This article was originally written for a magazine called The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, but it was also written by a university librarian and author, has its sources cited, and is peer-reviewed.
The article is about why fairy tales appeal to children.
“No matter how few books children know, they are often familiar with fairy tales such as “Cinderella,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and “The Sleeping Beauty.” Although these tales can appeal to people of all ages, they particularly resonate with the young. What is it about classic fairy tales that captivates so many children” (Dewain, 2016, p. 27)?
The author lists several themes and tropes that would appeal to children, namely they are promote empowerment:
“Many of the classic tales empower youth in a number of ways. The least privileged children rise above their elders in many fairy tales. The youngest of three succeeds where elder siblings fail (for example, “Cinderella,” “The Golden Goose,” and “Beauty and the Beast”). Underdogs prevail by outwitting powerful opponents. The brave little tailor conquers two giants, a unicorn, and a wild boar; Hansel and Gretel kill an evil witch; Puss in Boots outsmarts an ogre; and young Jack cuts down a beanstalk to defeat a giant” (Dewain, 2016, p. 27).
Promote conquering fear:
“Some fairy-tale adaptors minimize the fear, evil, and violence, forgetting that many children enjoy dangerous situations, particularly in the safe environment of fiction. Celebrated fairy tales such as “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Jack the Giant Killer” are filled with frightening situations… Scariness, as Jerry Griswold points out, plays a larger role in stories for children than it does for adults. When children read stories, they experience the same fear and anxiety as the characters, but they do so in a safe simulator-type environment. Characters facing frightening situations model coping skills for child readers, providing them with a dress rehearsal for life’s challenges” (Dewain, 2016, p. 28).
Making growing up and leaving home seem less scary:
“Fairy tales also appeal to children because they typically embody patterns of growth and development. Children become adults in these tales by moving away from home and entering “the wide world”—a place filled with danger, challenges, and exciting adventures. Many fairy tales begin with a domestic problem, one that propels children into the larger world. This movement away from home stimulates personal growth as characters face new challenges. As Jack Zipes observes, ‘The wandering protagonist always leaves home to reconstitute home'” (Dewain, 2016, p. 28).
Embodying hopes and dreams:
“Although fairy tales can depict children’s deepest fears, they also frequently embody their greatest hopes and dreams. Many of the best fairy tales present wondrous worlds that captivate and inspire readers. ‘Resplendent, imperishable, and incorruptible’ are the words Max Lüthi chooses to describe fairy-tale worlds. In ‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses,’ the princesses’ beds sink into a magical subterranean realm each night. A beautifully illuminated castle sits in the midst of groves of trees with silver, gold, and diamond leaves” (Dewain, 2016, p. 29).
Providing reassuring structure:
“Fairy-tale landscapes suggest infinite possibilities yet are bound by the comforting limits of formulaic
structure. Children learn to recognize the conventions of fairy tales early in their reading careers: the “once-upon-a-time” beginnings, “happily-ever-after” endings, good and evil characters, generalized settings, and triplicate adventures and character groupings. These formulaic patterns provide stability in fairy-tale worlds filled with unknown forces and strange events. Numerous fairy tales make use of familiar patterns that resonate with children: the progression from home to the wide world to a new form of home, the movement from innocence to experience, the journey symbolizing development, and assistance to those less fortunate who in turn help the assister” (Dewain, 2016, p. 30).
And depicting only the essential things:
“Stripped of localized and particularized detail, characters and places offer infinite possibilities to the imagination. The child reader is free to visualize a world that is larger than life. And by eliminating nuances and particulars, fairy-tale authors focus on the essential, the universal, and the elemental. As both J. R. R. Tolkien and Jane Yolen remind us, classic fairy tales have been revised and honed over the course of time, emerging as tales of refined wisdom, wonder, and inspiration for children. Their truths have withstood the test of time and their enchanted worlds have appealed to young readers over hundreds of years. Fairy tales touch children in profound ways because they reenact patterns that are especially significant and memorable for them—patterns that have had to pass through the distillation process of oral transmission before being committed to print” (Dewain, 2016, p. 30).
References:
Dewain, P. (2016). Perennially Popular The Appeal of Classic Fairy Tales for Children. The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children. https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal/article/view/5991/7635