The Goose That Laid The Golden Eggs In Toni Morrison's Home

Toni Morrison has extensively drawn in the fairytales into her novel Home. Home tells the story of two siblings, Frank and Cee, Morrison’s true Hansel and Gretel, on their the quest to find the way home. Frank and Cee are not abandoned as Hansel and Gretel, but they are left to the care of their grandparents, who neglect them. Frank and Cee raise themselves, as “some forgotten Hansel and Gretel, locked hands they navigated the silence and tried to imagine a future”(). Morrison fuses the fairytale stepmother and the wicked witch in Lenore. As in the fairy tale, she seems to have total control over the weak “father”, Salem, whom Frank believes is scared that Lenore, who is wealthy, like the witch in the story, may leave him. Like Hansel, in front …show more content…
As the greedy farmer who kills the goose, Lenore puts her wealth above everything. However, Ethel explains to Cee that gold is not important. The farmer should have ploughed his land and grown something to eat. At one point in the novel, it is discovered that Cee runs off and marries a man ironically whose name is Principal but goes by Prince. He marries her for her car and then deserts her. Principal is a phony of a prince charming, who turns out to be a frog, as Thelma, Cee’s friend, identifies him, but whom Cee bitterly calls a rat. Morrison completely inverts the tale, and it is the Prince who becomes a frog and Cee, the princess, remains alone and vulnerable after his departure. Fairy tales have the general role of passing on lessons and sharing cultural perspectives. Morrison is using the fairy tales that have been ingrained in us in youth to convey her own messages. In using Hansel and Gretel, Morrison conveys that returning to one’s “home” is essential to a good life. In using The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg, she teaches that greed will lead to downfall, and only hard work as well as the aid of your community will lead to a fulfilling