Project Web

For project web my group and I created a website based on our topic of choice.
http://tnswwoft.weebly.com

                                                               Sweet as Sugar
Fairy tales have been passed down from generation to generation and as they go along bits and parts are changed but in the end they still have the same significance. Fairy tales are valued and utilized as morals that teach children how to behave in society and obey their parents. Although many fairy tales have a second meaning that not many people can catch onto and some are meanings not expect. Those meanings, the one revealed, are a bit more explicit but are very useful, the questions is would the parents be willing to expose their children to the original fairy tales and their second meaning in order for them to learn about life. The original fairy tales are important in childrens lives even if those stories can at times be a bit gruesome, because the way the fairy tale teaches the child the moral is important. The Disney version of the fairy tales and their morals are not practical because they are speaking of reality while the original version is not always as nice but it actually teaches the children something.

Fairy tales were made to be exposing to the dangers of the world to beware the children and have them ready for it. It is clear that the old fairy tales are written in these ways because for that era those types of descriptions were appropriate unlike now, where almost everything for children is put in kinder words. Newer, kinder fairy tales still teach the children morals but they are not the morals that were first made, that actually teach the children of how the world truly is, for life is not always a happily ever after and it is not always fair. Many parents can say those types of meanings are the reason they prefer newer versions of fairy tales like the Disney versions, because of the explicit morals they have. Yet not all original fairy tales are as gruesome or violent for the child, it is just the moral that can be more out there. For instance the fairy tale of Cinderella, it is practically the same as the Disney version except for the fairy godmother and the step sisters hurting themselves to be the prince’s wife, giving it a little more action but not much. Even though the story has a tad bit of gruesomeness in it, it is still a lovely story but with different morals; the original one is more self-centered. In the article, “Cinderella” there is many different version of the popular fairy tale, in the Charles Perrault version the fairy tale morals is to be, “Beauty in a woman is a rare treasure that will always be admired.” This moral shows that if you are beautiful you will be more admired than those of lesser beauty putting the young woman in a higher position than others. The moral can also show the children how certain people believe this to be true and it can prepare them to expect it from others.

Although certain fairytales are not as different or gruesome as those to the water down Disney version others are clear in the brutality and at times sexual context within the story. What is needed to be understood is that the meaning the fairy tale is trying to portray is important so the children can get an idea of what it is reefing to and actually understand the lesson the fairy tale is teaching.  For example Sleeping Beauty is one of the fairy tales where the gruesomeness is a necessity to the moral. In the Disney version of Sleeping Beauty, she simply is cursed to a deep sleep and is awakened by true love the moral given off by the fairy tale is in the article, “Best Disney Princess Movie Morals”, which displays how people voted Sleeping Beauty to have one of the best fairy tale morals for children, this Disney version of Sleeping Beauty gives of that the moral of the story is that true love conquers all. While in the original version of Sleeping Beauty she is put to sleep due to a prophecy; she is actually raped by the prince and gives birth to twins which causes her to wake up from the prophecy. Therefore having the moral become quite different, according to the article, “Original versions of classic fairy tales” the true moral is that, “Progress and advancement does not have to be seen in order to happen. Trying to prevent a child’s sexual awakening is impossible. Sometimes you have to wait a long time for sexual satisfaction.”  The moral goes for parents and children talking to them about maturity and puberty of a child. This meaning gives a complete different view of the story and is more descriptive towards the moral the fairy tale wants the children to learn. Additionally the necessity of the sinister way the fairy tale was written is necessary for the child to understand the moral, it shows the importance of the lesson and why it has to be learn.

Furthermore the twist the fairy tales have can of course always be a bit violent for the children but these type of actions taken in the story are what gives the moral its meaning and what helps the children understand the lesson given. These fairy tales also help the child see the reality in the world and how it is not always the safest place to be, how some people are capable of hurting you and willing to do so. Thus giving the meaning more significance and having it be more practical than those of the Disney version type of fairy tales which make the child believe there is always a happily ever after. The safe version of fairy tales does not completely describe to the child how life can really be.

            Regardless to some of the lucid significance it seems that actually showing the child the two fairy tales or at least telling the child both meanings can help them see the different views of the world and how different outcomes can come from the same situation. Not everything is sweet as sugar and it helps teach or show the children the differences in similar but different ways. Giving the child not only one perspective of life but both and showing the child how yes there can be a happy ending but it is not always easy and at times you have to fight for that happy ending. Perhaps the child does not necessarily need to view both fairy tales versions at the same time but giving them the opportunity to know about both can be of great advantage when it comes to the child and its perspective toward the world. Fairy tales have their purpose even if the way it is portrayed can be unsought by the parents of the child, sometimes they just need a chance to show their usefulness.

Works Cited: Annotated Bibliography

Andy Kaiser. “Original versions of classic fairy tales”. Digital Bits Skeptic. Article Id:1257.         Web. 4/23/12. www.dbskeptic.com :It is an article of a short description of the original     fairy tales and what the original moral is.

“Best Disney Princess Movie Morals”. Fanpop. Posted one year ago. Web. 4/20/12.           www.fanpop.com  :It has the Disney fairy tale morals in order of popular vote on which         moral is the best and it describes each one.

Aarne-thompson. “Cinderella”. Uther folktale. Type 105A. 1998-2011. Web. 4/22/12.       www.pitt.edu :There are different versions of the original fairy tale of Cinderella and in        some of the versions it gives you the moral of the fairy tale.