Adrienne Singleton

ENG170

Sara Vinciguerra

3/27/2023

Lessons learned from fairytales

There is a reason why some compare folklore to the bible. While we are taught basic human skills such as math and science, it is for the sake of our human nature that we learn from tales meant to form our way of perceiving the world. These teach us lessons on the consequences of not treating people the way you’d like to be treated while also teaching us the cruel consequences of reality. Even though they are fiction, fairytales give us stories to relate to our lives.

The beauty of folktales is that it’s like playing the game “Grapevine.” The instructions to this game, if you’re unaware, is you gather a group of people you will think of as regions of the world or specific cultures. One person whispers a story into another’s ear (a story teaching a lesson is passed through generations and spreads worldwide). As it gets passed down, this story is constantly being changed as it passes to another’s ear due to misinformation or possibly because they misheard or decided to change it themselves. As a folktale is passed through different people and cultures over time, there tend to be multiple versions of it because the grapevine adjusts it to the audience. The stories don’t come from one specific source unless written like Disney’s or the Brothers Grimm’s, but even then, they’ve collected stories they did not come up with. The Grimm brothers admitted to “collecting” their stories, and Disney technically “borrowed” their fairytales from the Grimm brothers’

 

Collection of stories, but they make them personal by telling them how they view them. These tales are meant to help you grow as people, and making them more relatable will draw the attention of a much larger crowd. These stories are typically told by an average person to another just like them, possibly to comfort or entertain. There is a lesson to learn from each tale that anyone can relate to, which can bring great comfort to those reading. No matter where you live, there will always be similarities between people. They shine a light on reality while hiding behind the fiction.

The Grimm’s fairytales shine a light on the imperfections of men by showing that there are no innocent characters and anyone is capable of cruel behavior. These lessons teach the readers to be aware of this, teaching us to be cautious, which is essential for survival, especially while socializing with people you don’t know. Even though the characters are fictional, some of their actions portrayed in these stories are not too far of a stretch when referring to the lengths some people will go to when they feel disrespected. It would be best for children to stick to Disney’s versions until they mature to spare their mentality, but I firmly believe that the Grimm’s versions should be taught to everyone eventually. Even though quite graphic, the most character development you will notice after studying folklore will be your own. While showing the Grimm Brothers’ stories to young children might traumatize them, teaching them to an older audience would help open their eyes to the cruel reality of human nature. As some study the bible, some should study folklore. I don’t mean worship Cinderella but let its stories affect your thinking.

Cinderella emphasizes the phrase “kill them with kindness” as she always remains polite throughout the torture she endures, and in the end, karma gets to her oppressors. The Cinderella story teaches us that you may see yourself in tattered rags from fighting.

 

Your wars but with effort, those rags could be turned into the richest silks. Cinderella remained kind, gentle, faithful, forgiving, peaceful, and loving despite the undeserved abuse she endured. She is an example of a woman who did not allow her circumstances to overcome her, but rather, she believed that the situations she faced would come to pass as they eventually did. She sings, “A dream is a wish your heart makes,” reminding us of the importance of dreaming and why it’s important not to let your struggles keep you from achieving your goals.