We all know how I feel about Fairy Tales right? As all young girls do I love them, but I do NOT care for Disney's sanitized versions. For instance, The Little Mermaid? Well, she's supposed to turn into sea foam in the end. Why? Because you can't have your cake and eat it too. It's a story about sacrifice. Reading the original version with your child will lead to a great discussion. As I have said before….
Though we might think the original version of fairy tales might be too frightening for young children they “admit to the child what so many parents try to cover up or avoid. The fairy tale confirms what the child has been thinking all along – that it is a cold, cruel world out there waiting to eat him alive.” It tells the child to, “take courage and if you persist, you can overcome any obstacle, conquer any foe. And best of all you can achieve your heart’s desire,” writes Jim Trelease.
“By recognizing the child’s daily fears, by addressing his courage and confidence, and by offering him hope the fairy tale presents the child with a means by which he can understand his world and himself,” continues Jim Trelease. To only read dramatically altered versions of fairy tales, “you rob your child of their essential meaning.”
Kenneth stumbled across these stories today. Enjoy!
The Disney Blog: Fallen Princesses
JPG Magazine
I must also mention the cruelest part of fairy tales is that as a young girl you may grow up to believe that once the princess gets the prince the story is over. In real life, that is just the beginning!A few other links you might be interested in...
Wicked the book or broadway playSnow White: A Tale of Terror 1997 (DVD)
And didn't we all love Enchanted 2007 (DVD)
And to read about my own Happily Ever After read my blog Love Story
8 comments:
I like it both ways. Sometimes we all need to fall in love with a princess:
http://www.awsumb.com/FamilyFun-Disneyland05.htm
(Scroll down about halfway to see Awsumb's first kiss - from Sleeping Beauty!)
But, we all should have a realistic view of life. We need to work hard and find joy in what we have!
(Of course, Wendy, you did have to pick the CREEPIEST picture from the set, huh? Makes me feel a little faint.)
Oh man! LOVE those pics...particularly Jasmine!
Have you ever read "The Uses of Enchantment" by Bruno Bettelheim? A very interesting take on the meaning and use of fairy tales from a prominent psychoanalyst. He wrote a great deal on what Trelease suggests--that fairy tales were society's first attempts to deal with the darker, seamier side of human nature in a positive way, in an era when such things could not be talked about plainly in public.
When I was in about fourth grade, I had a teacher who urged us to read all the original books and tales on which the Disney movies were based. Many are markedly different from their Disney counterparts--Kipling's "Jungle Books" serve as exhibit A--and some I liked better than others (I was really annoyed with Pinocchio, who frankly didn't DESERVE to become a real boy!). But they opened up a completely different world from what appears in the Disney canon, and that's not a bad thing.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Have you read Wicked? I saw the musical in London and have tix for September....love it, but haven't read the book. I've heard it's decidedly darker...
Yes, it is. We did years before the musical, which we saw here in Seattle and loved. I want to read Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister too.... My stack never seems to get any smaller!
Wendy, that picture is frightening, great post though. I don't know if this falls in the category of Disney Fairy Tales but I just finished a condensed version of The Secret Garden with my kids. We've had some really great discussion about the story (neglect, selfishness, 'magic' can be found in something such as gardening).
Also, I love that you quoted Jim Trelease. I own and often refer to his book, "The Read Aloud Handbook" which has many suggestions for books kids will like, plus gives practical ideas for making literacy a priority in home and classroom.
One more thing Wendy - "That Darn" is Colette; the nickname stems from a LONG time ago when one of my cousins was really mad at me for ripping his Cowboy Dan book.
Post a Comment