A Review of the Semester

I absolutely loved this. It was one of my favorites this semester. Unfortunately this semester was a pretty difficult one so I wasn't able to focus on the class like I would have hoped. But I still had a lot of fun. Having walked into the class not really knowing anything about fairytales I'm very glad that I had the opportunity to learn so much. I was even able to bring my knowledge into my other classes. For instance, in my Cinema class, I wrote a paper using a lot of what I learned throughout the year. (As you can see, I tend to mention Cinema a lot in this blog too.) And I'm even in ASL, so it was interesting to have the ASL department come into class and do a bit of storytime. I really enjoyed that.

I think I had to most difficulty with Aanre and Thompson Classifications, just because they seemed so weird for me and I'm not great with memorization. But I loved listening to how the different cultures around the world use fairytales and folktales. I also liked to analyze the tales. That was amazing. It's strange to think about how there is so much more that you can take out of the stories. I really liked this class and would definitely recommend it to any literature or arts major.

Rama's Influence on the World

When we started with this particular section, I was absolutely floored by the fact that there have been full trials that last for decades on what is commonly accepted as a fictional tale. I am still trying to decide how the story of Rama is considered a fairytale. It may contain elements that are found in fairytales, but seems to me to be much more of a cultural epic, like that of Homer and the Iliad or the Odyssey. The actual events of the stories do not seem to indicate a fairytale either. While the main characters are fighting their way through a series of troubles, most of their problems come from very outside influences, and not people that are much closer to them. (In the majority of fairytales, the antagonist is a family member or someone of personal acquaintance to the protagonist.) But here it seems that most of the troubles arise from fairy creatures.

It is after hearing some of the stories of Rama and his bride Sita that I realize in one of my favorite movies, they tell the stories of Rama. (I had originally thought these to be the 1001 Nights...) One of the most beautiful renditions of the tales of Rama (looking at them as a Cinema major), though sadly brief, is when they were depicted in Alfonso Cuarón's A Little Princess. Here they illustrated some of the tales (though they were mostly of the Indian influence, they still contained many of the Arabic elements.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11mPJP89zFo

I hope that one day I will be able to go through and actually read these stories. Having been so influential on the Indian community is amazing. Even in the US, those of Hindu faith still hold tight to these stories as cultural gems.

Arabic Folktales

In class today we had a speaker come in to talk about Arabic folktales. I've always had a bit of a fascination with Arabic culture so I was really looking forward to this lecture. I was actually really disappointed that there weren't more actual tales told, but it was really interesting to learn about the origins of the traditional Arabic folklore. I did not really realize how widespread the Arabic culture was, though I always knew how influential it was on the rest of the world. I had actually applied to two schools, one Cairo, Egypt, the other in Dubai in U.A.E. in the hopes of studying there. It was, unfortunately, far too expensive. But my interest is still strong and I like to hear about the varying culture of the Arabic world.

I particularly enjoy the 1001 Nights because of the original tales that were deeply influenced by both traditional Arabic and Indian cultures. I would like to start reading more of the tales, though, since this is one of the main reasons I took the class. One day, I would like to take some of the tales because I want to make beautiful renditions of them cinematically, so that they might be able to adapt to the changing times, and maybe it will help the stories to survive longer. 

Folklore from Kenya

I liked the African folklore a lot. It is very different from Western Fairytales in many ways. For the most part, African fairytales involve animal characters, instead of humans. Most characters, human or animal, tend to be adult. The tales are usually very short and have a more definitive moral or lesson. Also, there is a much more distinct sense of unity and community in these tales. For instance most of the solutions come from whole communities working together.

One thing that I like is that African folklore does not always centre around a moral, but rather on preferred traits in people. For instance, most of the stories  are about wit and quick thinking. In a harsh environment like Africa, wit is a highly valued character trait.

I also like that the tales attempt to explain things in life. For instance "How the Crocodile Got the Bumps on His Back" and "How the Hare Got his Long Ears"

One thing that was brought up that I thought was interesting was that Calulu, the hare, was the main character in most of the tales told on Thursday to us in class. The speaker pointed out that Calulu is prominant mostly in Eastern Africa. In Western Africa, it is Anansi, the spider, who is the most prominent. I've actually heard of Anansi quite a bit. One of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, uses him in novels constantly.

A Different Kind of Fairytale

Bluebeard is one of the most interesting fairytales (at least for me,) that we've studied so far this year. It differs from many of the other fairytales in quite a few ways.

 Firstly, the main character is forced into a marriage she does not want to be in, unlike where many of the characters get to be put into marriages they are happy with. The heroine is scared of her husband and does not wish to stay there. In some of the versions, she grows to like him or simply tolerate him, mostly due to his enormous wealth and generosity towards her. These stories often describe the husband as an older man, or a man with a "blue beard". Another difference here is that the heroine often does not help herself get out of the danger. Instead, indicating yet another oddity, the family, usually brothers, come to save her from the man. (In most fairytales it is the heroine/hero who saves the family.)

My favorite version of Bluebeard is the Fitcher's Bird by the Brothers Grimm because this story really illustrates "Bluebeard", here the sorcerer, as a murderous and violent man. He slaughters the heroine's two older sisters before he gets to her. And she is also able to not only outsmart the sorcerer and save herself, but her sisters as well.

Bluebeard's tale is rather interesting because most of the fairytales glorify marriage as something to look forward to and adore. The Bluebeard stories, however, make marriage almost scary. They really demonstrate a young girls fears about marriage during these time periods where she was not able to chose her own husband and might end up with a much older man, or a man who scares of frightens her. These stories really illustrate the anxieties of young girls who were on their way to marriage and ended with a darker and not so happy ending.

Rags to Riches...A Reflection on "Cinderella" Stories

Everyone wants to believe they can do better, have better, or be better. Whether this inspires hope in us or creates an incurable sense of longing, rags to riches stories will always touch us in some way. The fairytale of Cinderella and all its worldly embodiments is one of the most famous rags to riches storylines.

In every version of Cinderella stories, the main character goes from an abused, poorly state to the status of princess by winning over the prince with beauty and good looks. In most of the stories, she is a kind woman, though not in all. Also, the difference between Western and Eastern culture is displayed in the Cinderella tales from the respective areas when there is more emphasis put on marriage for love or marriage for the sake of marriage. Yet in all, the rags to riches girl lives happily ever after.


I am actually pretty bothered by the Cinderella stories. While it may inspire hope in some, it seems that the heroine only gets the attention of the prince by being beautiful. In all of the stories, the heroine is a beyond gorgeous, tiny little girl, and it is often made quite clear that the marriage of a supposed peasant girl to the prince is only accepted because she's so beautiful. Furthermore, while she does take the time to dress up and of her own volition and bravery go to each festival/ball/ceremony held, in every story she is simply given what she wants (i.e. beautiful, expensive gowns made of the finest materials which attract everyone's attention,) without her actually working to get them in any way.  These stories seemingly do little to inspire one to make a path for their own or make the effort themselves to make their lives better. Nor do these stories help those who may already consider themselves homely, if at best.

Though, in all honesty, I am sure we all enjoy the Cinderella story in some way, it can give us a bit of hope, if only for a little while, or if only to day dream...





On a side note:
Personally, though, my favorite version of Cinderella has always been a movie adaptation where the girl is not only supposed to be homely (so she is not chosen on her looks alone) but also stands up for herself eventually and takes control of securing her own future. The movie is called Ever After.

ASL and Visual Storytelling

Having the ASL department come into class was amazing. I really loved watching the signers tell their stories. I am in ASL (American Sign Language) level 1 and so I was able to understand some of it. Though, most of it was so visual, you really didn't need to actually understand the language. It's the beauty of storytelling and storytellers.

Inspired by this, I decided to combine many of my studies and create this video. Theatre (acting, though poorly on my behalf,) cinema and filming, ASL, and of course fairytales. I now present you with this video, made by myself and my roommate. :) Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D8wDTz2crk

special thanks to Ro-z Edelston for helping me out!

Snow White with a twist....

So, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves has been an iconic fairytale for centuries. There have been quite a few twists and parodies and remakes, but the basic story remains the same. A beautiful little girl is outcast by her stepmother who tries to remove her from her father's love and/or kill her to keep herself to most beautiful. The Snow White figure dies in someway or another, is brought back, and is eventually forgiven or rewarded to repay for the tragedies she has encountered.

However, the German heavy-metal band of Rammstein decided to take a different stance on the Snow White tale.

Rammstein - Sonne (Official Video with Subtitles)

In this music video, Snow White is a rather hateful character who torments the dwarves who so graciously bring her in. The dwarves work all day in the mines to find her gold for her. She later overdoses on the gold and the dwarves enshrine her in a glass casket at the top of a mountain. Here she is awoken by a falling apple. Through all the abuse, the dwarves still seem to worship her. There is no knight or prince to come and save her and there is no wholesome attitude here.

I'm not really sure if I like this story or the classic fairytales more. In some ways it seems more appropriate because Snow White is not abused unrightfully, however, she abuses those who, according to the classics, we assume have taken her in out of kindness. So it is still a rather confusing message. I like the music, sure, and the lyrics are pretty interesting as well. The artistic nature of the music video is particularly interesting to me because I am a Cinema major. But the overall message of the video is not necessarily something I can relate to or find interesting. I'm not sure if I'm getting the right message out of it, but I can't seem to find something more of it other than appreciation for the different take on a classic fairytale.

A Comparison

The two fairytales we covered in week five are all those that relate to Beauty and the Beast and then the Greek tale of Cupid and Psyche. There are several versions of the Beauty and the Beast: Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's version, Giovanni Francesco Straparola's by the name of "The Pig King", The Brothers Grimm version called "The Frog King", Angela Carter's "The Tiger's Bride", "Urashima the Fisherman", Alexander Afanasev's "The Frog Princess", and "The Swan Maiden".   (Quite the collection, huh?)

"Cupid and Psyche" is much different from the traditional Beauty and the Beast tales. For starters, no one in the Greek tale is ugly or monstrous. Only the idea that Psyche's unknown husband might be a monster, though he turns out to be the angelic Cupid. In the other tales, there is at least one character who is unsavory either in character or appearance.

Furthermore, in the fairytales, there is usually some sort of bargaining between the parents (usually the father) for the daughter's hand in marriage. For example, the father has done something wrong against the beast figure and so the prettiest daughter's hand is asked in marriage to repay the sin. In "Cupid and Psyche" however, it is a prophecy that Psyche decides to follow of her own accord the unites her with Cupid, the proclaimed "beast" figure.

Also, in most of the tales, it is the beast figure who ends up unconscious, dead, or under a spell, and the beauty saves them. However, it is quite the opposite in the Greek tale. Cupid, again seen as the beast figure, is the one who saves the beauty, Psyche, from a deathly sleep cast upon her.

These tales share very similar traits in basic ways, as well. There is a perceived "beast" figure, whether in personality or appearance. There is a "beauty" figure, who tends to be the submissive type and is usually reluctant in some degree towards the situation of marriage with the beast. There is also some jealous family member, usually the sisters, who try to sabotage the marriage. Finally, there is some sort of trial the one character goes through to be reunited with the other.

However slight the differences, these two can definitely be classified together. Especially since both the Greek tale and most of the fairytales end up with a Happy Ending.

Little Red Riding Hood, that trouble-maker....

So I found this cartoon comic in relation to Little Red Riding Hood. Honestly, the wolf has always been an interesting character to me. Why choose to go after this particular little girl? Why was the grandmother not enough? He's got an odd sense of humor. Well, I feel like these are mostly questions that look into the story too much, but what about an updated look into the story?

Personally, I like this comic. I think that demonstrates the change that our age is going through. We're developing so fast, that tastes change and can see what we've changed from. This comic in particular shows the change from the majority of the civilizations just trying to get by on food, to entire cultures becoming very particular and picky about their food. Just a hundred years ago one would've been happy to have a meal on the table and now their are even groups on campus that will refuse to eat something that is not "all-natural" or "green".  It also gives a better sense of how the world has changed by way of health and vanity. In the original fairy tales, the wolf merely comments that the grandmother tasted "tough" and was skinny and lean. Now he has to eat her artificial hip, wig, and false teeth. One is more of a health necessity, but by most standards, a wig and false teeth are purely for physical appearance. Knowing the original fairy tales, this comic very simply demonstrates the changes in society from when the story was created to now.

The Psychology Behind Fairytales

Fairytales and Children
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Okay, so fairytales are timeless. But why? I mean, there's so much violence and sexuality in fairytales, are they really good for children?

Well, yes. Why? Because just like in Disney movies, children tend duck right under all the stuff that adults think twice about. When you heard the story of Little Red Riding Hood as a kid, even the most cleaned up version, did you ever think about the horror behind the fact that a wolf just devoured Red's grandmother? Not really. You just accepted that she was gone and the wolf was responsible.

Okay, but does that mean that fairytales are necessarily good for kids? Well, yes. Studies have shown that in most cases, fairytales can teach children some very important lessons in life. Respect for elders, to cherish family, to look after siblings, to gain independence and confidence. But most of all, fairytales give children hope. And hope is the most important thing life to have.

Freud's Influence on Fairytale Psychology

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So, we've established that fairytales are good tools in the upbringing of children. But what do they do for adults? Well, that's were more involved psychology comes into play. Not many put stock in psychology, and one can argue that there wasn't much thought really put into the writing and development of fairytales. But you have to admit that even then, they still have an effect on us when we read them. Part of the thought process behind these stories, in fact, is very simple: People are programmed to try to find meaning in the world. Fairytales, like much of literature, can supply some answers to those questions we all ask and paths for us to follow in life.

One of the most important psychologists in history was Sigmund Freud. Much of Freud's work is actually comes a lot from the study of physics and a lot of his work related mainly to the sexuality of the human mind, and the importance of the subconscious. He believed that the subconscious was what held the most important aspects of the human psyche: violent motives, secret fears, unacceptable desires, etc...

Freud developed three main levels of understanding which are often used in the psychological study of fairytales: the id, the ego, and the superego. Id is a human's basic primative drives, or the primary process. I'm hungry, so I eat. I'm tired, so I sleep. The basic needs of function are satisfied with the id. The ego is the intermediary for reality, or the secondary process. The ego defines what a person is capable of, what a person can do. The id says "I'm hungry, let's eat." and the ego says "I'm in class and I have to wait til it's over before I can eat." Then, there's the super ego, which is mostly influenced by culture and surroundings. The super ego is the moral conscious. One can relate these three to the example of an angel and a demon on either shoulder. The id is represented by the demon, "This person is a threat to me, attack them." The ego is the person, "Physically, I'm matched, so I might actually be able to win in a fight with this person." And the super ego is the angel, "This person didn't actually do anything wrong to me, it would not be right to attack them." It sounds silly, but this is a very basic way to explain Freud's theory of the how subconscious works.

Okay, that's great. But what does this have to do with fairytales? Well, you can actually see a lot of influence in fairytales. Take Hansel and Gretel. They are walking through a forest, starved, and come across a house made of bread. The id takes over and without a thought, without the super ego to kick in, they simply start eating someone's house. In fact, a lot of fairytales represent the struggles people experience between the id, the ego and the superego.

How Fairytales are Used in Psychology
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That sounds terrific, but it still doesn't explain how fairytales aid adults. Well, keeping in mind the idea that there are eight defensive/coping mechanisms that people use to deal with conflict in life (repression, projection, denial, rationalization, regression, reaction formation, displacement, and sublimation), fairytales can illustrate how people react to and deal with problems in their lives. For example, a psychiatrist once used fairytales to treat a patient; the patient was asked to tell the story of a little girl who aids three strangers, a child, a woman and an old man, the patient skipped over the old man. Through extensive insight, it was brought forth that the patient had been subjected to abuse by an older uncle--who, in her mind, was represented by the old man. Though, there are many other ways that fairytales have been used in the work of psychiatry, this is one example.

Jung and the Collective Unconscious
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The most influential person in the field of fairytale psychology, however, is Carl Jung. Jung believed in the idea of a collective unconscious. This was his way of explaining universal morals and beliefs, i.e. respect for elders, an official union of two lovers (marriage), etc... Jung explained collective unconscious as the repository of racial memories, encoded in the cells and passed on genetically.  These are especially apparent when one looks at fairytales that were written around the world in different cultures and eras and contain many similar elements.

One example is in the study of archetypes. Archetypes result from energy that centres in the unconscious. They are based on universal experiences and expressions of dreams. Some examples of archetypes include the Wise Old Man, Mother Earth, and the Trickster. Archetypical themes in fairytales include the family romance, which focuses on growth and reconciliation of opposites, or the hero's journey, which focuses on transformation and the gaining of wisdom.

Conclusion?
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While there is much in fairytales that is open for interpretation, one method to go about understanding their influence on people is through the use of psychology. There are many reasons that fairytales have lasted this long. They have helped to shape generation after generation of children and have even aided adults in life. In anyway you look at them, they are still a source of entertainment and are likely to continue to stand the test of time. Psychology is merely one tool used in their interpretation and study.

Well now, what exactly IS a fairytale?

Gooooood question.

A fairytale, in the simplest, most basic terms, is a short story comprised of fantastic elements. At their origins, fairytales were passed from generation to generation orally. They have been developed all around the world, in many cultures and languages, and have become timeless pieces of literature.

A fairytale, however, has certain features that separate it from legends and myths. First and foremost, a fairytale is not meant to describe or record any particular historical facts or events, nor do they directly represent and support religion. In fact, many fairytales undermine certain religions and make their own decisions about important topics that were generally answered by the local religion, i.e. how did life originate?

A second distinct characteristic of fairytales is that they do not address a certain time or time-period. While there are some details that may indicate an era, there are never specific statements made about what year it is or where the fairytale took place. For example, you might be told there is a king, which could indicate anytime, really; or you might be informed that the characters are prancing through some forest. But you will never be told that King Richard of England took the peasant away from his family, etc. . .In fact, time is rarely an issue in fairytales. If a princess falls asleep and is woken a hundred years later, it is not questioned why she probably wears clothing that is entirely inappropriate for the time period. She has not aged and manages to speak with the prince despite the fact that over the course of a hundred years, even the language she had spoken would have evolved significantly.

In fact, there is a lot of detail that is left out of fairytales. For instance, if a child's mother is not in the story, it is rarely described how she died or why she left, unless the reason is to come into play later in the story. Magic is simple. No components are ever needed to be searched for. The character usually happens to have them on hand. The most important part relating to this idea is that all mystical elements are simply accepted. There is never any question as to how or why an animal can talk. The child just talks right back to the frog. There is never any question as to how a beanstalk several thousand feet high can grow or why or how a giant lives up in the clouds. Magic coexists with the real world completely and seamlessly in fairytales.

There is indeed, a lot that is not questioned in fairytales. There is no questioning the amount of time that passes, or magical elements in the story. Nudity and sexuality are never questioned or thought of out of place. There is never a sentimental connection made between a helper and the receiver of the help. If the main character is aided by a stranger on the road, they simply accept the help and move on. There is also no emotion to the characters in a story. Love, brotherhood, family ties, are not made an important part of a story. A princess might run away with a knight, but their love is not detailed or explained.

Lastly, there is no depth to fairytales. They are made simple and short. The characters do not have many dimensions and rarely have even emotions or thought processes. They just are and they just act.

All the same, fairytales have been considered valuable in the unbringing of children for centuries. Many people believe they are important to the development of a person's character. The fact that these stories have lasted for so long is proof enough of their importance to humanity.

So, Kiera, why this class?

Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010
Blog Entry #1

Why did you choose this class? What are you hoping to accomplish in the seminar? What is your favorite folktale or fairytale of all times and why?


Cut to me last year pouring over my computer trying desperately to decide what in Isis' name I'd be taking for Fall Semester at school. My eyes were all blurred and I could barely focus with so many exceptions, requirements, and compatibility needs whirling in my head--forget what actually wanted to take. I felt like my head was going to explode. Trying to keep my potential double major in mind, (Technical Theatre/Cinema), I carefully selected over the course of a month what classes exactly I was going to take. Yet even after submitting my final schedule, I still felt like there was simply too much time and not enough classes, go figure. So I continued to search through menu after menu of classes until I came to the SIS link. Sophomore Interdisciplinary Studies. Okay, cool, not only will I be able to fill in more time, get more credits and cover some more requirements for my BA, but some of these classes actually looked interesting.  That's when I came across Folklore and Fairytales. This was it. I have always had a fascination with fantasy works, and what better way to satisfy requirements and find inspirations for my work in film than a class like this? So, here I am.

Reading over the course list and my reading materials, I have developed quite a few hopes and expectations from this class. When considering my major and the main reason I signed up, I hope mainly to understand how to interpret fairytales better so that I might pull from the vast amount of stories to find inspirations for stories of my own. I also want to create a better base from which to pull elements of fantasy from around the world. I am fascinated with all sorts of global cultural aspects and this will be a very satisfying experience for me.

As to the question of what my favorite fairytale or folktale is, it is very difficult to come up with a response. While I am familiar with the most popular if fairy tales, I did not grow up reading any one particular story over and over. Instead, I had many books that were modern spin-offs and comedic retellings of many classic fairytales, which I happen to love very much. But if I cycle through the few stories that I do remember, most of the ones that stick out most to me are those from the Dark Ages/Renaissance eras or the true fantasy tales from the Middle East. Therefore, it is these that I would like to learn more about.