message
(suggestions to the sub-conscious mind) that stories and words
carry. It is a useful exercise to ponder on some of the stories
(Santa Claus, the "boogey man") that children are told.
If it's repeated often enough, what messages are being sent?
- Fairy stories
educate children in a value system. "Little Red Riding Hood"
taught obedience to parents, "Stranger Danger" and reinforced
the idea that "man conquering nature" was a good thing.
These days, woodchoppers are not always considered heroic in stories.
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