Bruno Bettelheim’s psychologically oriented reading of fairy tales emphasizes the symbolic and metaphorical meanings of the stories, rather than their literal plot details. He argues that these tales serve a therapeutic function for children, helping them to work through their unconscious fears and anxieties. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Bettelheim observes that the story reflects the anxieties of adolescent girls as they navigate the transition from childhood to adulthood. The character of Arnold Friend represents the dangers of sexual awakening and the threat of male aggression, while the protagonist Connie represents the vulnerability and confusion of adolescence. The story can be seen as a cautionary tale about the risks of exploring one’s own desires and the need for parental guidance and protection.
In “Little Snow White,” Bettelheim notes that the stepmother represents the child’s own mother, and that her envy and attempts to kill Snow White reflect the child’s fear of losing the mother’s love and attention to a rival sibling. The dwarfs, on the other hand, represent a nurturing and protective father figure who helps Snow White survive and ultimately triumph over her jealous stepmother.
In “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by Anne Sexton, Bettelheim’s ideas about the symbolism of the fairy tale are also relevant. Sexton’s version of the story explores themes of female identity and empowerment, as Snow White must navigate a world in which she is constantly objectified and threatened by male figures.
2 thoughts on “Viridiana Rivera Discussion 15”
Hi Jayden, I liked how you wrote your responses to the question. I felt as though you may have mixed up the part where he was dead or alive in your line “because at the twisted end he was then found dead.” I think you meant alive. but I agree with everything else that was said in your writing. I just wish you talked more about it. I also notice the response of how she felt like she was dreaming i also felt that way when she talked about the sky and the seeing and imagining things also in the story.
Kezia, your have addressed this prompt to Jayden, not Viridiana, and it is not clear what you are writing about.