The Structure and Underlining Meanings of Rapunzel by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
The story of Rapunzel, by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, has the same basic structure as all other fairy tales born from the oral tradition; what is commonly referred to as the opening, main part and ending, is the foundation of the tale.
It is around this clearly defined three-part structure of the plot, that invisible layers of meaning exist – often very different for each reader. Between the clever design of the plot – which allows several stories to surface within a seeming individual tale – and multiple layers underneath the literal action, exists a limitless journey of personal exploration. A fairy tale such as Rapunzel has many possible functions in a child’s life and development – explaining the desire for the tale to be read time and time again by the eager young mind.
The opening of the story establishes a number of things: the characters (with the exception of the prince), their dispositions, and the first task. The short introduction is also in itself a short story, with its own three-part structure. Rapunzel’s mother, also known as the wife, by persuading her husband to steal a head of lettuce from the witch, sends him on his journey. The husband’s acceptance of his task finalizes the opening of the introduction. The following two trips to the forbidden garden, and his encounter and, later, his deal with the witch, complete the main part of still only the beginning of the story of Rapunzel. When the witch appears during the heroine’s birth and takes her away, the story of Rapunzel’s mother and father is complete, and in turn, so is the introduction to the tale.
The conversion from the introduction to the main pa...
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... on a subconscious level due to complex interactions between the plot, characterization and symbols. Length and detail are not relevant in what a fairy tale like Rapunzel achieves; its accomplishments are made possible by the strict structure of the plot which holds within itself much potential and multiple features, as well as the communications that exist between author and reader likely without either one knowing it. Our favorite fairy tale has a reason for holding a special place in our heart whether we know it or not, as does the story we love to hate and continue to read and re-read. Like the human psyche, the fairy tale can be studied not only rewardingly but without an end.
Works Cited
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment. New York: Alfred Knopf, 1976.
Hallett, Martin and Barbara Karasek, ed. Folk & Fairy Tales. Toronto: Broadview, 2002.
Aspects of fairy tales are woven into many novels as a way to bring a sense of familiarity to the reader. Foster writes, “...we want strangeness in our stories, but we want familiarity, too. We want a new novel to be not quite like anything we’ve read before. At the same time, we look for it to be sufficiently like other things we’ve read so that we can use those to make sense of it,” (Foster 36). Fairy tales will be the same year from now and therefore hold the same familiarity to the reader. Evil stepparents, a magical fairy godmother, and the ultimate rescue to the castle are all component to the perfect fairy tale that is seen in many novels. J. K. Rowling’s infamous Harry Potter Series follows the journey made by the powerful, young wizard Harry Potter. While Harry Potter is not a fairy tale, it has many subtle attributes woven in throughout the novels. The first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, while not a fairytale, has many attributes woven throughout the novel. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduces the reader to Harry’s home life which compares to that of a fairy tale. Harry is mistreated by his step parents and wishes for his fairy godmother to save him, clearly showing the distinct evil and good characters like many fairy tales have. However, Harry’s fairy
A fairytale is a fictional fantasy fable that passes through generations of children as source of interest to them. Though used for the intent of entertainment, fairytales often indirectly advocate a moral or message to readers (whom are usually children), in hopes that they will grow up to apply these ethics and lead a righteous life. This criteria, however, often originates from the occurrence of a magical transformation; it is this paranormality that introduces the characters of the story to a side of life far from what they have grown to know and learn to adapt to the dramatic amend in their life. This is evident in the characters in world-renowned tales such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.
At first glance, what makes a fairy tale a fairy tale may seem obvious—some kind of magic, hidden symbols, repetition, and of course it’s evident it’s fiction—but fables are more than that. As Arthur Schelesinger puts it, it’s about “[expanding] imagination” and gaining understanding of mysterious places (618). While doing this, it also helps children to escape this world, yet teach a lesson that the reader may not be conscious of. A wonderful story that achieves all of this is Cinderella, but not the traditional tale many American’s have heard. Oochigeaskw, or The Rough-Faced Girl, and Ashputtle would be fitting for a seven-year-old because they get the gears of the mind turning, allowing for an escape on the surface, with an underlying enlightenment for children of the ways of the world.
The simplicity of fairy tales and non-specific details renders them ideal for manipulation allowing writers to add their own comments often reflecting social convention and ideology. Theref...
Originating in Germany, the Brothers Grimm, also known as Jacob and Wilhelm, took an interest in folktales. This interest truly sparked when a man at school told them of a library filled with old books. From both books and folktales that were often told to them by women, the brothers began collecting their own group of stories. After graduating from the University of Marburg, the brothers moved to Gottingen, where they held positions as librarians and professors (Grimm). They eventually began working on their own tales, which were originally not aimed toward children. The brothers “viewed themselves as patriotic folklorists, not as entertainers of children.” Jacob and Wilhelm intended to “save the endangered oral tradition of Germany” with their works (O’Neill).
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young maiden with long, golden hair who was locked up in a tower. One day a handsome prince found her, and he fell in love with her and carried her away to his castle where they lived happily ever after. Or did they? The fairytale you’ve heard isn’t the one I’m telling. No, I’m afraid that the trials of our dear little Rapunzel (whose name wasn't actually Rapunzel) didn’t end there. But in order to get there, we should really start from the beginning, because that’s where the storytellers all went wrong, long ago and far away...
The story of "Rapunzel" has been passed throughout generations in the form of a fairy tale. Typical fairy tales come to a resolution ending ‘happily ever after’. It seems that there is always a villain, always a hero, and some sort of a moral or lesson to be grasped from each story (Rhetoric 102K/L class discussion/lecture, January 18, 2001). Most of the traditional fairy tales involve a ‘damsel in distress’, in which she is happily rescued by a true love. These types of stories leave readers feeling that those who are in pain and anguish will eventually rise above and be granted pure happiness. It is this break in the traditional style that sets the Grimm stories apart from others.
The familiar story of Rapunzel, as told by the brothers Jacob Ludwig Carl and Wilhelm Carl Grimm, takes on new meaning with a psychoanalytic interpretation. It is a complex tale about desire, achievement, and loss. The trio of husband, wife, and witch function as the ego, id, and superego respectively to govern behavior regarding a beautiful object of desire, especially when a prince discovers this object.
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All over the world different people, scientists, and civilizations have different dream theories. For instance, the Senoi tribe in Malaysia has a fascinating tradition of dream telling. Every morning the people of the tribe begin their day by discussing and interpreting their dreams with each other. The children, as they grow older, actually learn to control their dreams by simply wishing bad dreams into positive ones. It is observed that, by paying tribute their dreams, the people of the Senoi tribe learn to have faith in themselves. Also, they have very few, if any, mental problems “could working constructively with dreams be part of the answer” to mental issues? (Peirce)
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Lifelong learning is the concept that learning and opportunities can go beyond that of compulsory education, as well as traditional routes both academic and vocational. With ever expanding economic growth and globalization the need for new skills is more prominent and lifelong learning and adult education is seen to have become a governmental response to socio-economic inequality, the financial crisis as well as the growing competition within industry both nationally and internationally. The notion of lifelong learning also presents itself as a “trinity… of Lifelong learning, the learning organization and the learning of society as a whole” (Hughes and Tight 1995 as cited by Tight 2010 pg. 254) suggesting that lifelong learning does not just present benefits for an individual, but is itself is part of a much bigger picture in the development of society. This being said, with a youth unemployment rate of 21% and a national unemployment rate of 7.7% (Parliament statistics, 2013). It is worth questioning whether or not the measures in place for lifelong learning are significant enough to deal with the growing issues in Britain. With these principles in mind, the body of this essay will look at, and discuss lifelong learning in regards to the 14-19 demographic and explore the opportunities and barriers generated within contemporary lifelong learning provision and practice.
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