Week 11 Discussion

My thesis for the research essay on fairy tales is that, while fairy tales have long been popular for their magical narratives, they can have harmful effects on children by promoting unrealistic expectations, normalizing violence, and reinforcing harmful gender roles and stereotypes. From List A, I would choose the article by Mary Howarth, “Rediscovering the Power of Fairy Tales.” What caught my attention in her article was her discussion of how fairy tales create a “fantastical reality,” where problems seem to be solvable through external forces, such as magic or outside intervention. This concept stood out because it connects directly to the idea that fairy tales can set children up for disappointment in real life when they encounter challenges that can’t be solved with magic/ From List B, I would pick David Isaacs’ article, “Sex and Violence in Fairy Tales.” His point about how fairy tales blur the lines between justice and cruelty really struck me. Isaacs explains that violence is often portrayed as an acceptable solution to problems, which can desensitize children to the real-world consequences of violent actions. This idea helps support the argument in my essay that fairy tales normalize violence and can influence children’s understanding of how to resolve conflicts.

My thesis statement is the belief that a woman’s value is correlated with her physical attractiveness is reinforced by fairy tales, which also uphold traditional gender roles and beauty standards. List A, “Experts Say Fairy Tales Not So Happy Ever After” by Liz Grauerholtz stood out for its discussion on how fairy tales shape children’s perceptions of beauty and morality. Grauerholtz emphasizes how these stories associate physical attractiveness with goodness and success while linking unattractiveness with evil, creating harmful stereotypes. This resonates with the challenges young girls face in balancing societal beauty pressures with modern ideals of independence and confidence. List B, “The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in Children’s Fairy Tales” by Lori Baker-Sperry and Liz Grauerholtz was fascinating for its analysis of how fairy tales like “Cinderella” and “Snow White”was intriguing because it examined how beauty is emphasized as being essential to a woman’s worth in fairy tales like “Cinderella” and “Snow White.” By placing more value on beauty than other attributes, this emphasis limits women’s prospects and upholds patriarchal systems. 

What is your thesis for the research essay on fairy tales? Identify one article from List A and one article from List B that interests you. Please cite the author’s name and explain which ideas from the article caught you attention and why.   I believe Fairy tales are important for children’s development as they encouraged imagination, teach valuable lessons and help them understands emotions. Fairy tales often involve magical elements, creatures and events that helps them think creatively beyond their everyday experiences. It also teaches morals such as bravery, honesty and kindness. “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children” by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson, University of Hawaii and “Why Fairy Tales Matter” by Maria Tatar are two articles that interests me. According to the article: “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children”, Jungian thinks that fairy tales teach children how to deal with basic human conflicts, desires, and relationships in a healthy way. She also thinks, “acquiring these skills can ultimately impact a child’s health, quality of life, or even influence its values and beliefs in the future.” This idea caught my attention because it helps children become aware of various moral values which are very important to everyday life. life. In the article: “Why Fairy Tales Matter” by Maria Tatar, demonstrates how fairy tale’s written language can spark a child’s imagination. This caught my attention because fairy tale helps children to have an active imagination.

I believe Fairy Tales aid in the development of a child’s mind. The article I read from List A was “Sex and Violence in Fairy Tales” by David Isaacs. While the article touches on how some older fairy tales have darker tones and hidden meanings, Isaacs states that they still carry important lessons for children. He believes that fairy tales help children digest new discoveries from the world and internal struggles. From List B, I chose “Tell Fairy Stories to Your Children” by Jane Stafford. The article makes it clear that fairy tales rely heavily on how the parent chooses to tell them. Things that could be considered negative are due to a poor choice/delivery from a parent. As for the fairy tales themselves, they can be used to strengthen the relationship between a child and their mother/father. As long as whoever’s telling the story follows the rules listed in the article, fairy tales can be some of a child’s happiest moments. These articles caught my attention because I feel they work hand in hand. A parent dictates if or how to deliver an element such as violence in a story, and can teach their child important lessons when doing so correctly.

My thesis as of right now is, Fairy tales are frequently criticized for their violence and gender stereotypes, they essentially help children because they build toughness, while teaching moral and ethical guidelines, and inspire their creative minds. As of right now I chose this as my thesis because in “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children” by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson is one article from List A that grabs my interest. I was drawn to this article because it discusses the positive behavioral and growth impacts fairy tales have on kids. Visiko Knox-Johnson specifically addresses how fairy tales teach within kids the need of kindness and determination, two qualities that are essential components of emotional intelligence. According to the essay, youngsters can learn how to deal with challenges in real life by studying the symbolic struggles that fairy tale characters encounter.  While in List B, Maria Tatar’s article “Why Fairy Tales Matter” is my favorite from List B. Tatar provides an in-depth investigation of the reasons behind the ongoing cultural significance of fairy tales in her study. The claim made by Tatar that fairy tales give kids a safe and meaningful way to deal with challenging emotions like betrayal, sadness, and fear really caught my attention. Since they enable kids to comprehend and manage complicated emotions, she believes that these emotional experiences even the most severe ones are essential to kids emotional growth.

I believe that fairytales give children a misconstrued image of what is just and good. Fairytales rarely show the villains being punished for the bad stuff or the pain they have inflicted on others, which shows a disregard for justice. In the article “Sex and Violence” written by David Isaacs, something that caught my attention would be when the author mentioned fairytales being used to help children with sexual confrontation. “Some of the power of these stories may be that they help children confront and come to terms with their own sexual and aggressive thoughts and feelings” (Isaacs). However, I do not believe that this is the job of fairytales. Additionally in the article “Good and Bad beyond Relief” by Jerilyn Fisher and Ellen S. Silber, it mentions the absentee father never making an appearance. “The fairy tale father, oblivious to his child’s misery, never intercedes; nor is he reproached for being inattentive” (Fisher and Silber). This is something I noticed myself but never thought it was a big deal; so to see it written about in this way really piqued my interest.    

I believe that fairy tales are good for children because I strongly think they just understand that fairy tales are meant to be for entertainment purposes only and within the entertainment there is also a lesson to be learned within the story that can be applied to their real lives.    One article that caught my interest from List A was “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children” by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson, University of Hawaii. The author mentioned “Fairy tales not only aid in child development, but they also offer a rich source of material to draw from in a therapeutic manner”. I think it’s super impressive that they can utilize the magic of storytelling to bring forth what emotions and feelings the child may be experiencing due to either a situation or a sickness.    On list B i chose “Rediscovering the Power of Fairy Tales” by Mary Howarth”. The author describes how much it benefits the children when they reinact some fairy tales. As a teacher, the author introduces the children to “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” and stated  “One common progression for the quieter children is to move from Littlest, to Middle-Sized, to Biggest Billy Goat. the children were able to play different characters and so through this method the teacher observed their progression.   

Why I believe fairytales are important, so let us just start here with “The Little Snow White” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm for example. When reading the story, I notice that Snow White is a curious yet brave girl who ventured into the woods wen she was kicked by her father. Upon her adventure, the stepmother always watches her on every corner. This led to her unknowingly venture to trouble. She even got “killed” by eating a poisonous apple by a suspicious old hag. But by the end she had a happily ever after story while the stepmother , who tried to take the beauty away from her, danced into the bottomless pit. The benefit of fairytales to children is by granting them creativity as they learn and evaluate lessons from the whole story, and knowing that they can relate to Snow White being that they have a listening curve in a young age. And to relate with the stepmother since emotions can easily be expressed with jealousy and bad mishaps, so bad behavior can be avoided one way from reading fantasy novels. When it also comes to fairytales, children don’t have to be literal about what they view of. We imagining bad people as monsters, or the blue sky as another ocean, or the moon as… Well, a big ball of swiss cheese! Whenever fantasy comes to light in children’s minds, the sky’s the limit.

After reading the articles my thesis would be depending on how gruesome the fairy tale is I will determine if I will read the tale to a child. Especially from my perspective being a mother I would never want to read my child a book about sex or children being slaughtered. “Fairy tales give conscious expression to complex unconscious, infantile fantasies about sexual wishes, anger, guilt and fear of punishment within the family” (Isaacs).  Nevertheless, some of the Grimm brothers’stories have life lessons within them which I feel like they can be good for children depending on their age. For instance, the Snow White story by the Grimm brothers basically explained a scenario of “The boy who cried wolf” because she never learned a lesson until it was too late even after the dwarfs told her not open the door anymore. I have to do a more thorough research on the articles in list B, being transparent none of the options in List B caught my attention and some of the websites they popped up on didnt give me access to the full article. Works Cited: “Sex and Violence in Fairy Tales” editorial by David Isaacs, Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

My thesis for the research essay is that fairy tales are harmful for children because they teach old ideas about beauty, gender roles, and what is right or wrong. These stories often make kids think that how they look is the most important thing, especially for girls, who are shown that being beautiful is the key to being valued.  From List A, the article I picked is Liz Grauerholz’s “The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in Children’s Fairy Tales.” This stood out to me because it shows how fairy tales focus too much on women’s looks. I agree with her idea that these stories teach girls they need to be pretty to matter, which can make them feel bad about themselves if they don’t fit those beauty standards. From List B, I chose “Why Fairy Tales Matter: The Performative and the Transformative” by Maria Tatar. This caught my attention because it explains how fairy tales shape the way people think and act. I liked how she points out that these stories pass down old ideas about how boys and girls are supposed to behave, which don’t work in today’s world. Both articles explain how fairy tales can hurt kids by keeping old ideas about beauty and gender alive. I think these stories are more harmful than helpful because they teach kids to follow unfair rules instead of being true to themselves.

When I was young, I really enjoyed fairy tales. Although I no longer remember many of the stories’ titles, they still brought me a lot of joy. Perhaps my imagination and creativity also stem from the fairy tales I read as a child. I personally believe that fairy tales can not only be a part of a child’s happiness but also serve as an effective psychological therapy tool. As stated in the article by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson, “Fairy tales not only aid in child development, but they also offer a rich source of material to draw from in a therapeutic manner.” It seems that the author shares the same belief as I do. This is also supported by Jane Stafford’s article “Tell Fairy Stories to Your Children,” which says, “Fairy stories are important because they relieve a child of worries over mysteries which he cannot understand.” From this, it is clear that the fairy tales I grew up with have contributed to my healthy development.

I think fairy tales are bad for children because they promote unrealistic gender roles, prioritize beauty over character, and discourage independence and self-confidence for young girls.” From early childhood, girls are read fairy tales about princesses who achieve vast riches simply because their beauty makes them special.” – “Experts Say Fairy Tales Not So Happy Ever After” by Liz Grauerholtz in Purdue News. This quote by Grauerholz sticks out to me because often in fairy tales, the plot would revolve around the main female character that ends up being successful because she was simply pretty. It can promote a narrow idea about gender roles and stereotypes on pretty privilege to children. Second quote,” Beautiful girls are never ignored; they may be oppressed at first by wicked figures, as the jealous Queen persecutes Snow-White, but ultimately they are chosen for reward.”- “Some Day My Prince Will Come” by Marcia Lieberman, suggests that traditional fairy tales often reinforce the stereotype that beauty guarantees attention, value, and a happy ending, no matter what challenges the protagonist faces. Although these stories may seem harmless, they have deeper meanings that can negatively affect children’s understanding of self-worth, fairness, and success in life.

Fairy tales are essential for children’s development; they provide moral lessons, encourage creativity, and support emotional growth through the use of imaginative storytelling. The tales re not only timeless and entertaining, but also teach children valuable life lessons in a way they can understand and relate to. An article from list A that stood out to me is Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson’s “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children.” In her article, she explains how fairy tales help children distinguish between right and wrong while nurturing resilience in the face of challenges. This idea highlights how these stories, or tales, guide children in building strong moral foundations and better problem solving skills in an appealing and memorable way. From list B, Maria Tatar’s article “Why Fairy Tales Matter,” captured my attention and interest. The author emphasizes how fairy tales provide a safe space for children to confront fears and explore solutions. This perspective emphasizes how these stories can foster emotional growth by helping children process their anxieties and navigate their inner worlds. Fairy tales are valuable tools for both learning and personal development.

Imagine a world brimming with lessons, magic, and destiny, where possibilities stretch as far as a beanstalk can grow. In this world, heroes and villains come alive, whether they’re battling great evils, falling prey to poisoned apples, or witnessing beauty that fades at the stroke of midnight. I do believe Fairy Tales are for children because it teaches them important life lessons while sparking imagination and creativity. “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children” by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson, University of Hawaii says “Based on the Jungian interpretation, fairy tales teach children how to deal with basic human conflicts, desires, and relationships in a healthy way; acquiring these skills can ultimately impact a child’s health, quality of life, or even influence its values and beliefs in the future.” As a child I always loved it when I read a fairy tale, it sparked my imagination and pulled me into the stories as if I were there, essentially the lessons learned through fairy tales followed me as an adult. In “Tell Fairy Stories to Your Children” by Jane Stafford she says “The fairy stories you heard when you were five or six played a big part in your development, bigger than you probably realized. Psychiatrists have traced the effect of these tales and find that their influence extends into adult life.” 

I don’t believe fairy tales are for children because the princess is always portrayed as being the most beautiful girl. She is only desired because of her physical attributes. She almost never possesses any brains to go with her beauty so she is always in danger needing a handsome man to come to her rescue. In 2024 I am teaching my daughters that beauty isn’t everything. You have to be smart and make decent decisions. Don’t wait on a man to come save you. “Fairy tales, which are still read by millions of American children, say it pays to be pretty,” Grauerholz says. “It’s important to understand the messages our children receive about traditional gender roles, especially during a time when women are encouraged to be independent and rely on their brains rather than beauty. (Liz Grauerholz, Experts say fairy tales not so happy ever after).It pays to be pretty is the part that stood out to me because that phrase is teaching children that beauty is all they need for success. I don’t like that narrative because pretty will really only get you so far. The feminine beauty ideal-the socially constructed notion that physical attractiveness is one of women’s most important assets, and something all women should strive to achieve and maintain. (The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in Children’s Fairy Tales, Lori Baker-Sperry, Liz Grauerholz). This stuck out to me because again it is teaching women that they should rely on beauty and that it’s a necessity. It also reminds me of the short story that we read The necklace by ” by Guy De Maupassant because the wife was very much concerned with her appearances.  

Fairytales are not only good for children, but crucial for intellectual and personal development. The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children” by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson, does a great job in explaining how children can use fairytales to work through anxiety and trauma. As someone who is chronically anxious this resonates with me, it can be difficult to express what I am feeling due to burden, embarrassment, or guilt. In VisikoKnox-Johnson’s article, she provides an explanation of how children can resonate with a character based on experiences both the child and the character goes through. In Maria Tartar’s “Why Fairy Tales Matter” she discusses imagination, creativity, and intellectual development that comes from reading Fairy Tales. The curiosity a can have when reading words or phrases that aren’t typically used makes the child want to know what it means. A child can gain a higher quality vocabulary than through educational programming alone.

I think that fairy stories are good for children. They enrich creativity, educate children on right and wrong conduct, and offer them a platform to work out complex emotions. “One of the central reasons that fairy tales are important is that they aid in child development. Fairy tales are often shaped to test children’s initiative”.(p.77)- “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children” by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson. Also “Acting out folk and fairy tales enables children to explore their developing inner selves, to take risks, and to exercise imagination and creativity”(p.62) – ” Rediscovering the Power of Fairy Tales” by Mary Howarth. The two quotes mentioned stood out for me, as they represent what fairy tales represented for me when i was growing up and later on I passed on to my daughter when she was growing up. To my understanding Fairy Tails are meant to be use for entertainment, educational and explorative purposes. Fairy Tales can teach our young once difference between good and bad, how to act, how to use manners and how to treat others.

The fear that readers feel in Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is more about the mind and emotions, setting it apart from the quick, shocking scares typical of horror films. Oates builds a sense of dread that creeps in slowly, focusing on the unsettling relationship between Connie and Arnold Friend. A key moment that highlights this psychological fear is when Arnold says, “I’m your lover. You don’t know what that is but you will.” This statement is chilling because it hints at something dark and predatory, as Arnold uses both charm and intimidation to manipulate Connie. The fear stems from what’s suggested rather than what’s explicitly shown, pushing readers to use their imagination, which can be even more disturbing than the graphic scenes in a horror flick. On the flip side, horror movies rely on visual and sound effects, like jump scares, creepy music, and shocking images to create quick, intense reactions. In contrast, Oates’ story immerses readers in a lingering, unsettling fear that digs deeper, rooted in the psychological games Arnold plays and Connie’s sense of isolation. In reading, this kind of tension really ramps up, as readers have to imagine the horror themselves, which often makes it strike even harder.