My thesis for the research essay is that fairy tales are beneficial for children because they support language development, moral comprehension, and emotional growth. From List A, I was especially interested in “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children” by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson. One idea that stood out to me was how fairy tales give children a way to process emotions they may not be able to express yet. The article mentions a study in an Italian oncology ward where sick children connected deeply with fairy tales, as they saw the villains as a symbol of their illness and related to the feeling of helplessness from the main characters. This comparison gave the children a new coping mechanism for something as serious as death, which I found very powerful. Another idea I appreciated was how therapists can use children’s reactions to fairy tales to understand identity issues and emotional struggles they may be facing, especially during illness or trauma.
From List B, the article “Rediscovering the Power of Fairy Tales” by Mary Howarth also supported my thesis. Howarth explains how fairy tales help children explore ideas like identity, trust, and problem-solving. One example she gives is how children acting out stories can strengthen both their vocabulary and their understanding of moral values. I also liked that the article pointed out how fairy tales create space for kids to feel empowered, such as in “The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids” by the Brothers Grimm, where the smallest goat ends up saving the others. This shows how children can identify with characters and use those connections to work through big emotions and develop a stronger sense of self.
One thought on “Concepcion Arellano Discussion 11”
I really liked how you pointed out the emotional impact of fairy tales, especially the example from the Italian oncology ward. It’s effective to think about how stories can help children process something as serious as illness. I also found the idea of therapists using fairy tales to understand children really insightful. Your connection to Howarth’s article was strong too—acting out stories is such a creative way to build both vocabulary and emotional understanding. Great job connecting everything to your thesis!