Throughout this course, we studied the importance and the themes of fairytales extensively. From Ashliman to Tartar and everything in between, we analyze and interpreted both stories and essays, and to say that these fairytales are important is an understatement.
First and foremost, these stories made us think beyond what we knew. For example, all of us had heard of Hansel and Gretel, but in the classroom, ideas were shared that many of us hadn’t delved into before. Hearing these stories as children, though beneficial in many ways, such as morality and education, we didn’t really look beyond the surface value of the words on the paper or the narration of the story. This class permitted us to see these fairytales not just from the view of our child selves but as the author intended them to be, with all their nuances.
Second, this class opened our eyes to the extent in which fairytales developed and spread over time. It was very interesting to read about the societal implications about peasantry that Darton wrote about, and the almost political side of fairytales. I, for one, never really considered the classist nature of print fairytales and the comparisons between oral and printed stories.
Finally, the stories gave us all commonality. The majority of the stories that we looked at this semester were stories we had heard at a young age. The subject gave us all an opportunity to unite, in a way, and share experiences and ideas that we could all understand due to our prior knowledge of the material. This class was effective in educating us on the ideas and implications of fairytales while also making it fun.
While I was pleased with the pace that the class went, I would have loved to have gone over The Little Mermaid while we were still in session. Other than this, the class was memorable and educational, and I am happy that I took it.