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Interpretation of Fairy Tales, 2001.
This essay examines Bengt Holbek's model of classifying and interpreting the world's fairy tales.
2,900 words (approx. 11.6 pages), 6 sources, AU$ 91.95
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Abstract
After examining the basic elements of Holbek's system, the writer applies them to several fairy tales about giants to see how well it works "on the ground". Holbek's system is based on seven rules, rather like algorithms that he used to correlate the various symbolic expressions within fairy tales to the corresponding (real world) emotional expressions, focusing on three thematic opposition: child versus adult, male versus female and low versus high.
From the paper:
"Holbek's system of structural oppositions "define the three categories of crises which occur in fairy tales," all of which are in turn "real or possible events in the storytelling community", which may include such relatively minor trauma as adolescent rebellion and such terrible ones as incest (Holbek 416 & 418). Holbek believed that this psychological delving of fairy tales was in no way inappropriate, arguing that "every element [in a fairy tale] may be read as pertaining to real life" (Holbek 439. For Holbek, every ogre, fairy, sprite and giant was merely the representation of a real person (Holbek 418)."
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Beauty in Fairy Tales, 2002.
A discussion of the significance of the theme of beauty in fairy tales.
2,000 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 67.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the significance of the emphasis of beauty in fairy tales and its impact on contemporary American society. By interweaving personal perceptions and research about different fairy tales and their portrayal of beauty, it provides multiple perspectives on how women's lives are adversely affected by these tales. It shows how with their prototypical presentations about women and their overemphasis on the importance of beauty, fairy tales reinforce the stereotypical perceptions of women and undermine the latter's accomplishments. It also looks at how fairy tales play a large role in shaping and defining the identities of women and the perceptions of society and how they have succeeded in establishing the gender relationships and dominating the social discourse of American society-Myth America.
From the Paper
"The analysis of the theme of beauty in the fairy tale of "Snow White" by Marc Fonda also provides me with a new perspective of the sinister effects of fairy tales. Fundamentally, the conflict between Snow White and the Queen revolves around the pursuit of beauty. Because she has lost her "title" as the most beautiful woman in the kingdom to Snow White, she decides to kill the latter in order to regain her title (Fonda 14). In the Disney movie version of "Snow White," the Queen is further enraged when she sees a young prince accosting Snow White, the most beautiful woman in the kingdom."
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Jung, Fairy Tale Interpretation and Little Red Cap, 2002.
A look at C.G. Jung's interpretation of fairy tales from Mario Jacoby's paper "Jung's Fairy Tale Interpretation and Little Red Cap".
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 2 sources, AU$ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper is written as a reflection on "Jung's Fairy Tale Interpretation and Little Red Cap". Mario Jacoby's paper on C.G. Jung and the interpretation of fairy tales stresses that both Freud and Jung, early on, explored fairy tales as part of their study, with Jung noting how human fantasy as found in fairy tales was a reflection of human creative potential.
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Magic Beings in Fairy Tales, 2004.
This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the topic of magic beings in fairy tales.
1,085 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 39.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the importance of magic beings and fairies in fairy tales. It explains how, today, fairies are a popular form of fantasy that come to life in a variety of ways. One of the most traditional homes for fairies and other magical beings is the fairy tale, created for children but loved by all ages. It discusses how some of the most beloved fairy tales contain fairies and magical beings that are central to the plot, the moral, and the essence of the stories. Without fairies and other magical beings, these tales would lose their magic and their universal appeal.
From the Paper
"Fairies are magical beings that inhabit many of the world's most famous fairy tales. Children old and young are familiar with many of these tales from Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty and beyond. Fairies and magical beings are part of what make these fairy tales so delightful and so memorable. Not all fairies are good, but most of them are happy beings that can make a character's life better, more contented, and more fulfilling. Fairy expert Cassandra Eason notes the word originally meant, "a state of enchantment or glamour, the power of illusion, reflecting the power of beings that might bring blessings or curses, and an ambivalence towards such beings" (Eason 17). Fairies do not inhabit as many fairy tales as one might think, but the tales they do inhabit are special and vibrant, such as "Peter Pan," "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," "The Wizard of Oz," "The Hobbit," and "Snow White." "
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Fairy Tales, 2004.
A review of modern fairy tales, which illustrate the theme of the underdog prevailing.
920 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 34.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the common fairy tale theme of the underdog prevailing. The paper states that, in many fairy tales, this theme is underlined by the introduction of a protagonist who is regarded as weak or strange by society, but whose personal gifts not only enable him to overcome this negative self and societal impression, but also, ultimately, help him or her to deploy what at first seemed to be a negative characteristic in a positive fashion. The paper reviews the books, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", by J.K. Rowling, "The Year of the Boar", by Bette Lord, and "The People Could Fly", by Virginia Hamilton.
From the Paper
"However, Harry Potter's magical powers seep into the narrative framework early on over the course of the text, as Harry liberates an oppressed and confined snake from the zoo, without even intending to. This incident shows how compassion with the underdog is within Harry's heart from a young age. However, Harry must learn to control the difficulties he experiences as a wizard-in-training with practice as well as emotional intelligence, else he do harm as well as good to Muggles and other beasts. At the end of the tale, Harry has liberated his school temporarily and gained a secure place in the world as well as a more secure identity."
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Feminine Roles in Fairy Tales, 2005.
Examines the feminine roles in three fairy tales: "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".
2,356 words (approx. 9.4 pages), 12 sources, MLA, AU$ 77.95
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Abstract
As a genre of children's literature, fairy tales are filled with magic, coincidence and good luck for the good characters and bad luck for the bad characters. These delightfully entertaining tales are also filled with gender stereotypes. This paper examines female stereotypes within three fairy tales in particular: "Cinderella"; "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "Sleeping Beauty". The paper examines their representations of female passivity, their emphasis on outer beauty as the quality that saves the heroine and their portrayals of competition among women for male attention (e.g., to marry the handsome prince), based on external beauty.
From the Paper
"Next Cinderella wishes, like her stepsisters, to attend the festival at which a handsome prince will be looking for a bride. But her request is refused by her stepmother because, "You have no clothes and shoes" (Grimm). The stepmother acts as if she is trying to protect Cinderella from ridicule, but it is clear instead that she wants as little competition as possible for her own daughters. Cinderella is ordered to help her stepsisters get ready, the first instance of feminine rivalry among Cinderella, the stepmother, and the stepmother's blood daughters."
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The Female Character in Fairy Tales, 2006.
This paper looks at the struggles that female fairy tale characters endured in order to attain happiness.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 0 sources, AU$ 47.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how in fairy tales, female characters are often associated with a long search for a mate, which ends in a happily-ever-after relationship. Yet, the paper maintains that what is often not considered is the strength of many female fairy tale characters and the struggles that they endure in order to achieve their goals. The paper highlights how the characters of Cinderella, Belle and Rapunzel all demonstrate women that have suffered through prolonged distress prior to realizing happiness.
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Fairy Tales Abound, 2001.
A comparison between the fairy tale element in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and in "The Secret Garden".
1,665 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 2 sources, AU$ 58.95
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Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts two classic stories. The writer of this paper looks at "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "The Secret Garden" to compare and contrast fairy tale elements. The author provides the reader with an overview of what a fairy tale element is and then examines how these elements are used in the two named stories.
From the Paper
"Fairy tales have been written for many years. Often times the writing of them coincides with the societal strengths and weaknesses of the time. The complete and surreal fantasy in Alice and Wonderland was something that was popular in the 1800's while the Secret Garden was more common its time. Fairy tale elements in each book give it the classic happy ending but the approaches are entirely different. In The Secret Garden there is much tragedy before the happiness can begin. This is not uncommon and is a style that we have grown accustomed to in other fairy tales. Alice in Wonderland makes up for the lack of tragedy by emphasizing the bizarre and the unbelievable elements such as animals with marked intelligence."
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Oscar Wilde's Fairy Tales, 2004.
An analysis of Oscar Wilde's philosophy of Greek love in his fairy tales.
2,484 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 8 sources, MLA, AU$ 80.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how Oscar Wilde's reputation as one of the preeminent literary geniuses of the Victorian era remains an extraordinary accomplishment for an Irishman writing for and about English society. It looks at how, after his conviction on sodomy charges led to two years in prison and self-imposed exile to France, Victorian society vigorously denied Wilde's existence in their ranks and how Wilde's role as an outcast within Victoria's conservative society represents a compelling force in his fairy tales. It analyzes his books, "The Happy Prince", "The Star-Child", and "The Young King", as well as "The Soul of Man Under Socialism", for elements of Wilde's theory of masculine love.
From the Paper
"In "The Young King" the protagonist is a very young man "for he was only a lad, being but sixteen years of age" (Pomegranate) with enchanting beauty "wild-eyed and open-mouthed, like a brown woodland Faun" (Pomegranate). This detail about the Young King corresponds with an age-frame where Wilde would have been discovering his own sexual preference. In "The Young King", the young man's metamorphosis, through a dream quest, reconciles his conflicting roles as the son of the poor goat-herder and his destiny as "the son of the Old King." Shimmering on the surface of this tale is Christ's message from the "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5, 6 & 7). Wilde declares, in "The Soul of Man under Socialism," that the message of Christ to man was simply 'Be Thyself.' The young King's recognition of his true self within these conflicting roles reflects his attainment of the virtue asked for in Christ's message."
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Sherman's "Disasters And Fairy Tales" Collection, 2004.
A look at a selection of photographs from Sherman's "Disasters and Fairy Tales" collection.
678 words (approx. 2.7 pages), 7 sources, MLA, AU$ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at a selection of photographs from Sherman's "Disasters and Fairy Tales" collection of work, through Kristeva's theory of abjection.
From the Paper
"As Kristeva describes it in "Powers of Horror," abjection preserves what existed in the archaism of pre-objectal relationship in the immemorial violence with which a body becomes separated from another body in order to be (Powers). While this may seem like a complex idea, the makeup of it is actually quite simple to grasp. The pre-objectal relationship that Kristeva speaks of is the time in youth and adolescence prior to the female's realization that she is not a subject and..."
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Fairy Tales & Gender Roles, 2000.
An analysis of gender images, roles and messages for girls and boys in fairy tales, focusing on "Snow White."
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 3 sources, AU$ 33.95
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From the Paper
"Some things about fairy tales we know to be true. They begin with "once upon a time." They end with "happily ever after." And somewhere in between the prince rescues the damsel in distress.
Of course, this is not actually the case. Many fairytales omit these essential words. But few fairytales in the Western tradition indeed fail to have a beautiful, passive maiden rescued by a vibrant man, usually her superior in either social rank or in moral standing. Indeed, it is precisely the passivity of the women in fairy tales that has led so many progressive parents to wonder whether their children should be exposed to them. Can any girl ever really believe that she can grow up to be president or CEO or an astronaut after five viewings of Disney's "Snow White"?"
Bacchilega (1997, chapter 2) chooses "Snow White" as a nearl
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Silence in Fairy Tales, 1997.
Uses & purposes of silence, non-verbal action & narrative gaps in four Grimm Brothers' fairy tales.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 6 sources, AU$ 67.95
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From the Paper
"The purpose of this research is to examine the role of silence in fairy tales. The plan of the research will be to discuss patterns of silence in fairy tales and then to discuss the means by which these patterns emerge, the consequences to characters of the experience of silence, and complex power of silence as a narrative strategy.
In the unfolding pattern of the plot, silence accomplishes narrative purpose, moving along events by reason of the gap in time that it creates. It is left to the reader's imagination to either fill in the gap or make a jump in narrative logic from one point to another. In "The Water Nixie," there is no absence of events, but the events very much unfold in silence, with the little brother and sister jumping over gaps of time and experience, or more exactly thinking their way through these gaps.."
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The Dark Forest of Fairy Tales, 2004.
Examines the symbolism of dark forests in classic children's literature.
1,984 words (approx. 7.9 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 67.95
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Abstract
Fairy tales are rightly seen by many authors and critics, from Jung to Bruno Bettelheim, as repositories for archetypes and for vital social messages. Additionally, they must be seen as a literary genre by themselves, and elements, which may be seen archetypically, must also be taken in terms of their literary function. In this light, the paper studies the role of the forest in fairy tales, both as a reference to the archetype of the dark forest and as a social reference to the land outside civilization. The paper points out how the forest operates as a literary device to isolate the characters quickly from their familiar world by placing them into another realm. The paper examines various symbols of the forest in children's literature, including death and rebirth, subconscious and gender issues.
From the Paper
"Entering the dark forest might be associated with entering puberty, or the coming knowledge of sexuality. One could most certainly make a reading of Little Red Cap in this way, where the wolf's predations take on a sexual nature. Likewise, stories such as the Frog Prince, in which the little princess "put on her bonnet and clogs, and went out to take a walk by herself in a wood; and when she came to a cool spring of water, that rose in the midst of it, she sat herself down to rest a while," (Grimm) could be read to imply an illicit transgression into the realm of adult sexuality. This is heightened by the way that the Princess drops her ball down a long hole and sends a little frog climbing down it after promising the feed him and sleep in a bed with him."
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Child Psychology: Fairy Tales, 2007.
An examination of "Cinderella", "Beauty and the Beast" and "Snow White" for their relevance in today's curriculum.
2,195 words (approx. 8.8 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 73.95
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Abstract
The paper examines how three traditional fairy tales, "Cinderella", "Beauty and the Beast" and "Snow White", were intended to impart a basic sense of morality with which children could identify. The writer argues that these antiquated stories are laden with points of view that could be considered, in our century, inadvertently deceptive, confusing, harmful and simply obsolete. The writer proposes that it would not be unreasonable to prohibit fairy tales in pre-school or early grades, at least until they are re-written with healthier messages. The writer further proposes that these stories should include minority characters; interchange boys and girls in the hero and damsel roles; illustrate healthy mixed families; de-emphasize the importance of physical beauty, and remove all of the subtle implications that are no longer appropriate for children.
From the Paper
"It is curious that the immoral characters, again in this story, are older women. Beauty's brothers are hard working and "good," like her, and when the Beast threatens their father's life, Beauty insists on being the one to sacrifice herself for her father. As her name implies, the caring, more compassionate child is the one with true beauty, which is the true moral lesson in this story. In Beauty's case, her goodness is rewarded early on with prosperity, as the Beast insists that she become queen of his castle.
"And I can't possibly help in the fields. That's men's work. What would my friends think if they happened by?" one of the sisters complains. Ironically, today, we would call her a "princess," with a not-so-admirable connotation. It is true that we are not intended to like this character and thus, perhaps, the message remains a positive one. More importantly, however, is the subtle message that women are, by nature, too delicate and proud to do hard work, a theme that is repeated in many fairy tales."
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"The Merchant Of Venice" - A Fairy Tale, 2006.
An analysis of the fairy tale elements of William Shakespeare's "The Merchant Of Venice".
3,707 words (approx. 14.8 pages), 6 sources, MLA, AU$ 109.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how although "The Merchant Of Venice" can be considered comic, Harley Granville-Barker claims that the play is a fairy tale because it has a lack of realism. The paper attempts to develop Granville-Barker's claim and extend it by using Vladimir Propp's theory in his "Morphology of the Folktale". It shows how Shakespeare portrays a very complex social condition of the community he lives in by using the fairy tale genre and how the refusal of the society to accept the other is conveyed through the character of Shylock, whose behavior varies according to the situation he is in. Sometimes he is portrayed as evil and sometimes as good.
From the Paper
"In this book Propp discusses the structure of the fairy tale and defines some of features common to all known fairy tales. Propp reveals thirty one functions which pertain to a fairy tale text. Moreover, Propp claims that it is not obligatory for all the thirty one functions to be in each fairy tale, but the order of these functions remains the same in each of them:" As for grouping, it is necessary to say first of all that by no means do all fairy tales give evidence of all functions. But this in no way changes the law of sequence. The absence of certain functions does not change the order of the rest. "(22). The Merchant of Venice has some of the functions that are defined in the Morphology of The Folktale, and it is the order of those functions in the plot that leads to the conclusion that the play is a fairy tale. "
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Modern Day Cinderella: Purpose of Fairy Tales, 2007.
An examination of common themes throughout the classical "Cinderella" story and how they change to fit contemporary issues.
1,543 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 53.95
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Abstract
In this essay the writer first notes that Cinderella is a story that has appeared in many forms throughout history. The writer then compares and contrasts "The Little Glass Slipper" by Charles Perrault written in 1697 with a modern day rendition of the Cinderella story in the 1999 film "She's All That". The writer of this article examines the functions of fairy tales and looks at how society influences the themes that are common to such narratives throughout the ages.
From the Paper
"Zach's sister, Mackenzie, helps Laney by giving her a makeover and sharing a little red dress. At the party, Taylor Vaughn humiliates Laney by pouring a drink down the front of her dress and leaves in tears. Zach follows her out and takes her home. Along the way, Zach consoles Laney by saying that sometimes you let the good in with the bad when you open up to people. From this point on, Laney ditches the awkward glasses. Zach begins developing serious feelings for Laney. He shared the pressure that he feels from his father to emulate him and his personal insecurities. Laney begins to trust him further when she catches him defending her little brother Simon in the cafeteria. Later, Zach gets into a tussle with his best friend, Dean. Dean accused Zach of having feelings for Laney. Dean later asks Laney to prom before Zach can. He makes it clear to Laney that Zach was only interested in her because of the bet and professed true feelings for her. Laney feels very betrayed. She eventually attends the prom with Dean and leaves early while Zach and Taylor Vaughn are giving their acceptance speeches for prom king and queen. Laney's friend, Jessie, cuts off Zach's speech to inform him that Dean intended on taking Laney to a hotel for sex. Zach leaves immediately to find Laney. When he cannot find her, he returns to her house where he is waiting for her with her little brother and father. Laney explained that she used a foghorn to disable Dean's advances. Zach confesses his real feelings and with the encouragement of Laney's father, they dance outside by the pool."
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