Fairy Tales
The Archetypal Fairy Tale
• Stories, often told to children, to entertain, instruct or teach
• Often used to illustrate the problems that children and young people face as they become adults
• The characters in fairy tales represent part of our own “psyche” or inner self
Common themes in fairy tales include:
• Boy fairy tale plots focus on exploration, discovery, and include a climax which separates the boy from his childhood. Usually by the end, the boy has grown into a man.
• Girl fairy tale plots focus on discovery as well, but also abduction, outside threats, powers beyond their control, and falling in love. Usually by the end, the girl has grown into a woman.
Fairy Tale Characters
• Often good, innocent, or sometimes foolish.
• Often instructed by an older person or character (sometimes a mystical creature)
• Often fairy tale characters have to face great odds
• Often fairy tale characters are given an item(s) that allows them to discover who they are
Fairy tale form:
• Usually written in 3rd person point of view with an omniscient narrator
• Usually begins with “Once upon a time…” and ends “happily ever after.”
• Usually include the rule of 3 (the first two times a character tries something, it usually doesn’t work)
• Stories, often told to children, to entertain, instruct or teach
• Often used to illustrate the problems that children and young people face as they become adults
• The characters in fairy tales represent part of our own “psyche” or inner self
Common themes in fairy tales include:
• MetamorphosisThere are often boy and girl fairy tales. These differ in plot.
• Transformation
• Imprisonment
• Love
• Good versus evil (overcoming obstacles)
• Death or transition
• Illusion or misunderstanding
• Rules or authority
• Boy fairy tale plots focus on exploration, discovery, and include a climax which separates the boy from his childhood. Usually by the end, the boy has grown into a man.
• Girl fairy tale plots focus on discovery as well, but also abduction, outside threats, powers beyond their control, and falling in love. Usually by the end, the girl has grown into a woman.
Fairy Tale Characters
• Often good, innocent, or sometimes foolish.
• Often instructed by an older person or character (sometimes a mystical creature)
• Often fairy tale characters have to face great odds
• Often fairy tale characters are given an item(s) that allows them to discover who they are
Fairy tale form:
• Usually written in 3rd person point of view with an omniscient narrator
• Usually begins with “Once upon a time…” and ends “happily ever after.”
• Usually include the rule of 3 (the first two times a character tries something, it usually doesn’t work)
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