The Deeper Meanings that Lies in Fairy Tales

Fairy tales are magical stories about fantasized beings and happy endings. They are told orally and are also found in a literal form. Disney was one of the milestones in the American history of fairy tale stories. With out Walt Disney there would not be more than 70 years of “classy cartoons”. Not only Americans are influenced by these fairy tales, we can conclude that over 50% of the world has an idea of this “American dream” of life that is portrayed.

Fairytales and fantasies have existed to tell children’s stories because of their ability to bring a child

Fairy Tales are not just stories that parents tell to their children, but stories with hidden valuable messages which are mostly left on a side. In the article “An Introduction to Fairy Tales,” Maria Tatar clearly explains how people need fairy tales in their lives. Tatar also states how fairy tales have the ability to take the listener, especially children’s, into a journey in which they can play with their imagination so that they can discover their deepest fears and wishes. Personally I agree with the author, because of the fact that in an individual’s lives as they get older, they will try to define themselves, sometimes comparing their own life with a character from their favorite story or Fairy Tale.

Maria Tatar points out how these stories help shape individuals at a young age. She explores how children reading these stories and using imagination can uncover fears and desires they have. But these fairy tales do not only have a good influence on children, but also

Unlike some modern stories, fairy tales can have the characteristics of presenting the problems of everyday life. For example in the story of “Peter Pan,” Peter Pan is afraid of growing up because of the responsibilities of adulthood and because adults no longer act childlike. In this fairy tale the main characters are children but still worry about growing up because of the changes they must encounter. They see that only children play and have fun while their parents and other adults work and have responsibilities. In the end children learn that they must grow up in order for their lives to continue but they may be children at heart because one should never fully grow up. The story of “Peter Pan” guides children to “find themselves” as Bettelheim says by growing up but also remaining a child deep inside. Because of fairytales, children are able to maneuver through many of their anxieties and dilemmas while gaining lessons on character.

Throughout the first few paragraphs of Maria Tatars introduction to fairytales, she explains how these influential stories help shape individuals from a young age. As Tatar points out in her introduction, fairytales take children on an adventure where they can explore their imagination, and uncover their own fears and desires. Fairytales also corrupt the innocent minds of adolescents as they demonstrate, that the world can be unfair, and people can be cruel. This imaginary world [similar to life] can be a roller coaster ride of emotions; which can substitute as either an escape from reality, or a model for everyday struggles. Tatar explains that even though people grow up reading the same classic stories, like for example Cinderella, each one

For centuries fairytales and folk stories have been created and told to entertain and to explain the mysterious world. Each story holds a clear message for its readers but it also underlines more subtle messages that teach readers. Fairytales are especially targeted at an audience of children as those stories are told by parents each night before bed. But some of the stories that have been told for a long time across many different cultures have effected peoples’ perspectives more than is realized. One of the most popular examples of a fairytale that has been influential in American culture is the classic tale of Cinderella. Though the details of the tale can vary with different authors and cultures, aspects of it have

Fairytales were written to convey a message to children through magical elements to promote imagination, morality, and literacy. They are stories of magic, wonder, and enchantment that takes us to a dreamlike place. By hearing these stories, children are able to overcome difficult problems in life through alternative solutions. It teaches children how to grasp the meaning and power behind storytelling. These magical tales are influential to a child in helping them learn the values of life.

Not all folktales are fairy tales, but all fairy tales are folktales (Brewer). Fairy tales are a product of the folk (Bottigheimer). Fairy tales initially referred to tales about fairies, but the Grimms reconceptualized the genre (Bottigheimer). Fairy tales now mean “...magical tales, folktales… anecdotes, animal tales, jests, burlesques, and legends” (Bottigheimer). They represent the passage from youth to adulthood, which is a topic of continued interest young to old (Brewer). “Only since the eighteenth century in West Europe have fairy tales been...” meant for kids (Brewer). The things that draw people in are the fun stories with lessons and the encouragement of self-esteem and confidence (Brewer). Kids like fairy tales because they convey “...the idea that if we persist, if we keep our nerve and our wits about us, are kind to the apparently weak and unfortunate, we shall win through, shall grow up” (Brewer). They also have fantasy and daydreaming at heart (Brewer). A lot of adult literature that deals with serious topics such as death also include an underlying fairy tale story to make it more appealing and easier to deal with (Brewer). Some well-known fairy tales are Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, The Golden Goose and Jack and the Beanstalk. According to Brewer, fairy tales usually have patterns. The hero or heroine suffers from a disadvantage called a lack. They face adversity, and adventure follows. Oftentimes, the protagonist commits a fault, but “...overcomes it by ingenuity, bravery, and industry.” The motivation of their driving force can be found in family drama, desires, or something symbolic. In the end, the protagonist almost always finds a mate. There is frequent gender-stereotyping in fairy tales as well. They are still recognizable even when altered, because although “...so variable in detail, the main lines are clear”

Fairy tales are fantasies that have been passed down from generation to generation with each retelling changing the story just a little in the way they are told often impacting the ending. Fairy tales play an important role in children's lives. Little girls grow up dreaming of becoming the princess who gets rescued by her knight in shining amour. While every young boy that reads about Jake the giant slayer and other heroes believes they too will one day slay a magnificent beast of their own. In the article “Once Upon a Time” by Jonathan Young, he states “Magical characters such as the Pied Piper, the talking frog and the fairy godmother are likely to remain in the imagination for a lifetime.”

The different ideas that authors have toward a fairy tale or any kind of writing has to do most with his or her professional experiences. Bruno Bettelheim is known to be a child psychiatrist. Bettelheim states “The child, as he develops, must learn step by step to understand himself better; with this he becomes more able to understand others and eventually can relate to them in ways which are mutually satisfying and meaningful” (Bettelheim 731). Bettelheim in this is talking about what he does. Bettelheim professional area is a therapist of disturbed children.

It's a twist of the story they grew up knowing. Once upon a time in wonderland relates really well to present times. It connects the fear and haze that many are living in with the burden and the excitement of new technologies arriving all the time.(Toney). Fairy tales allow those who normally are stuck in the religion of what we called normalized society to stand out and enjoy aspects of life we have never really seen before. By opening adults' minds up to new opportunities fairy tales can give them the strength and power to do what they

Fairy tales have been passed through several generations. Listening to an elder read these fairy tales to us, expands our imagination as a child. These make-believe stories create fantasies at mostly young ages. For an example, a little girl may read “Cinderella”, then continue dreaming and pretending about becoming a princess finding her true love. These fairy tales help younger kids find the good in life and seek the happily-ever-after in every story. The common fairytale, “Cinderella”, has an interesting history, written with archetypical elements leading up to its moral and theme.

Fairy tales play a very important role in childhood. Children value these stories because they are entertaining and fill their heads with the idea that there will always be a happily ever after. In the original versions of fairy tales, they are not meant to be for children. The stories were supposed to be for adults and do not have happy endings. The rearranged versions of fairy tales today help children boost their imagination, distinguish right from wrong, and develop critical thinking skills.

Fairy tales have passed from generation to generation, almost as a rite of passage, throughout western civilization. Whether it is the tales of the Grimm Brothers’ or modern Disney versions, fairy tales have permeated society for ages. The question is whether they are merely stories told to children for entertainment or something more. Every tale offers children morals to live up to such as not trusting strangers to being kind to animals. Are morals all that are provided though? Fairy tales seem to have a much more lasting effect on a child’s psyche than simply a lesson learned.