Hi there!
Great to have all your posts in...Looking forward to your views on what you fellow bloggers had to say.
Ann
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Roald Dahl's Retelling of Red Riding Hood
In analyzing Dahl's interpretation of Little Red Riding Hood, I could write a long, dry treatise on how it is informed by the (troubling?) climate from whence it came (OMG kids! And guns! Kids with guns, OMG!!!) This kind of argument is logical, but fails to take into account something important about Dahl's work in general: he is a brilliant satirist, and his collection of Revolting Rhymes is no exception.
The thing about Dahl's work that makes it so appealing for me is that he recognizes that children are not oblivious to the message that the world is neither a safe nor forgiving place--ironically, a message driven home in the original versions of the very stories he satirizes in Revolting Rhymes. He recognizes this, but is never patronizing. Instead, he approaches warty realities in a way that should be applicable at any stage in life--with a certain degree of realism, but most importantly, with a cool head and a sense of humor.
In a sense, Dahl is responding to the way he most likely heard the stories told growing up--with the moral "OBEY YOUR PARENTS OR ELSE!!!" and certainly with the notion that the child protagonist can do nothing to save herself and is at the mercy of the adults in her life. Similar to the way his other stories feature independent children taking matters into their own hands, Dahl's Red Riding Hood isn't about to take any of the Wolf's nonsense about making her his next meal, and promptly takes him out.
Dahl
Roald Dahl's version of "Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf" was published originally in 1982 in "Revolting Rhymes."
Based on this information and on Shavit's Method, it is easier to tell that the intended audience for the poem is most likely a teenage/adult contemporary audience. The effectiveness of the humor in the twist is the assumed reader's knowledge of the original version. The plot takes on a humorous twist when the wolf tries to correct Red Riding Hood on the questions she asks. In response to his attempted dinner she whips out a gun and kills him and makes a fur coat out of him.
This contemporary twist of the gun and fur coat as well as the wolf telling Red what she is supposed to say lets the reader know that the intended audience is an older reader who would understand the humor. The title of the book it was published in also illustrates this idea. The main argument for believing he intended the reader to be older is that he is assuming the reader knows the Grimm brothers' wording. One would presumably have gained this knowledge in one's childhood and therefore could understand the humor in an altered version later in life.
Based on this information and on Shavit's Method, it is easier to tell that the intended audience for the poem is most likely a teenage/adult contemporary audience. The effectiveness of the humor in the twist is the assumed reader's knowledge of the original version. The plot takes on a humorous twist when the wolf tries to correct Red Riding Hood on the questions she asks. In response to his attempted dinner she whips out a gun and kills him and makes a fur coat out of him.
This contemporary twist of the gun and fur coat as well as the wolf telling Red what she is supposed to say lets the reader know that the intended audience is an older reader who would understand the humor. The title of the book it was published in also illustrates this idea. The main argument for believing he intended the reader to be older is that he is assuming the reader knows the Grimm brothers' wording. One would presumably have gained this knowledge in one's childhood and therefore could understand the humor in an altered version later in life.
Dahl
Roald Dahl’s story were characterized by their unexpected endings, lack of sentimentality, and dark humour.
Having fought in World War II, Roald Dahl was obviously exposed to a lot of gruesomeness and death. Therefore, his poetry can come off with a lot of dark humour, because humour is a means of making light of something sinister. After being in the war, he probably believed that people needed to not take everything so seriously. I was surprised though, that in the poem, he made the joke of Little Red Riding Hood pulling out a pistol. I was surprised by the violence on the part of a female character.
It seems as if the audience was for both adults and children. Children in the sense that it is pedagogical, and adults in the sense that there is a lot of black humour. Dahl did seek to educate and discipline his children readers, the research says, but he also wrote for adults. Perhaps he made the poem so lighthearted because he wanted to preserve some of children’s naiveity and innocence, after getting much of his innocence and naivety destroyed in the war. Despite the dark humour, it seems as though the tale was meant to preserve some purity in children. The elements of sarcasm are meant for adults, though, such as the dialogue. According to the research, “children love his poems and stories because he writes from their point of view, and, in his books adults are often the villains or are just plain stupid.”
The children characters were often made gluttonous, like Augustus Gloop in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” They often have a serious lesson to learn, or punishment to suffer.
January 27, 2009 6:45 PM
Having fought in World War II, Roald Dahl was obviously exposed to a lot of gruesomeness and death. Therefore, his poetry can come off with a lot of dark humour, because humour is a means of making light of something sinister. After being in the war, he probably believed that people needed to not take everything so seriously. I was surprised though, that in the poem, he made the joke of Little Red Riding Hood pulling out a pistol. I was surprised by the violence on the part of a female character.
It seems as if the audience was for both adults and children. Children in the sense that it is pedagogical, and adults in the sense that there is a lot of black humour. Dahl did seek to educate and discipline his children readers, the research says, but he also wrote for adults. Perhaps he made the poem so lighthearted because he wanted to preserve some of children’s naiveity and innocence, after getting much of his innocence and naivety destroyed in the war. Despite the dark humour, it seems as though the tale was meant to preserve some purity in children. The elements of sarcasm are meant for adults, though, such as the dialogue. According to the research, “children love his poems and stories because he writes from their point of view, and, in his books adults are often the villains or are just plain stupid.”
The children characters were often made gluttonous, like Augustus Gloop in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” They often have a serious lesson to learn, or punishment to suffer.
January 27, 2009 6:45 PM
Roald Dahl LRRH
Roald Dahl
Dahl's version of Little Red Riding Hood, "Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf" was written as a compilation of short stories in 1995. There are a few Roald Dahl poem versions of fairy tales included in this book, "Revolting Rhymes"
audience: I believe the audience for this particular version of Little Red Riding Hood would be older children, many of whom have already read and loved Roald Dahl's writing. I would even go as far as to place the parents of these children in the audience as well. Roald Dahl is not only writing to entertain the children, but also the parents. Many of his books are like this.
culture & time: This represents a new culture and time, without many morals and limitations. Roald Dahl's violence and independence of Little Red Riding Hood show a different interpretation on what goes on in today's world (I am considering 1995 close enough to today's world to consider both the same). Reading this version did not phase me the way that it might have phased people years ago. The only moral in this story is to watch out for wolfs, but it doesn't really go into the sexual content. It also shows the little girl as independant and capable of taking care of herself, unlike many of the previous versions read. This is a change, but in today's world we do promote more independence and have more gender equality. If a little girl was shown as weak, that would not go over as well. This version also shows how violence is almost accepted as the norm today. It is almost like, "oh, of course Little Red Riding Hood would take out a pistol, shoot the wolf, and then wear him as a coat." Little kids, rather then the previous huntsman, have access to guns, and this is considered a norm. Violent video games and television shows are so common that it isn't even more then a short pause, and an "of course".
Dahl's version of Little Red Riding Hood, "Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf" was written as a compilation of short stories in 1995. There are a few Roald Dahl poem versions of fairy tales included in this book, "Revolting Rhymes"
audience: I believe the audience for this particular version of Little Red Riding Hood would be older children, many of whom have already read and loved Roald Dahl's writing. I would even go as far as to place the parents of these children in the audience as well. Roald Dahl is not only writing to entertain the children, but also the parents. Many of his books are like this.
culture & time: This represents a new culture and time, without many morals and limitations. Roald Dahl's violence and independence of Little Red Riding Hood show a different interpretation on what goes on in today's world (I am considering 1995 close enough to today's world to consider both the same). Reading this version did not phase me the way that it might have phased people years ago. The only moral in this story is to watch out for wolfs, but it doesn't really go into the sexual content. It also shows the little girl as independant and capable of taking care of herself, unlike many of the previous versions read. This is a change, but in today's world we do promote more independence and have more gender equality. If a little girl was shown as weak, that would not go over as well. This version also shows how violence is almost accepted as the norm today. It is almost like, "oh, of course Little Red Riding Hood would take out a pistol, shoot the wolf, and then wear him as a coat." Little kids, rather then the previous huntsman, have access to guns, and this is considered a norm. Violent video games and television shows are so common that it isn't even more then a short pause, and an "of course".
Thurber
--> Outline who you think the audience is and what the fairy tale's retelling says about the culture and time in which it is written:
James Thurber was best known for his contribution to "The New Yorker" magazine, whose audience is very much adult. It is clear that his version of Little Red Riding Hood "The Little Girl and the Wolf" was intended for adults as well.
According to Wikipedia, Thurber's fables were often satirical and that the "moral" was really more of a punchline. In his fairy tale "The Little Girl and the Wolf" Thurber very briefly sets up the Grimm/Perrault version of Little Red Riding Hood, with the little girl carrying a basket of food to her grandmother and encountering the wolf in the woods. However, Thurber chooses the point when the little girl sees the wolf at grandma's house to completely take off in a different direction. Thurber comments that "the wolf does not look any more like your grandmother than the Metro-Goldwyn lion looks like Calvin Coolidge." This is where it first becomes obvious that Thurber intended this fairy tale to be enjoyed by adults because children would most definitely not understand this comparison.
Thurber finishes off the story with the little girl shooting the wolf with an automatic - something also not intended for children. At the end, the moral is indeed a punchline that would be enjoyed by the adults reading it.
This fairy tale was written in 1940, right in the middle of World War II. It was a time when people were in need of funny, lighthearted stories like "The Little Girl and the Wolf" in order to take their minds off of the war that was going on. Thurber's comedic tone definitely represents this desire for people at the time to have something that could take their minds off of hard times.
James Thurber was best known for his contribution to "The New Yorker" magazine, whose audience is very much adult. It is clear that his version of Little Red Riding Hood "The Little Girl and the Wolf" was intended for adults as well.
According to Wikipedia, Thurber's fables were often satirical and that the "moral" was really more of a punchline. In his fairy tale "The Little Girl and the Wolf" Thurber very briefly sets up the Grimm/Perrault version of Little Red Riding Hood, with the little girl carrying a basket of food to her grandmother and encountering the wolf in the woods. However, Thurber chooses the point when the little girl sees the wolf at grandma's house to completely take off in a different direction. Thurber comments that "the wolf does not look any more like your grandmother than the Metro-Goldwyn lion looks like Calvin Coolidge." This is where it first becomes obvious that Thurber intended this fairy tale to be enjoyed by adults because children would most definitely not understand this comparison.
Thurber finishes off the story with the little girl shooting the wolf with an automatic - something also not intended for children. At the end, the moral is indeed a punchline that would be enjoyed by the adults reading it.
This fairy tale was written in 1940, right in the middle of World War II. It was a time when people were in need of funny, lighthearted stories like "The Little Girl and the Wolf" in order to take their minds off of the war that was going on. Thurber's comedic tone definitely represents this desire for people at the time to have something that could take their minds off of hard times.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Assignment 3- 27.Jan 2009
Hi Nikki, Erin, Benton, Michelle, Emily and Tiffany,
Below is the assignment, to which you will send in responses by Midnight on Tuesday.
You have read Shavit's essay comparing the Perrault and Grimm versions of'Little Red Riding Hood'. Using Shavit's method, consider one of the other versions you read for this week (Dahl, Calvino, Thurber, Chiang Mi). With a little research (you may use Wikipedia, since this is not a research paper),outline who you think the audience is and what the fairy tale's retelling says about the culture and time in which it is written.
Looking forward to your posts,
Ann
Below is the assignment, to which you will send in responses by Midnight on Tuesday.
You have read Shavit's essay comparing the Perrault and Grimm versions of'Little Red Riding Hood'. Using Shavit's method, consider one of the other versions you read for this week (Dahl, Calvino, Thurber, Chiang Mi). With a little research (you may use Wikipedia, since this is not a research paper),outline who you think the audience is and what the fairy tale's retelling says about the culture and time in which it is written.
Looking forward to your posts,
Ann
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
H&G interpretation
So we discussed through email our thoughts on the film.
Hansel and Gretel would be 13 and 11 respectively as given in the question. The movie would focus on their relationship, especially the care-taking nature of Hansel, like Keene demonstrated in The Juniper Tree. The setting would remain an unspecified location with a very medieval looking forest.
Erin brought up the idea of showing sympathy for the parents. We would want to see the parents grapple with the task of trying to feed the family and failing, and we would not want the decision to leave them in the forest be a premeditated one, just like the stepmother in the Juniper Tree and the way she didn't intentionally lead the boy out on to the fjord or whatever to kill him. She got caught up in the moment and caused him to jump (temporary insanity?) but she never intended initially to cause his death. We would like to see a scene where one or both parents leads the kids into the woods, and the children fall asleep. The parent might see them sleeping so peacefully and decides then and there that death would be better than having to live a horrific life of famine, and perhaps blinded by fear and anguish, runs off and leaves them to die in the woods. More realistic, but no less heartbreaking. This would demonstrate the reality of the famines at the time. Sometimes parents felt they had no choice.
We also discussed the idea of the witch not being as "witchy" as the stepmother. To show the bias of the time toward stepmothers. Also it would create an interesting dynamic between the children and the mother that was present in The Juniper Tree.
Hansel and Gretel would be 13 and 11 respectively as given in the question. The movie would focus on their relationship, especially the care-taking nature of Hansel, like Keene demonstrated in The Juniper Tree. The setting would remain an unspecified location with a very medieval looking forest.
Erin brought up the idea of showing sympathy for the parents. We would want to see the parents grapple with the task of trying to feed the family and failing, and we would not want the decision to leave them in the forest be a premeditated one, just like the stepmother in the Juniper Tree and the way she didn't intentionally lead the boy out on to the fjord or whatever to kill him. She got caught up in the moment and caused him to jump (temporary insanity?) but she never intended initially to cause his death. We would like to see a scene where one or both parents leads the kids into the woods, and the children fall asleep. The parent might see them sleeping so peacefully and decides then and there that death would be better than having to live a horrific life of famine, and perhaps blinded by fear and anguish, runs off and leaves them to die in the woods. More realistic, but no less heartbreaking. This would demonstrate the reality of the famines at the time. Sometimes parents felt they had no choice.
We also discussed the idea of the witch not being as "witchy" as the stepmother. To show the bias of the time toward stepmothers. Also it would create an interesting dynamic between the children and the mother that was present in The Juniper Tree.
Hansel and Gretel Thoughts
Since Keene's version of "The Juniper Tree" obviously did not follow the fairy tale "The Juniper Tree" I think that we should include the following scenes:
- Mother and father falling on hard times (scene should be really dry and empty) struggling with putting food on the table - it would be interesting to add a twist by maybe having Hansel and Gretel be greedy at dinnertime by asking for more bread, etc even to the point of taking the parents' food...
- Mother, father, Hansel, Gretel going into the woods, children falling asleep (like Erin said), and parents leaving them
- Instead of having them go back to their house using the pebbles, i think it would be interesting to keep portraying Hansel and Gretel as greedy and have Hansel start dropping breadcrumbs but have him end up eating most of the bread because he is hungry. (this portrays Hansel as selfish - i agree with Nikki that it would be cool to have Hansel be a villain as well as the witch)
- I think Keene would spend less time on the "witch" portion of the story. Maybe we can have the witch struggling for food (because of the famine or whatnot) which puts less blame on her, just like in "The Juniper Tree" where the blame is less on the stepmom and more on Johannes.
These are my suggestions!
- Mother and father falling on hard times (scene should be really dry and empty) struggling with putting food on the table - it would be interesting to add a twist by maybe having Hansel and Gretel be greedy at dinnertime by asking for more bread, etc even to the point of taking the parents' food...
- Mother, father, Hansel, Gretel going into the woods, children falling asleep (like Erin said), and parents leaving them
- Instead of having them go back to their house using the pebbles, i think it would be interesting to keep portraying Hansel and Gretel as greedy and have Hansel start dropping breadcrumbs but have him end up eating most of the bread because he is hungry. (this portrays Hansel as selfish - i agree with Nikki that it would be cool to have Hansel be a villain as well as the witch)
- I think Keene would spend less time on the "witch" portion of the story. Maybe we can have the witch struggling for food (because of the famine or whatnot) which puts less blame on her, just like in "The Juniper Tree" where the blame is less on the stepmom and more on Johannes.
These are my suggestions!
H&G Collaborative
I would like to begin by thinking that Keene would portray the witch as a normal woman, who is not necessarily evil, as he does in The Juniper Tree. I feel Hansel and Gretel's mother herself would be the more "witchy" of the two. As for time and place, I feel that once again it would be very undefined. Although we would hear of the famine, there would be no other characters around, and no trace of other humanity except for those who are the main part of the story. The landscape would be bare, and desolate looking. Additionally, based on what we have seen of Keene, Hansel and Gretel may be portrayed as the villian as well as the innocent, depending on the portion of the movie taking place.
Assignment 2- 20.Jan 2009
Hi Nikki, Erin, Benton, Michelle, Tiffany and Emily,
Below is a copy of the Assignment that was discussed in class today.
The first thing about this assignment that differentiates it from last week's, is the fact that it is going to be TEAMWORK!
Given that you have watched ,,The Juniper Tree'' and attended today's discussion of what this movie portrays, try to, as a group, come up with what Keene's version of ,,Hansel and Gretel", would be. In what sort of a world could this story have been written?
We could assume that the kids are 11 and 13 and the witch is ,,a lone woman'' who lives in a hut in the forest.
Looking forward to all your version of ,,Hansel and Gretel"!
Ann
Below is a copy of the Assignment that was discussed in class today.
The first thing about this assignment that differentiates it from last week's, is the fact that it is going to be TEAMWORK!
Given that you have watched ,,The Juniper Tree'' and attended today's discussion of what this movie portrays, try to, as a group, come up with what Keene's version of ,,Hansel and Gretel", would be. In what sort of a world could this story have been written?
We could assume that the kids are 11 and 13 and the witch is ,,a lone woman'' who lives in a hut in the forest.
Looking forward to all your version of ,,Hansel and Gretel"!
Ann
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
First response
I found Darnton's essay to be more successful in illuminating fairy tales as not just for children. The combination of Freudian analysis on Little Red Riding Hood as well as a broader examination of the oral tradition as it existed in Europe at the time this story began to circulate made me think of fairy tales the way I think about other, more literary fiction--organic, dynamic pieces that spring from conditions and circumstances affecting real people. In the same way that certain kinds of foods are used in recipes because they tend to absorb flavors in a particular fashion, fairy tales are a reflection of the time, place, and mindset of the storyteller. A retelling of Cinderella will be vastly different, depending on who is telling the story. Darnton takes this idea and examines it in clinical, analytical detail, to great effect.
Sorry this is so late, my internet keeps crashing...
Sorry this is so late, my internet keeps crashing...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Posts in time!
Great to see that most of you have your posts in on time. They make for very interesting reading!
Introduction
Hi, I'm Emily Schweickhardt.
I'm a senior English and Psychology double-major, an an Art History minor.
Bettelheim
The Struggle for Meaning essay convinced me more that fairy tales do go beyond children's entertainment. Particularly the point that fairy tales teach about the inner problems of human beings, and about solutions to predicaments in society. In other words, fairy tales do more than provide a moral education: they give children a chance to "understand himself in the complex world with which he must learn to cope." Fairy tales are clearly more than entertainment if they have the ability to carry messages to the unconscious, preconscious, and conscious minds simultaneously. The fact that fairy tales can address all sorts of deep and complex problems, such as "narcicisstic disappointments," "oedipal conflicts," :sibling rivalries," and so on, speaks in and of itself. By providing grounds for resolution, fairy tales enable children to acquire satisfaction with themselves, Bettelheim states. With such statements, Bettelheim makes it clear that fairy tales are more than entertainment, because they do more than simply arouse curiosity, which entertainment does: they allow the child to find meaning in life, which Bettelheim says is the most important and difficult task to successfully accomplish in the period of childhood.
Response #1
As I see it, the key difference between these two articles has to do with what they perceive their subject matter to be. While reading Bettelheim, it appears that the author is much more concerned with the stories we tell our children and how that relates to their psychological make up. While this may be an interesting topic, it is clear that he really isn't talking about fairy tales at all. He is interested in the popular versions of Red Riding Hood and why this story is better for young children than other stories parents may read, but in this analysis he doesn't really get to the root of what fairy tales are, rather what their modern transformation into children's stories can do for our kids. Darnton, on the other hand, sees this gap in Bettelheim's argument. There's nothing particularly wrong with Bettelheim's analysis of the effects of good stories on children, but the fact is that this argument really doesn't have anything to do with fairy tales at all, just children's stories, many of which may be derived from sources like the Grimms and Mother Goose. In Darnton's article, he focuses more on the anthropological importance and development of fairy tales: who told them, why they are what they are, how they were perceived by the audience, et cetera. This is a much better template to understanding these tales and their unique place in the history of oral and written literature. Darnton sees fairy tales as what they really are and tries to understand them in that light rather than going down Bettelheim's road of placing other meanings on a particularly recent incarnation of these stories. In the end, Darnton's view provides a much richer and more accurate way of seeing fairy tales both within and out of their historical contexts. Fairy tales are evolving, vague, unique, enriching, sometimes unsettling, and thoughtful pieces of history, not merely bedtime stories to keep our kids from growing up crazy.
-Benton Payne
PS-
I'm Benton Payne (first name is Marshall, though I don't go by it)
I'm a Film Studies / History Major and I'm always looking for different ways to perceive the art of storytelling
-Benton Payne
PS-
I'm Benton Payne (first name is Marshall, though I don't go by it)
I'm a Film Studies / History Major and I'm always looking for different ways to perceive the art of storytelling
Response # 1
Many people believe this is where the fairy tale tradition all began. Robert Darnton discusses the long historical tradition of fairy tales that extends centuries before the Brothers Grimm. In the early days of fairy tales, they were used for entertainment for adults. In France, the first collection of stories was printed for the courtiers. The stories were raunchier and there was no need for symbolism it seemed. These older tales were often watched as performances for all ages. They as Darnton says "were meant to amuse adults or to frighten children" (287). In France, the veillee was an institution that allowed men and women to work while tales were performed aloud. The purpose of these older stories was far from being children's entertainment alone. Darnton points out that many recurring themes were that of rape, sodomy, incest, and cannibalism. This seems very different from the stories I heard growing up. This evolution of the stories shows the long history of these tales. The stories were preserved over the centuries because of the cultural significance. Many of the storytellers adapted their versions to fit the people and places with which the audience would be familiar. The long historical tradition that Darnton illustrates is clear evidence that these stories are much more than just children's entertainment. While Bettleheim gives evidence to the fact that these stories are important for the development of children, I felt that Darnton gave a more helpful in seeing fairy tales in a different light rather than for the sole purpose of amusing children.
Response 1- Nikki
I took this question as being asked which essay helped me look beyond fairy tales as childrens' entertainment. For me, this was Robert Dartons' essay entitled "Peasant's Tell Tales: The Meaning of Mother Goose". With this essay, a lot of connotations that different cultures have about fairy tales were brought up, many of them sexual. This was not what I would interpret these fairy tales as at first glance, although I can see where they can make it work in these contexts. I have always thought of fairy tales as picture books and disney movies. This lets me see beyond the ordinary so-called "stereotypes" and "assumptions" I may have towards the genre of fairy tales. From the point of view of this article, these are definitely not just the children's stories that we know and love!
Initially, I thought this question was asking which essay is more helpful in illustrating that fairy tales can be more than children's entertainment - as in fairy tales can be geared towards adults as well. In this sense, Robert Darnton's essay, "Peasants Tell Tales: The Meaning of Mother Goose" was helpful because this essay started off with an 18th century French version of "Little Red Riding Hood." It was very Rated "R"-esque (or maybe PG-13 according to today's standards, who knows...) with all the cutting up bodies, draining blood, cannibalism, and the striptease. I've never heard this version of Little Red Riding Hood, and this version clearly illustrated that some fairy tales were definitely not geared towards children.
Darnton's essay also points out other, earlier versions of fairy tales like "Bluebeard" and "Sleeping Beauty." The subjects of rape, sodomy, incest, and cannibalism is definitely not suitable for children and through this essay, I can definitely see that fairy tales can be much more than children's entertainment.
But after reading Bettelheim's essay, I understood that the blog question for today was not just asking us to look for which essay helped to show that fairy tales could be geared towards adults as well as children, but actually meant for us to see which essay showed that fairy tales were more than children's entertainment - as in fairy tales could be educational/integral to the development of children as well as be entertaining.
Bettelheim definitely made a great point by showing how the content of fairy tales is at the same time entertaining and engaging but also stimulates children's imaginations, illustrate to children potential dilemmas and difficulties they might face in real life, and also help children to have confidence in their ability to face and resolve these difficulties.
So I guess my answer to today's blog question would depend on how you interpret it.
To me, Darnton's essay is more effective than Bettelheim's essay in showing that fairy tales can be geared towards adults as well as children, but Bettelheim's essay is definitely better at illustrating the educational as well as entertainment value that fairy tales have for children.
Darnton's essay also points out other, earlier versions of fairy tales like "Bluebeard" and "Sleeping Beauty." The subjects of rape, sodomy, incest, and cannibalism is definitely not suitable for children and through this essay, I can definitely see that fairy tales can be much more than children's entertainment.
But after reading Bettelheim's essay, I understood that the blog question for today was not just asking us to look for which essay helped to show that fairy tales could be geared towards adults as well as children, but actually meant for us to see which essay showed that fairy tales were more than children's entertainment - as in fairy tales could be educational/integral to the development of children as well as be entertaining.
Bettelheim definitely made a great point by showing how the content of fairy tales is at the same time entertaining and engaging but also stimulates children's imaginations, illustrate to children potential dilemmas and difficulties they might face in real life, and also help children to have confidence in their ability to face and resolve these difficulties.
So I guess my answer to today's blog question would depend on how you interpret it.
To me, Darnton's essay is more effective than Bettelheim's essay in showing that fairy tales can be geared towards adults as well as children, but Bettelheim's essay is definitely better at illustrating the educational as well as entertainment value that fairy tales have for children.
Assignment 1- 13.Jan 2009
Hi , Erin, Marshall, Michelle, Nikki and Tiffany,
Below you will find the question to which all of you must post one response by Tuesday Midnight.
On Wednesday, there will be four posts to read, since you have four group mates. Read through their responses and comment on at least two of them. You could agree, disagree, pose a related question and try to build on what the other person has said.
By Wednesday Midnight, you will have to have posted the comments, so that I can look through what you have written, and forward interesting posts/comments to Prof. Figal.
THE QUESTION FOR 13.JANUARY 2009:
Which of the following two essays do you find more productive in helping you to think about fairy tales as more than children's entertainment? Why?
Darnton, Robert. “Peasants Tell Tales: The Meaning of Mother Goose,” in Tatar, The Classic Fairy Tales
or
Bettelheim, Bruno. “The Struggle for Meaning,” in Tatar, The Classic Fairy Tales
Looking forward to your responses!
Ann
Below you will find the question to which all of you must post one response by Tuesday Midnight.
On Wednesday, there will be four posts to read, since you have four group mates. Read through their responses and comment on at least two of them. You could agree, disagree, pose a related question and try to build on what the other person has said.
By Wednesday Midnight, you will have to have posted the comments, so that I can look through what you have written, and forward interesting posts/comments to Prof. Figal.
THE QUESTION FOR 13.JANUARY 2009:
Which of the following two essays do you find more productive in helping you to think about fairy tales as more than children's entertainment? Why?
Darnton, Robert. “Peasants Tell Tales: The Meaning of Mother Goose,” in Tatar, The Classic Fairy Tales
or
Bettelheim, Bruno. “The Struggle for Meaning,” in Tatar, The Classic Fairy Tales
Looking forward to your responses!
Ann
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