Once Upon A Time… There was a magical land, a hero, a princess, and a fairy godmother. Once upon a time, a story was told. We’ve all heard it said. Whether it was Disney or the classic Brothers Grimm, the stories have been around for ages and loved by many. But some people worry if we should continue to tell these sometimes scary stories to children.
I disagree. The trials of the story lead to a happy ending. It is important that children know that while life may have its twists and turns, the possibility for a better future is always there. In these stories, there are no gray areas. We know what is supposed to be evil and we know what is supposed to be good. These simple features are helpful to a growing child.
Another benefit of fairy tales for children is that they learn it is possible to overcome sometimes intimidating or “bigger” obstacles. The classic story is that the underdog faces challenges and then in the end, they triumph over the large evil in their life. The similar repetition of these helps to ingrain the lessons and principles of these stories into the child’s mind. They have been doing such a good job of teaching children important basic life lessons. Most importantly, they teach them the necessity of hope, laughter, and love.
As adults, many think fairy tales to be childish. People have started editing tales to be darker, more complex with mixed intentions and feelings, they have a more blurry environment and belief on what is good or evil. They do this because that’s what they believe life is; there is no definite, there are always gray areas. But these new stories are not fairy tales, but rather myths. Myths don’t need happy endings. These myths don’t provide solutions or alternatives to violence or trials. There is limited hope in these stories, they are full of suspicion in that they don’t truly believe everyone has the possibility of a happy ending.
The unpredictability of the world is another reason why some have criticized fairy tales for not being realistic. They say they are too simple and the result is predictable. While this may be true of a few stories, the majority take an unpredictable environment and fill it with a number of unpredictable resources. The things surrounding the character turn out to be helpful, while the obvious elements in their life, like family members, may turn out to be evil or dangerous. In other words, the crazy nature of the world may turn out in our favor.
Things we never expected to help us, might be able to. The stories provide a life lesson that help can come from places we least expect it to. We may never know what in life will help us and what will hurt us, but these stories help us realize that there is always hope, even in the worst situations.
These stories have been around for ages, they are classics that almost everyone has heard. They are loved by millions and justly so. Who doesn’t love a good romance? Who doesn’t love a good adventure? Who doesn’t love a good happy ending? Most people do, which is why these stories of trials and triumph are so appealing. They offer a glimpse of hope to children and adults. They are a universal sign of hope, happiness, and love.
