Stereotypes In Fairy Tales
opinionated Essay
1049 words
Once upon a time, but not so far away, there were fairy tales; stories written to entertain and teach lessons to the adults of their era. As time passed, these stories were told to younger and younger audiences until these same lessons were being taught to children. The result? A generation with skewed morals, outdated views and unrealistic standards for women. The stories have clearly begun to do more harm to children than good, but we continue to tell them. Why? Nobody knows. Many of these tales we tell to toddlers are actually very watered down versions of the original gory stories, and through the censorship of the gore and violence, many of the original morals have been lost. Take Cinderella as an example. Everyone knows the story: a …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Explains that fairy tales were written to entertain and teach lessons to adults of their era. the result was a generation with skewed morals, outdated views and unrealistic standards for women.
- Explains that many of the tales we tell to toddlers are watered down versions of gory stories, and many original morals have been lost in translation.
- Argues that fairy tales are a bad influence on young girls, and that women aren't kept in isolated towers, guarded by dragon-like fathers and doomed to do housework. girls need to learn to fight their own battles early, like we teach boys to.
- Opines that disney is trying to create more independent princesses in their modern adaptations of fairy tales to market to young girls.
- Opines that modern film adaptations are as damaging to children as the original tales, with stick-thin princesses reinforcing society's unrealistic standards for women’s appearance, and teaching girls and boys that beauty is the biggest asset a woman can have.
- Explains that children who read a lot of fairy tales have lower self-images than others, which isn't surprising if they constantly compare themselves to all those ‘fairest of them all’ types.
- Opines that by telling children fairy tales, we teach them lessons about how to behave properly in the past, instead of letting their generation decide what to do with the future.
Princesses who have jobs, become queens, sing musical numbers (which haunt the memories of parents who have heard them far too many times) and fight just as much as their princes do. Yet these princesses are just as flawed as their ancestors, with the majority of them getting married to the first man they meet barely a month after they meet them. And when you look even closer, these new stories are guilt trips in disguise. If companies can convince parents that their products are in any way educational, those parents are more likely to spend money on the movie and any related merchandise. And so the cycle continues, with companies churning out more movies and more merchandise, capitalising on children’s imaginations and stealing money right out of their parents’ …show more content…
In fact, a study has shown that almost 94% of stories mention physical appearance, averaging at 13.6 times per story. 31% associate beauty with goodness, and some 17% associate ugliness with evil. Moreover, what these tales consider to be ‘beautiful’ is pale white skin, long hair and twinkling blue eyes with no consideration for ethnic diversity, leaving millions of girls all over the world ashamed of their heritage because they feel that nobody considers them to be beautiful, when in reality, everyone has different preferences. A few spots do not qualify a person as evil, but with these lessons being taught to children at such a young age, how do
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- Fairy Tales Archetypes Essayanalytical essayThe fairy tales that we have become so familiar with are embedded with love, imagination and enchantment. In truth, these are just common archetypes; originally fairy tales had a much darker backdrop. They were once symbols of sexualisation and brutality as not everything ended happily ever after. Deriving from promiscuous and overlooked on goings from the 19th century (such as molestation), these ideas were later suppressed when they became children’s tales. John Updike described traditional fairy tales as ‘The pornography of their day’, hence they contained elements of wish-fulfilment and gratification such as rape, pleasure and attainment. This is true to a certain extent but they also consisted of violence, mutiny and injustice. An exploration
In this essay, the author
- Explains that fairy tales are embedded with love, imagination and enchantment. they were once symbols of sexualisation and brutality as not everything ended happily ever after.
- Analyzes how fairy tales were used to warn children of certain ideas, such as in christina rossetti's ‘goblin market’.
- Analyzes how the fairy tales are ridden with sexual innuendoes and explicit imagery.
- Analyzes how gender inequality and reversal of roles contrasts with the stereotypical gender roles which were cemented into the 19th century.
- Explains that deception is an essential theme that is present in all fairy tales. the impersonation of the grandmother by the wolf in ‘little red cap’ allows the situation to be manipulated.
- Analyzes how violence contributes to the eerie atmosphere in grimm tales.
- Explains that traditional fairy tales contain elements of wish-fulfilment and gratification, but their roots are embedded with darker themes such as injustice, deception and violence.
1455 wordsRead More - The Importance Of Fairy Tales?opinionated essayIn a child’s early life, hearing or reading fairy tales is an extremely important aspect of expanding their imagination. In these fairy tales, children can use their minds to paint a picture and create a reality that only their eyes can see. It is said the “original” fairy tales, like those from the Brothers Grimm, were too explicit for a child’s mind, and that a “happier” fairy tale would do the job better. It is also said that these fairy tales are appropriate because they display honest and real life situations. Although the “original” fairy tales were great and legendary in their time, children today should not be exposed to these darker fairy tales at an early age, and instead should be exposed to the more “sanitized” fairy tales because
In this essay, the author
- Opines that children should be exposed to more "sanitized" fairy tales at an early age because they are healthy for children's mind, allow them to maintain their innocence, and teach a lesson without instilling fear.
- Opines that fairy tales are healthy for a child's mind and imagination. they teach children how to deal with problems without scaring them.
- Opines that children should not be read a fairy tale that places nightmares in their heads when it is supposed to teach them morals and values.
- Opines that a child's innocence is something that needs to be preserved as long as possible. fairy tales are great for children, but there are appropriate and inappropriate ones.
1002 wordsRead More - Tradition and Trespassesanalytical essayWe can hear the themes of our childhood stories echoing throughout our lives. There is Cinderella-- the ragged, pathetic, abused girl, who when she was beautified, becomes the choice of the young, courageous, handsome prince. There is the story of poor little Snow White who needs the kiss of a stunningly gorgeous young man and the help of seven old men to save her from evil. Very few parents, I am sure, would stand up against their children watching or reading Cinderella or even Snow White. After all, these stories are a part of our culture. These stories and others are foundational for all of us.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the use of masculine pronouns excludes females, and that it is a trespass against god.
- Opines that god is our genderless father who we need to ask for forgiveness concerning the social injustices the church has done to its people.
- States that pannenberg, wolfhart, systematic theology vol. i (grand rapids: william b. eerdmans publishing co.,1988), 261.
- Explains duck, ruth, finding words for worship: a guide for leaders (louisville: westminster john knox press, 1995).
- Analyzes how the themes of childhood stories echo throughout our lives, such as cinderella, snow white, and the romantic idea of the man being the savior.
- Analyzes how god is portrayed in creaturely images as a father and mother in the book of hosea and isaiah 49:15.
- Explains that tradition is what those who have come before us have handed down to us so that we might continue to live their faith. wolfhart pannenberg points out one of the rich qualities of referring to god as father.
- Argues that wesleyans need a good balance of the wesleyan quadrilateral.
1084 wordsRead More - “Classical Fairy Tales”opinionated essay...lassic fairy tales is not the problem here, it’s the parents who try and raise their children in a perfect world. Children should be told the truth so they can be prepared for the real world before they grow up. I’m no parent, but I have been around children who do not know how to act in public places because their parents seclude them from the world. The violence in the classic fairy tales can be explained why it happen and ways children can learn what to do and what not to do. Parents can elaborate that not all step mothers are evil and that when hard times come they will not abandon them. The reality if the world would not be misleading if parents took the time to explain to their kids how things work in the real world. The classic fairy tales are nothing but entertain stories and they should not be taken so seriously by parents.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that parents would rather read disney's version on fairy tales than the classical version. the violence is too graphic and sends the wrong message about stepmothers.
- Opines that children have a hard time distinguishing the line between the real world and make-believe. in the fairy tale "ashputtle", the stepmother orders her daughter to cut off her toes so the gold slipper would fit and she would become queen.
- Analyzes how the fairy tale of "hansel and gretel, the grimm brothers" portrays a deadbeat father and an evil stepmother abandoning their children in the forest to save more food for themselves.
- Opines that today's society main goal in life is to find someone you can spend the rest of your life with. the classic fairy tale about "snow drop" describes a queen who poisons an apple and gives it to the gorgeous young girl.
- Opines that classic fairy tales aren't the problem, it's the parents who try to raise their children in a perfect world. children should be told the truth so they can be prepared for the real world before they grow up.
629 wordsRead More - Fairytales and Folktalesanalytical essayFor centuries, fairytales have been used for instruction; to teach children what is expected of them as they age and what terrors behold them if they do not comply with the guidelines laid out for them by their culture/society. Many of the tales were purposely frightful in order to scare children away from strangers, dark corners, and traveling off the beaten path into the dark thicket. Charles Perrault first began writing fairy tales in the late 17th century to educate his children. The morals of those tales often center on what is expected of young women; that they should remain ‘pure’ and ‘docile’. He wrote the tales in a time period when fairytales or ‘jack’ tales were looked at as instructional lessons. They were also widely told around the fire, as entertainment, for adults. Angela Carter adapted Perrault’s classic tales in the 1970’s; changing the victim...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that fairy tales and folktales have been told around the campfire, in the living room, and before bedtime for centuries. due to the passing of time and fallibility, the stories have changed throughout the years.
- Explains how charles perrault began writing fairy tales in the late 17th century to educate his children.
- Analyzes how charles perrault wrote for children as means of instruction, gender role enforcement, cultural pride, and entertainment. however, angela carter adapted his tales 300 years later for adults.
- Explains that perrault invented the fairy tale, children's stories, in a time period in france in which feminine chastity was honorable, respected, and expected.
- Explains that charles perrault was born into a bourgeois parisian family and socialized with the people of france, from the citizens to the royalty.
- Explains that sex was a powerful hypocritical force in france during the age of seduction, when young girls were taught that their worth was in their virginity or pureness.
- Analyzes how perrault cloaked his heroine in red, the color of scandal and blood, suggesting the girl’s sin and foreshadowing her fate. her chaperon, or hood, acquired the meaning in english, which it already possessed in french.
- Analyzes how charles perrault's "little red riding hood" begins with describing our innocent/ignorant young star as a village girl, the prettiest you can imagine. the wolf that little red meets is not in disguise.
- Analyzes how perrault's moral to the tale was to instruct young women of the dangers of communication with men and sexual knowledge and experience.
- Analyzes how maria tatar and the other authors write cerebrally about the most basic of tales. the criticism for the sexist themes is sharp, especially in "little red riding hood."
- Analyzes how charles perrault's "bluebeard" is a more horrific tale than "little red riding hood" and stands as cautionary tale against marriage.
- Analyzes the story of "bluebeard" by charles perrault. the gruesome character proposes to two sisters and leaves the choice to them of who would become his wife.
- Analyzes how bluebeard tells his young wife that he must leave on a business related trip, handing her keys, and telling her not to open the tiny door with the smallest key or she will feel his impenetrable wrath.
- Analyzes how perrault's eloquent moral suggests to readers, especially those who are female, to restrain their curiosity or a swift and cruel punishment may be delivered.
- Argues that while many literary critics and historians believe serial killers inspired this tale, others believe that it is folkloric; its origin resides with women and girls, a cautionary tale told to young girls about marriage.
- Analyzes how angela carter's story, the magic toyshop, was given a 20th century facelift, changing the victim to the heroine and the villain into the fallen.
- Explains that the 1960s – 1970s were revolutionary times for women. the civil rights act of 1964 protected women from workplace discrimination and roe v. wade, 1973, guaranteed equal pay to women in britain's civil service.
2801 wordsRead More - Gender Roles In Fairytalesanalytical essayFairytales, many written by The Brothers Grimm Jacob and Wilhelm, has been told to children the world over for hundreds of years, in the 1800’s they were used to teach children the roles boys and girls should play, as well as what it means to be good or evil. Fantastical stories told by the Brothers Grimm of princesses, princes, Kings, Queens, and valiant knights, retold and molded into the medium of the time. But what does it do to your child’s psyche? Can fairytales do more harm than good? What underlying message is your child receiving from such fantastical stories?
In this essay, the author
- Opines that fairytales make love a short process, with knights in shining armor, carriages from pumpkins, glass slippers, and happily ever afters.
- Explains that fairytales, written by the brothers grimm jacob and wilhelm, have been told to children the world over for hundreds of years. they are infamous for their sexually explicit and violent subject matter.
- Analyzes how gender roles are prevalent in fairytales. they describe how a "damsel in distress" relying on prince charming to save them from their miserable existence.
- Analyzes how gender roles play a big role in fairytales, stating that 94 percent of the grimm's fairy tales touched on physical appearance.
1711 wordsRead More - Fairy Tales In The Brothers Grimm's Little Red Riding Hoodopinionated essayWhen anyone thinks about a children’s fairy tale the most common ones that can come to mind is “Little Red Riding Hood”. Fairy tales convey a hidden message to children. Like how in “Little Red Riding Hood” the message is to not talk to strangers. Fairy tales have been created to help children understand things in a fun and enjoying way. Not every kid can learn and understand things the same way; it all depends on what they have been taught and exposed to in their life. There is controversy between the way these messages are conveyed to young children, like how in “Little Red Riding Hood” the story ends with Riding Hood and her grandmother being eaten by the wolf which can be frightening to children but it explains to you the bad things
In this essay, the author
- Explains that fairy tales convey a hidden message to children, like in "little red riding hood".
- Opines that censored fairy tales help children develop and learn more about themselves, but they teach the topic in a calm manor.
- Analyzes how the brothers grimm fairy tales have a different approach on conveying their message. in "the golden bird", the boy is caught by other kingdoms and assigned to steal items for different kings.
- Explains that fairy tales like "the tortoise and the hare" are effective at teaching the lessons, but you want the kids to remember them as they can help them through out there life.
- Opines that fairy tales give a base understanding of what children can expect in their future. the brothers grimm found the balance between violence and censorship.
1021 wordsRead More - The Perfect Moral Exampleanalytical essayFairy tales portray wonderful, elaborate, and colorful worlds as well as chilling, frightening, dark worlds in which ugly beasts are transformed into princes and evil persons are turned to stones and good persons back to flesh (Guroian). Fairytales have long been a part of our world and have taken several forms ranging from simple bedtime stories to intricate plays, musicals, and movies. However, these seemingly simple stories are about much more than pixie dust and poisoned apples. One could compare fairytales to the new Chef Boyardee; Chef Boyardee hides vegetables in its ravioli while fairytales hide society’s morals and many life lessons in these outwardly simple children stories. Because of this fairytales have long been instruments used to instruct children on the morals of their culture. They use stories to teach children that the rude and cruel do not succeed in life in the long run. They teach children that they should strive to be kind, caring, and giving like the longsuffering protagonists of the fairytale stories. Also, they teach that good does ultimately defeat evil. Fairy tales are not just simple bedtime stories; they have long been introducing cultural moral values into young children.
In this essay, the author
- Compares fairytales to the new chef boyardee, which hides vegetables in its ravioli, while fairy tales hide society's morals and life lessons in these outwardly simple children stories.
- Analyzes how fairytales teach children to be good people and follow the moral code of their culture through example rather than the parents telling them how to act.
- Analyzes how the protagonists in fairytales personify the morals that children should have and do what is morally right and just.
- Analyzes how the story of "oochigeaskw-the rough-faced girl" shows how good people are always rewarded for their kind heart.
- Opines that fairytales teach children the moral values of society and instill hope, generosity, kindness, and self worth in children.
- Explains laurence behrens and leonard j. rosen's curriculum, 10th ed. new york: pearson longman, 2008.
- Explains laurence behrens and leonard j. rosen. 10th ed. new york: pearson longman, 2008.610-612.
1170 wordsRead More - Gender Stereotypes in Fairytalesanalytical essayShrek, an enormous, disgusting green ogre falling in love with a beautiful princess (later turning into a nasty ogre) is a perfect example of a stereotypical fairytale, right? Well in the movie Shrek, the voice over in the trailer talks about a “hero” attempting to rescue a “fair princess” with the help of “his trusty companion." Besides the fact that the hero is a voluptuous green ogre and the companion is a donkey, everything fits in normally to the definition of a traditional fairytale (Diaz). Also according to Mary Kunimitsu, in fantasy films “There may be characters with magical or supernatural abilities such as witches, wizards, superheroes, mythical creatures, talking animals, and ghosts” (Kunimitsu). In Shrek, there are many of these different characters. Therefore, by explanation, a traditional fairytale with the beautiful princess getting saved by the prince and falling in love is exactly what happens in the movie Shrek, just with a twist. The voice over in the trailer for Shrek states it perfectly as he says “Shrek is a highly irreverent take on the classic fairytale” (Adamson). As an untraditional fairytale, and a parody, the movie Shrek poses the breaking of stereotypes of gender and film fairytales all the while keeping the criteria of a fairytale.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shrek, an enormous, disgusting green ogre, falls in love with a beautiful princess with the help of his trusty companion.
- Analyzes how disney fairytales portray their princesses as beautiful, elegant, and very ladylike. shrek's princess fiona starts out as a stereotypical girl, but gradually breaks these stereotypes.
- Analyzes how the breaking of stereotypes in fairytales reinforces the strict details of girlhood and womanhood.
- Analyzes how the writers of shrek wanted to change the stereotypes of princesses in fairytales by subverting them to suggest alternative world views for the reader.
- Analyzes how in stereotypical fairytales, the next step would be to have the princess fall in love and live a long and happy ever after.
- Opines that shrek is a good member of the fairytale category because it fits into the stereotypical plot line of princes saving and falling in love to end in marriage.
- Explains that cinderella in the classroom. children's responses to gender.
- Cites baykal, nurulhude, and diaz, e. "from ogre to beloved husband."
996 wordsRead More - What is the princess effectopinionated essayThis flex paper will be written on the impact that Disney princesses have on little girls. The article this paper is based on looks at how parents and their little girls are at acceptance with the girly-girl culture through the Disney princesses’ franchise. The article stated that the Disney Princesses entered the life of psychotherapist Mary Finucane’s 3-year-old daughter. And from then on out her three year old daughter began refusing to do or wear things that princesses didn’t do or wear, “ Finucane, who created the Disney Princess Recovery blog, said of her daughter after she started watching Disney’s princess movies and accumulating princess-emblazoned products.” She explained that her daughter the loving playful daughter who would claim trees like a monkey and get dirty playing kick ball had stopped running and jumping because princesses didn’t do those things. Doctor Finucane stopped waiting for the phase to pass once she noticed everything her daughter was stopping because it wasn’t princess like. I find this to be extremely interesting because I have a niece and she’s only two but she loves watching Disney movies just as much as I do and I am twenty two years old.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the flex paper will be written on the impact that disney princesses have on little girls.
- Opines that peggy orenstein's latest book, "cinderella ate my daughter," is based on what that book has to say about the princess effect. she believes that disney princesses are meant to supplant the animated ones once girls reach the age of five.
- Opines that disney's "beauty and the beast" shows that we must look beyond what our eyes see and fight for what we want.
- Analyzes how finucane's article about 'princess and the frog' points out that the idea of falling in love isn't the wrong way, but the love for family and responsibility was the priority.
- Opines that the article makes a good point on what the disney line of prince princess products think of little girls who are fans of "tangled or mulan."
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