Tall Tales and Peculiar Parodies

An Exploration of Fairy Tales and Their Counterparts

“Fairy tales are rich

blueprints that help us understand and create our own worlds.” - Catherine Hardwicke

What makes a fairy

tale?

Often begins with “Once upon a time…” or

“Long ago…” Has characters such as kings, queens,

princesses, and princes, and there is usually an “evil villain”

Takes place in far away places Often contains magic Characters have unusual names Has a happy ending

What makes a fairy tale?

Sometimes characters are turned into animals Sometimes animals can talk They usually have specific patterns – like things

happen in sets of threes (3 and 7 are usually important numbers )

Still has the general characteristics of any short story: a beginning, middle and end, conflicts, climax or turning point, protagonists, themes, etc.

There is always a moral or a lesson that the reader is supposed to get out of the story! (theme)

Anything else?

Make a list of them now!

* Be prepared to share your list

with others. *

What type of fairy tales do you know?

Where did you hear the fairy

tales that you know?

How did you access your fairy tales?

Through family stories Through books Through school Through popular media (movies, television,

etc.)

Ideas?

The Grimm Brothers

Versions of Fairy Tales

http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbqSEbALYno

Disney

Cultural Stories

“Fairy tales are rich

blueprints that help us understand and create our own worlds.” - Catherine Hardwicke

Why do fairy tales persist?

They are familiar (and sometimes comforting). They are easy to remember (lots of patterns,

fun). They are a way to pass down cultural beliefs

and customs. They teach important lessons.

Why do fairy tales persist?

They are often updated to fit thenew social norms!

What happens when fairy tales are

outdated?

In many ways, including:

Change of genre Character change Change of setting (time and place) The use of a literary framework Humour! (parody/ satire) Use of politically correct language

How are they updated?

http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpVqRm8G97U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM8V3cHdSC4

Change of Genre

Gender Characteristics Cultural Background

Character Change

This can be TIME or PLACE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW6dNiOIOhA

Change of Setting

The Use of a

Literary Framework Using different perspectives to look at the

text. For example: a feminist reading of “Little Red

Riding Hood,” looking at the idea of the helpless, innocent female and the lustful, violent male

The girl looked round the room and saw there was not even the indentation of a head on the smooth cheek of the pillow and how, for the first time she’d seen it so, the Bible lay closed on the table. The tick of the clock cracked like a whip. She wanted her knife from her basket but she did not dare reach for it because his eyes were fixed upon her – huge eyes that now seemed to shine with a unique, interior light, eyes the size of saucers, saucers full of Greek fire,7 diabolic phosphorescence. ‘What big eyes you have.’

‘All the better to see you with.’ No trace at all of the old woman except for a tuft of white hair that had caught in the bark of an

unburned log. When the girl saw that, she knew she was in danger of death. ‘Where is my grandmother?’ ‘There’s nobody here but we two, my darling.’ Now a great howling rose up all around them, near, very near, as close as the kitchen garden, the

howling of a multitude of wolves; she knew the worst wolves are hairy on the inside and she shivered, in spite of the scarlet shawl she pulled more closely round herself as if it could protect her although it was as red as the blood she must spill.

‘Who has come to sing us carols,’ she said. ‘Those are the voices of my brothers, darling; I love the company of wolves. Look out of the window

and you’ll see them.’ Snow half-caked the lattice and she opened it to look into the garden. It was a white night of moon

and snow; the blizzard whirled round the gaunt, grey beasts who squatted on their haunches among the rows of winter cabbage, pointing their sharp snouts to the moon and howling as if their hearts would break. Ten wolves; twenty wolves – so many wolves she could not count them, howling in concert as if demented or deranged. Their eyes reflected the light from the kitchen and shone like a hundred candles.

“The Company of Wolves” – by Angela Carter

Satire: A literary work that ridicules its subject through the use of

techniques such as exaggeration, reversal, incongruity, and/or parody in order to make a comment or criticism about it.

Some Techniques Used: Exaggeration – to enlarge, increase, or represent something

beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen.

Incongruity – to present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to its surroundings.

Reversal – to present the opposite of the normal order (e.g. the order of events, hierarchal order)

Parody – to imitate the techniques and/or style of some person, place, or thing.

Humour

To be “politically correct” means to speak and

act in a manner that is respectful and aware of the discriminatory power of language. When a person speaks in a way that is politically correct, they are aware of traditional biases and discriminatory roles for different members of society.

Done in 2 ways: Choice of words Creation of new roles

Political Correctness