Dark Side of Fairytales
'Once upon a time, there lived a pretty princess...' Does this sound familiar? This is how a fairytale usually starts. Fairytales are classified as an educational reading for little children. However, some fairytales consist of contents that are unsuitable for children and should be altered immediately. First of all, some fairytales allude that murdering is acceptable. In addition, some fairytales unknowingly suggest thievery as an agreeable deed. Moreover, there are examples of cannibalism. Lastly, some fairytales contain suicidal behaviors. Thus, some fairytales are inappropriate for children and should be altered.
One of the issues that should be altered urgently would be slaying of the 'villains' in fairytales. Senseless deaths in some fairytales are a common occurrence that could make children immune to such crimes. For example, in 'Snow White,' the evil queen is put to death by dancing in a pair of red-hot iron shoes until exhaustion.
Cutlery for children. Detail showing fairy-tale sc...
Series for social welfare 1961, fairy tale of the ...
Fairytales (Bambee album)Although she attempts homicide on Snow White, it is not morally correct to torture the queen, nor anyone for that matter, until death. This indicates that murdering is acceptable as long as the murderer is 'good.' In 'Jack and the Beanstalk,' the giant is put to death, by Jack, when Jack chops the beanstalk. The actions Jack takes are deliberate and were meant to kill the giant. The reason Jack commits homicide was because giant was following him, trying to get its property back. This passage seems to reveal that if somebody stalks children, it could be warranted to murder the stalker as long as the stalker is 'evil.' The examples presented show that in the world of fairytales, murdering is acceptable as long as the murderer is certifiably on the 'good side.' Sadly, murder isn't the only issue in fairytales that is objectionable. Thievery can also...
Disagree with changing fairy tales
First off, the essay was written very well with good points. However, I must disagree with the point being made. Fairy tales were written in a different time and passed down, in some cases, over a few centuries. To change the content to appeal to the modern sense of morality would be comparable to changing Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn because of the use of racist words (acceptable and common practice at the time the book was written, an implorable evil today) or, for a true extreme, changing the wording of the bible because of the elements of murder, war, theft, adultery, slavery or whatnot. It is the parents' responsibility to ensure that, when they read to their children, they choose wisely and sensibly, taking into account the age and maturity of the children. My son is 3, he has yet to be told the various stories by Grimm. That is a choice that is reasonable, changing the stories themselves is not.
'nuf said.
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