Fairy tales. I saw one this evening. The Miner family graciously invited me to join them for some New Year's Day leisure, and after dinner everyone watched the movie, Stardust. I had never heard of it before, but it's actually quite good with all of the typical elements you would expect in a story of this genre.
It just got me to thinking about fairy tales in general. It's kind of a strange question, but how helpful are they? Are they eternal whispers of truth and ultimate reality? Or are they amusing illusions that just make the harshness of day to day life more real by contrast? On the one hand they bring freshness to life and make it more bearable, and on the other they can heighten one's cynicism about life and people.
I remember connecting with John Elderidge's summons to "live mythically", to see how our seemingly small day to day battles are part of a God inspired epic. And yet after watching the movie tonight, I think I can see more clearly why some skeptics would simply dismiss Scripture as yet another fairy tale. Once upon a time, two people eat fruit from the wrong tree and are cast out of paradise. Eventually a noble Savior emerges to free everyone from the spell they are under but only through his own tragic death before he magically comes back to life himself, and one day we will all live happily ever after.
But that's not really the path I want to go down tonight. At the risk of sounding calculating, what is the "utility" of the fairy tale? Do they instruct us to live as we really should, or do they carry us along in our own delusions and desires when we need to wake up and see life as it is and move forward?
"Now tell me that part of the story where the cowboy falls in love
And traded in his pistol and his saddle and the stars above." - The Refreshments
6 comments:
That was quick Steve! You don't waste any time! Good thoughts and questions... I may have to respond some more once I've gotten some sleep.
I loved Stardust. I saw it a while ago but absolutely loved it.
Despite that, I think most fairy tales are bad for little girls. They teach us to expect something (a prince charming) that isn't real and even if he is real, he will never be that perfect.
They teach you to anticipate a happily ever after without telling you that happily ever after takes a lot of work.
I think those two things alone make them bad for modern society. They were okay when women got sold like property and little girls needed something to dream about or hope for since they didn't actually get to go to school, but I see no real social utility to them now.
I loved that movie BTW.
I think fairly tales use to be used for moral teaching but as a society we have moved away from that medium and we also no longer teach much morals via mainstream media. So for us, sadly, they maybe outdated. I know they are still used in third world countries but to what effect I do not know.
Many fairy tales, as Chappie says,
were used to teach lessons, they were not just about princesses and "happily ever after". For example, Little Red Riding Hood taught the importance of staying away from strangers. The original stories had more of the morals and lessons in them than the simple versions that most people recall.
(And don't blame it all on Disney.)
- Patrick
Mr. America's Next Top Model... I think you should change my link name to "Rockstar". What do you think? It's not like I'm living in "fairtale land" when I think I'm a rockstar. I know it's not reality, but it certainly does get those creative juices flowing and the imagination running at fully speed - something that I believe is being stolen from children today. Let them dream, imagine, and play. That's how they learn and grow into the person they're created to be. Most healthy human beings know the difference between fairy tale and reality. So I see nothing wrong with letting a child read, listen to, or watch fair tales. They help keep us child-like and young-at-heart... which is a very good thing! Ok - that's all for now.
Ask any little girl you've ever met and she will tell you that "Little Red Riding Hood" is one of her least favorite stories and will list every story with a princess above Riding Hood.
If you ask any little girl in your church, family, or neighborhood if she would rather be a princess or Riding Hood, she will vote for princess.
I thought Riding Hood was stupid and boring when I was little because I knew to stay away from wolves. All little girls love Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. (I watched Sleeping Beauty ad nauseam as a child.) Girls love wearing tiara's and ball dresses and dreaming about Prince Charming. They don't care about visiting Grandmother's house. Some other girl chime in here . . . didn't you love Sleeping Beauty but think that Riding Hood was kind of lame?
My point to saying that is: We should not discredit the potential harm that can come from the "happily ever after" theme by deciding that fairy tales are used to teach lessons and are therefore okay.
I also don't think there is anything wrong with my dreaming about being a rockstar. (Though, I never had that dream. Thank the good Lord, I'm currently living my life's dream.) I do think there is something wrong with thinking life is always going to be easy and that all it takes is a prince to save you.
I really think people discredit the harm that can do. My mother and I have had our problems over the years, but the one thing I will always thank her for is that she would always tell me that fairy tales were for fun but not to look for my prince to save me. She always said that I never could know when Prince Charming could get sick, or pass away, decide he likes another princess more than me, or fat, belch, scratch his own butt, and just not be so Charming after all. She didn't want me to be disappointed and shattered if that happened. Mom always said that I should create my own dreams, my own "Neverland," and that I should shoot for my own stars.
I have so many other friends who had mothers that told them they didn't need to worry about school because they would just get married and not need to worry about it. I have a friend now who is devastated at 28 because she "always expected to be married by now" and is struggling financially because she never planned for a single income and always thought "her husband would just take care of things."
I'm just saying we need to think about what we are telling little girls. Guys, you are always told to save the girl, protect the kingdom, be strong and valiant . . . all good things. All in line with your gender role . . . so of course, you think fairy tales are good. Little girls are not always told realistic things in them. Especially since we all know that men are not always being what we need them to be girls have to be able to be self supporting.
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