...art, any tale reflects the social order and worldview of those who create it and makes a statement about their goals for telling it. The distinction between a fairy tale and another kind of story, however, lies in the cultural significance of the fairy tale as a form of folklore. In his essay “The Four Functions of Folklore,” William Bascom indicates that those functions are amusement, validation of culture, education, and enforcement of cultural mores; folklore is “a means of applying social pressure and exercising social control” (346). Fairy tales reflect society’s perception of itself and the desires of the portion of society in which the fairy tale originated. Many fairy tales reinforce stereotypes, as well, providing dire predictions of doom for straying from the prescribed path, particularly for personal gain. Zipes argues that, as folk tales moved from oral to literary at the end of the 17th century, they were appropriated: these “products of the imagination are set in a socio-economic context and are used ultimately to impose limitations on the imagination of the producers and receivers” (9). This presumes that there was a change in folk tales which resulted in their being used to perpetrate the value system of the upper class upon the peasantry. This seems like a very difficult assumption to prove, given that the majority of folk tales, in all their multiplicity of forms, reinforce long-standing cultural beliefs; additionally, Zipes implies that folk tales belong to...
Words: 294 - Pages: 2
... Paradoxically enough, a reception of a book starts even before it is taken to reader’s hands and opened. When one only hears the name of the author or the title of the novel, some associations appear almost automatically. These associations can later on influence the reader’s impressions or even – to some degree – the analysis of a chosen literary work. Thus, when the name of Marquez is evoked, the very first thing to come to one’s mind is probably ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ and – for some readers – the term of ‘magic realism’. Every other Marquez’s work must ‘take into an account’ such inevitable context. Then, the title also determines reader’s expectations. In the case of ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ – the subject of this essay – all enormous tradition of love literature passes in the background, due to the novel’s title. To what degree these associations help in the understanding of Marquez’s famous book it is to be discovered. To begin with, obviously not all of the Colombian writer’s works have been created in the magic realist mode. In ‘In Evil Hour’ (1961) or ‘The General in His Labyrinth” (1989) there are hardly any magic realist elements. On the other hand, ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ still functions as the main and most eminent example of magic realism in the world literature, and the one best recognised by an average reader, too. As to ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’, it seems to lie somewhere in between a purely magic realist fiction and a realistic...
Words: 4343 - Pages: 18
...Victor Makara 3.m Essay on The shinning Mountain. Every child wants to impress its parent somehow. Rather it’s getting good grades in school or becoming the star on the football team. Sometimes children feel that they can’t disappoint their parents because they don’t want to appear as a weak person. Especially when they have to live up to their parents’ reputation. This is the case of the Scottish schoolgirl Pangma-La in the modern fairy tale The Shinning Mountain written by Allison Fell. Pangma-La’s father is a famous mountaineer and has named her daughter after the shinning mountain so that she would stand tall and be proud. There is no doubt that the reader deals with a story with super natural elements, which makes it a fairy tale. For instance the mountain goddess who use magic and turns Pangma-La into a swan. The fact that the subject receives help from the mountain goddess the third time is also typical for a fairy tale. The Shinning Mountain takes place in a modern world, for example because Pangma-La takes the bus to school. The fact that the setting takes place in a modern world is unusual for a fairy tale. There seems to be some likeness in the setting of the story – for example the countries the story takes place in – Nepal and Scotland – They are both countries with many mountains, but Scotland is Pangma-La’s home which makes it a lot more safe to be in. The colours that are being used also play a huge part for the story. The colour of the plane is white,...
Words: 493 - Pages: 2
...Engineer Patricia Galloway believes that serving as the first woman president of the 151-year-old American Society of Civil Engineers — a historically male bastion if there ever was one — makes her a role model to women in the industry. It's high times for women leading construction-related engineering groups, with three others currently in high office. The same goes for construction organizations. Nova Group's Carole L Bionda is chairelect of Associated Builders and Contractors. Meanwhile, the US House Education and Workforce Committee last month passed the Family Time Flexibility Act (H.R. 1119) which could undermine workers' most basic rights by altering the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which currently requires employers to pay overtime to certain employees when they are required to work beyond the normal 40 hour work week.( Peterson 98) At home, we're aware (perhaps painfully so) that men and women often have different communication styles. But it's easy to forget that such differences can show up at work, too. To do an effective job of communicating, keep in mind gender-related communication styles. Young boys are socialized to give an immediate answer or solution to a problem. Young girls want answers, too, but tend to talk things over to solve problems. So while a man might prefer to work things out for himself, a woman is more likely to want to discuss them. According to researcher Deborah Tanhen, author of Talking from 9 to 5, when a woman starts to discuss an...
Words: 2048 - Pages: 9
...reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. CHAPTER ONE Once There was a Time An Introduction to the History and Ideology of Folk'and Fairy Tales To begin with a true story told in fairy-tale manner: Once upon a time the famous physicist Albert Einstein was confronted by an overly concemed woman who sought advice on how to raise her small son to become a successful scientist. In particular she wanted to know what kinds ofbooks she sll ould read to her son. "Fairy tales," Einstein responded without. hesitation. "Fine, but what else should I read to him after that?" the mother asked. "More fairy tales, "Einstein stated. "And after that?" "Even more fairy tales. " replied the great scientist, and he waved his pipe like a wizard pronouncing a happy end to a long adventure. It now seems that the entire world has been following Einstein's advice. By 1979 a German literary critic could declare that fairy tales are "fantastically in."\ In fact, everywhere one turns today fairy tales and fairy-tale motifs pop up like magic. Bookshops are flooded with . fairy tales by J.R.R. Tolkien, Hermann Hesse, the Grimm Brothers, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, a myriad of folk-tale adaptations, feminist and fractured fairy tales, and scores of sumptuously illustrated fantasy...
Words: 8338 - Pages: 34
...Women in our society Engineer Patricia Galloway believes that serving as the first woman president of the 151-year-old American Society of Civil Engineers - a historically male bastion if there ever was one - makes her a role model to women in the industry. It's high times for women leading construction-related engineering groups, with three others currently in high office. The same goes for construction organizations. Nova Group's Carole L Bionda is chairelect of Associated Builders and Contractors. Meanwhile, the US House Education and Workforce Committee last month passed the Family Time Flexibility Act (H.R. 1119) which could undermine workers' most basic rights by altering the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which currently requires employers to pay overtime to certain employees when they are required to work beyond the normal 40 hour work week.( Peterson 98) At home, we're aware (perhaps painfully so) that men and women often have different communication styles. But it's easy to forget that such differences can show up at work, too. To do an effective job of communicating, keep in mind gender-related communication styles. Young boys are socialized to give an immediate answer or solution to a problem. Young girls want answers, too, but tend to talk things over to solve problems. So while a man might prefer to work things out for himself, a woman is more likely to want to discuss them. According to researcher Deborah Tanhen, author of Talking from 9 to...
Words: 2052 - Pages: 9
...Dear Reader, Below you will find my intellectual journey as I have undergone a critical reflection on various forms of interpretations of children’s literature. This paper is essentially an academic endeavor, but it does differ from an academic essay in that the conclusion is reached in the same way an insight is formed: by starting out with an idea, thesis, antithesis and finally sublation. The resolution is an epiphany of sorts that, like a quest, comes only at the end, after having undergone various trials. I would like to think that this piece of writing exhibits the point I wish to instill: the necessity of imaginative freedom in myth. Let Absurdity Reign Erich Fromm interprets the story of Little Red Riding Hood as the “expression of a deep antagonism against men and sex” (TFL 241). Men (who are represented by the wolf) are seen as “ruthless and cunning animals, who turn the sexual act into a cannibalistic ritual” (CFT 7). A man is a heartless animal driven by the two most primary animal faculties: lust and hunger. Susan Brownmiller contrasts this position with her interpretation of the same tale as a “cultural story that holds the gender bottom line by perpetuating the notion that women are at once victims of male violence even as they must position themselves as beneficiaries of male protection”(CFT 8). Thus, according to Fromm, it is the wolf himself that symbolizes men, whilst for Brownmiller the story itself perpetuates a message of gender prejudice and stereotyping...
Words: 2720 - Pages: 11
...affects the content and nature of contemporary arts practices This essay considers how the Bardic Tradition affects the content and nature of contemporary arts. This will be carried out by selecting some examples of work and describing in more detail the process and influence of the Bardic Tradition on contemporary arts practices and how this is narrated and interpreted today. The examples of work that this essay will look at are The Brothers Grimm and Fairy tales, Pantomime and how stories are told through re-enactment and Paula Rego’s art exhibition of 30 Rhymes and Tales. With these examples we will explore how the Bardic Tradition has stood the change of time and progression of technology and aims to achieve to show if and where it still exists and is relevant in today’s society. The routes of the Bardic Tradition travel back to Stonehenge and the Bronze Age originating in middle England, Ireland and Wales. Bardic Tradition is a Celtic culture which incorporates Gaelic tradition and is an oral tradition of preserving and sharing culture and histories. Amy Wright P11248462 “The earliest historical records of it were made by the Romans who invaded Britain just over 2000 years ago, but the British Celtic culture which they describe, and within which the Bards assumed great importance, was at that time already ancient”. (Skea, 1994, P1). Bardic traditions embrace such things as Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fantasy worlds. Great story tellers of...
Words: 1750 - Pages: 7
...THE FABLE - HISTORY In this section we shortly go through the history of fable, from its origins to our days. The folk tale is the expression of that fanciful heritage spontaneously created in any kind of culture, for the man's innate needs. At first it was handed down by word of mouth, then it was collected by enthusiasts and scholars, and in the end, it was revised by the individual inspiration of story-tellers and fabulists, who added some elements of personal invention. The exigency of fancy often joins the reality of the environment where the fable was born: so, together with certain natural elements common to the folk creative power (contrast between the good and the bad, the sly and the fool, the tyrant and the victim; a happy ending at the conclusion of a succession of more or less intricate adventures), it is not difficult to find in the types, in the names used, in the outlined customs, the characteristics which mark its country of origin. The fable (in the Greek language “muzos”, which you can also literally translate with “myth”) has its own evolution in the time, according to the development of the people expressing it. Some famous collections belong to the oriental traditions, which, in that way, handed down warnings rich in ancient wisdom or adventures rich in extraordinary fact, tricks and unexpected events. Other collections, the Greek and Roman ones, show religious elements (the origin of the world or cosmology, the stories of gods, heroes and men), where...
Words: 1002 - Pages: 5
...Disney and the American Princess: The Americanization of European Fairy Tales [pic] Marina Alexandrova Student number 3021874 MA Thesis, American Studies Program Utrecht University Course code 200401064 23943 words 12 August 2009 Contents Title page………………………………………………………………1 Contents……………………………………………………………….2 Introduction……………………………………………………………3 Chapter 1: European Fairy Tales and Values about Gender and Class………………………………………10 Chapter 2: Disney Animation and American Culture…………………24 Chapter 3: Disney Animation and (Gender) Commodification…………………………………………..55 Conclusion…………………………………………………………...73 Bibliography…………………………………………………………78 Introduction Among the various aspects which define contemporary life, popular culture – and in particular, American popular culture – is undoubtedly one of the most ubiquitous and long-lasting. Throughout the twentieth century, people around the world have enjoyed film, music, animation, and written works by various authors and artists. One of the most famous and significant American entertainers of the lot has been Walt Disney, introducing millions of children and adults to his world of limitless (or so is widely believed) imagination and magic, from the earliest short cartoons produced in the 1920s, to full-length feature animations such as Snow White and the Seven...
Words: 25499 - Pages: 102
...Ha Nguyen Instructor: D. Aleksandrova English 102 Poetry Essay June 17, 2013 My Beloved - Annabel Lee “Annabel Lee” was the last poem that Poe composed, and was first published in November, 1849, a month or so after his death. Poe once said, “The death of a beautiful woman is the most poetic topic in the world”, that’s “Annabel Lee.” The poem is about a beautiful, but painful memory. The speaker of the poem is remembering his long-lost love, Annabel Lee. The narrator, who fell in love with Annabel Lee when they were young, has a love for her so strong that even angels are envious. He retains his love for her even after her death. The poem has since become one of Poe’s most popular works. “Annabel Lee’ follows Poe’s favorite theme, the death of a beautiful woman, which Poe called “the most poetical topic in the world”. The love between the narrator and “Annabel Lee” is so strong and beautiful and pure that even after her death, the love remains alive, eternal, because the souls of the lover remain united. Poe begins the poem by painting a romantic and fairy tale story, telling us that the story we are about to hear happened “many a year ago”. Akin to a fairy story, the author takes us to a kingdom by the sea that existed in the remote past, when both he and his beloved Annabel Lee were (Poe line 1-4) It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; In stanza two, Poe tells us...
Words: 1061 - Pages: 5
...#essay 1 #Miaoshu Jiang #07/09/2012 When I was a little girl, I loved bedtime stories, especially those in Andersen's Fairy Tales. My mom often read them for me, but, most of the time, I enjoyed reading them myself. While I was proud of the ugly duckling who eventually evolved to a gorgeous swan, happy for Cinderella who suffered so much but found her prince in the end, and sorry for the little match girl who was found frozen to death on the last night of the old year, I was impressed by the author’s solid knowledge of literature. He easily controlled my mood by merely applying some simple words. At that time, I thought literacy equaled a good story. As time went by, I started to study in a primary school. Somehow, I went to a composition class in grade four and became the best student in that class by the end of that semester. However, at first, I did not understand the assignments. In my mind, I still loved stories, and all I wanted to write were lovely stories. However, a description of a building was the first required assignment. Since stories were the only writing style I knew, it made me so confused that I even did not know how to start . Nevertheless, I had no choice but tried to observe, touch and feel the object that I was going to write. Gradually, I found I fell in love with the process of watching before writing. It made me understand that literacy was not just a good story but came from a thorough observation of life. Quickly I became a high school...
Words: 423 - Pages: 2
................................................................................... 13 References............................................................................................................................... 14 Introduction Fairytales have become an integral part of children literature. The various tales have been reinvented as picture books, novels, animated and real-life films. The stories have been twisted and shaped by an ever changing society to represent a wide range of the dominant society’s views. Among these they show perspectives on social class, women’s roles, cultural differences, religion, and human behaviour. As time goes on, the original tales are discarded and the altered stories become widely known and read. This can lead to the underlying perspectives of the altered stories become subconsciously engrained in the new generation. The effect of this can have a large impact on the views of individuals and groups. The question asked is do fairy tales actually have that much power to influence people’s viewpoints? Are they really biased towards the dominant culture? This essay will critique the popular tale of Aladdin, focusing on the Disney version. Three perspectives will be...
Words: 3736 - Pages: 15
...In my paper, I discuss the purpose that motivates how antagonists in Disney movies are portrayed visually and behaviourally, and how these portrayals are intended to engage and assist the audience’s perception of such characters. Many Disney productions are adaptations of traditional fables and fairy tales which can often be traced back to Victorian times. In particular, stories from “Kinder -und Hausmärchen” written by Jacob and Wilheim Grimm are commonly employed in producing Disney films which adapt and elongate their storylines for the big screen. Consequently, much of the original storylines are altered for theatrical and practical purposes when adopted by the Walt Disney Company, and creative liberties often distort the intended portrayals of the characters that were determined in the original stories. For instance, in Walt Disney’s film “Cinderella” (1950), Cinderella’s stepsisters are portrayed as unattractive, with boyish figures and rectangular frames as well as facial features which may be considered ‘manly’. The discrepancy between the physical traits of the stepsisters featured in Disney’s film versus Grimms’ original description, which characterized them as having “beautiful features but proud, nasty and...
Words: 480 - Pages: 2
...KING LEAR Act One The play opens at Lear’s court, where we meet the main characters. The opening scene is in itself shocking, as Lear forces his daughters to declare their love for him. The one who loves him the most will receive the largest part of his kingdom, which he intends to divide between the three. Lear himself wishes to hand over the ruling of the kingdom to his daughters, while retaining the ‘Pre-eminence, and all the large effects / That troop with majesty’ (Scene 1, Lines 131-2). Goneril and Regan acquit themselves well at this love test. Cordelia, however, dismayed by her sisters’ ponderous words, refuses to take part in the ‘contest’ and tells Lear that she loves him as her duty instructs her. When Cordelia refuses to speak again, Lear casts her off without a moment’s hesitation. Ken attempts to argue with the King, accusing him of ‘hideous rashness’ (Scene 1, Line 151). When Kent further warns Lear that his elder daughters are false flatterers, Kent too is banished. Lear invests Albany and Cornwall with power, and, after Burgundy refuses to take Cordelia as his wife, now that she is without dowry, France takes her for her virtues alone. Goneril and Regan complain, in private, about Lear’s harsh judgement and unpredictable behaviour and worry that they too may be treated unfairly. Edmund, Gloucester’s bastard son, soliloquises about his own situation, revealing his devious intentions towards his brother. When his father enters, Edmund’s...
Words: 27223 - Pages: 109
