Grimm's Fairy Tales

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey took place in Alaska during the 1920s. Initially, life in Alaska was strenuous for Jack and Mabel because of the harsh weather conditions and the cold lifeless days. Loneliness crashed down on them once the realization of how isolated living in the homestead is. Only through help of one another could Jack and Mabel survive in Alaska. Whether it is Jack Mabel depending on each other or friends they had made, most actions require the help of other characters in order…

of my favorite childhood story flutter through my fingers, memories of fantastical worlds flood my mind. I begin to read aloud about the four children, sent away to a mysterious house and the wardrobe that transports them to a magical new land. The tale is just as enchanting as I recall, but this time through the story, the magic I appreciate most is not found in the pages of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Rather, I admire the magic light of my youngest brother’s eyes as his imagination…

Fairy tales are considered works of fiction because of the fantastically unrealistic locations, characters, and events. However, I know of a place that is equally utopian, yet deemed to be a part of our shared reality. I’ve even been there. I’ve seen nature at its purest, met people at their kindest, and experienced a kind of personal growth that has changed the course of my life forever. This Shangri-la is not found in a James Hilton novel, but rather in Wake Forest, North Carolina. While its…

What are the differences between the two childhood stories, Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks? The story, Red Riding Hood, is a tale about a girl delivering cakes to her grandmother. However,there is a wolf on the prowl that wants to eat her. The story of Goldilocks is about a little girl breaking into a house owned by three bears. While she is in the bears’ house, she eats their food and takes a nap. Overall, there are several similarities and differences in the two short stories The stories have…

The Wizard of Oz, has become a classic. Baum's story continues to affect children and adults today. Most people view the story as a simple fantasy, and some think the story symbolizes real life issues. Baum's tone gives you a good visual, it is light-hearted and whimsical as well as enchanting. When Dorothy first arrived Oz was a vibrant technicolor land, compared to the black and white Kansas prairie. Each land is symbolized by a color. Color tends to make people associate with certain feelings…

school and reading fairy tales, not thinking anything about them. I also, remember watching the more kid-friendly versions of fairy tales in Disney movies and again not thinking anything of it. Repeating these actions as an adult though has changed my perspective drastically. Why are children reading and/or watching these tales? Fairy tales are often seen as instruction manuals for children, especially when referring to the old school fairy tales, for an example any Grimm Brothers’ tales. The…

A classic princess story, Cinderella remains to be one of Disney’s most popular movies. However, what is disturbing is the manner in which this movie imposes gender roles by depicting women in a negative manner. This film seems to be reinforcing the notion that women are weaklings and that the only way in which any society can survive is by upholding male dominance and embracing female submissiveness. The movie begins by showing Cinderella living happily with her parents in a faraway kingdom.…

She comes back to life and just in the Grimm’s version, tricks Snow White into eating apples, but in this case filled with blood and poison because she wants her castle to be safe. This shows in the story when the Queen says, “As long as the heart hung, silent and immobile and cold, from the beam…

Perhaps that counts for something? Not quite. Taking a look at the tale how it was originally written may prove to be enlightening. Rumpelstiltskin is described differently in translations of the German tale. In the original German text, Rumpelstilzchen, the Brothers Grimm describe Rumpelstiltskin as a männlein (Grimm, Rumpelstilzchen). In English translations he is often called a manikin or a hobgoblin. The männlein is a fairy that is helpful and wise, but can have a darker side (Carruthers 8)…

If I ever got a ticket to visit any place I wanted, I would immediately use it to travel to a site called Palooza. It was created by me when I was eight years old. At that age, I was very much into fairy tales, so I constructed like a city where fairy tales weren’t exactly legends. The only way to get into that place was through a very powerful ring. Three taps on the center of the ring and a magical portal would appear to take you to any desired location. Two taps and it would show you either…