Reading the boards this morning, I stumbled upon a question about why some folk think fairy tales inappropriate for children, while others do not.
Which made me think for a moment or two...
From my own perspective:
Against:
I think fairy tales and fantasy literature scare a lot of people because they are 'other'. They espouse ideas that are not necessarily in line with the reader's religious understanding. Then there are the tales themselves. Sometimes, they are gruesome and frightening, full of gore and violence (just think about Bluebeard, or The Millstone/Juniper Tree), depicting some of the baser aspects of human nature. Many people consider these things out of place in children's literature.
Fairy tales also work within supernatural realms: we meet Death (Godfather Death, Into My Sack!); ghosts and other spectres (The Boy Who Wanted To Learn Fear); we meet children who wander through the woods alone and meet with fantastical events (The Star Talers, Hansel and Gretel). These also are frightening, but they have the added element of explanation. Children want to know why the stepmother/mother turned Hansel and Gretel out into the woods, why the little girl was so poor, with no family to care for her. It's hard for us, with our fast internet, limitless coffee, rounded figures, and shiny features to imagine such hardship, let alone explain it to a child. The simplest solution is to avoid the situation entirely.
For:
The Grimms often reworked the tales in their collections, refashioning them into (sometimes quite didactic) cautionary tales. Many stories serve to underscore the idea that talking to strangers is bad, that a child should always obey his/her parents, that children should always be kind to the elderly--the list flows on and on.
Some fairy tales--see Italo Calvino's Italian Folktales for examples--are about Jesus and the apostles. Some people like this, others don't. Most seem to agree, however, that the idea of good beating evil, and the evil being punished, is an important aspect of children's literature.
Maria Tatar has discussed the psychological benefits of fairy tales in her work, and how they allow us to be frightened and afraid in a safe manner, bringing the fear into the open--keeping it carefully locked behind the door of 'once upon a time'.
Certain fairy tale archetypes exist across the globe--Rip Van Winkle/Urashima And The Sea for example--giving many people, many cultures a common ground. In his books, Charles DeLint often emphasises the idea of people needing to be storied to tap into the human zeitgeist.
These are just a few ideas, plucked from my caffeine-addled head on a cold Saturday afternoon.
Which made me think for a moment or two...
From my own perspective:
Against:
I think fairy tales and fantasy literature scare a lot of people because they are 'other'. They espouse ideas that are not necessarily in line with the reader's religious understanding. Then there are the tales themselves. Sometimes, they are gruesome and frightening, full of gore and violence (just think about Bluebeard, or The Millstone/Juniper Tree), depicting some of the baser aspects of human nature. Many people consider these things out of place in children's literature.
Fairy tales also work within supernatural realms: we meet Death (Godfather Death, Into My Sack!); ghosts and other spectres (The Boy Who Wanted To Learn Fear); we meet children who wander through the woods alone and meet with fantastical events (The Star Talers, Hansel and Gretel). These also are frightening, but they have the added element of explanation. Children want to know why the stepmother/mother turned Hansel and Gretel out into the woods, why the little girl was so poor, with no family to care for her. It's hard for us, with our fast internet, limitless coffee, rounded figures, and shiny features to imagine such hardship, let alone explain it to a child. The simplest solution is to avoid the situation entirely.
For:
The Grimms often reworked the tales in their collections, refashioning them into (sometimes quite didactic) cautionary tales. Many stories serve to underscore the idea that talking to strangers is bad, that a child should always obey his/her parents, that children should always be kind to the elderly--the list flows on and on.
Some fairy tales--see Italo Calvino's Italian Folktales for examples--are about Jesus and the apostles. Some people like this, others don't. Most seem to agree, however, that the idea of good beating evil, and the evil being punished, is an important aspect of children's literature.
Maria Tatar has discussed the psychological benefits of fairy tales in her work, and how they allow us to be frightened and afraid in a safe manner, bringing the fear into the open--keeping it carefully locked behind the door of 'once upon a time'.
Certain fairy tale archetypes exist across the globe--Rip Van Winkle/Urashima And The Sea for example--giving many people, many cultures a common ground. In his books, Charles DeLint often emphasises the idea of people needing to be storied to tap into the human zeitgeist.
These are just a few ideas, plucked from my caffeine-addled head on a cold Saturday afternoon.
Last edited by: petajinnathandersen 01/19/08 10:28:13.
Edited 3 times.
