Fairy Tales and Gender Roles Essay example - 1172 Words

Fairy Tales and Gender Roles Some things about fairy tales we know to be true. They begin with once upon a time. They end with happily ever after. And somewhere in between the prince rescues the damsel in distress. Of course, this is not actually the case. Many fairytales omit these essential words. But few fairytales in the Western tradition indeed fail to have a beautiful, passive maiden rescued by a vibrant man, usually her superior in either social rank or in moral standing. Indeed, it is precisely the passivity of the women in fairy tales that has led so many progressive parents to wonder whether their children should be exposed to them. Can any girl ever really believe that she can grow up to be president or CEO or an†¦show more content†¦But in fact we use the stories that we tell children, and especially those that we tell over and over, to instill messages, to teach cultural norms, to establish the roots of what we hope will be proper behavior as the children grow up. Fairytales are a form of p ropaganda. The traditional fairytale almost always reflects (and therefore works to reproduce) the power relations of patriarchy; its rigid sexual patterns teach that fear and masochism are tenets of femininity and all of the symbolic inversions that occur are not chances to upset the standard patriarchal hierarchy but are instead ways of maintaining it (Bacchilega, 1997, pp. 50-1). To return for a moment to Snow White, the fact that women are presented so often as the oppressors of other women (or girls) is an essential aspect of fairytales, for it is an essential aspect of any patriarchal culture. One of the great questions for contemporary feminist scholars has always been, if women do not want to live in a sexist world, then why do they not raise their sons differently? Given that women are in almost all cases the primary caretakers of both sons and daughters, surely a determined generation of mothers could raise up an entire generation of sons who would behave very differently than their fathers had done in terms of treatingShow MoreRelatedGender Roles In The Fairy Tale848 Words   |  4 PagesCinderella in 1812. The fairy tale is about a young girl who is forced to live with her two evil stepsisters and stepmother. Cinderella tries to be positive and devout, even though her family is atrocious to her. In the end, the prince takes Cinderella to his cast le and they live happily ever after. The story describes the gender roles, conflicts, and implies how the story has changed over time. Frequently in the story, the characters’ traits are based on their gender. The women tend to be moreRead MoreGender Roles In Cinderella In The Classroom By Ella Westland1717 Words   |  7 Pagesfeaturing distressed and docile princesses relying on a princely savior, fairy tales have recently prompted discussions on the gender roles being instilled in children with each â€Å"once upon a time.† In a world where women are still underrepresented in traditionally â€Å"masculine† environments, it is vital that young girls are empowered and inspired by capable female role models. Attempting to determine the extent to which fairy tale gender roles are instilled in children, Ella Westland organized an experimentRead MoreFairy Tales And Folk Stories1668 Words   |  7 PagesFor centuries fairy tales and folk stories have been created and told to entertain audiences and explain the world. The stories hold clear messages for their readers, but they also send more subt le messages with their details. Fairy tales are especially targeted, though not exclusively, at children because they are passed on by parents each night before bed. But some of the stories that have been told for a long time across many different cultures have affected the perspectives of people more thanRead MoreFairy Tales Convey Hope720 Words   |  3 Pagesthat fairy tales gives? Most people in the world has read, listened to, or watched fairy tales. Many have watched at least one Disney movie. According to a book written by Henry Giroux, every year more than 200 million people watch a Disney movie (Giroux 19). Fairy tales are often used to teach children morals and are part of their everyday lives. Although most scholars have argued that fairytales are detrimental to children’s perception on life, closer examination shows that fairy tales giveRead MoreYoung Children And Adults Alike1515 Words   |  7 Pagesstories come morals, values, and stereotypes. A prevalen t stereotype found in fairy tales deals with genders and their norms and children in their early developmental years are exposed to these gender stereotypes. These are used as a tool to help children develop their gender identity. As they endure over time, fairy tales continue to teach gender stereotypes and this perpetuates our society’s current beliefs of gender. Children develop their sense of identity and gain information of the worldRead MoreEssay about Informative Synthesis Fairy Tales930 Words   |  4 PagesInformative Synthesis Fairy tales play a big role in society whether we realize it or not. They have been told by parents to their children for many generations. Everyone has been introduced to fairy tales whether it’s on TV, from a children’s book, told by someone else, we have all heard a fairy tale. Most of the time fairy tales are being told without thinking what they are about. Fairy tales have effect on people even if they do not know it, and four fairy tale analyzers have written articlesRead More Gender Issues within Fairy Tales Essay1006 Words   |  5 PagesGender Issues within Fairy Tales    Why is it that in a time when women were considered an inferior gender, they would become the main characters in fairy tales? One reason could be that fairy tales are one of the few genres created by women. The fairy tale originates in the seventeenth century when aristocratic women would gather in salons and play a game of who could make up the best story. This gave women a chance to demonstrate their intelligence and education, and to picture themselvesRead MoreThe Tale Of Snow White1586 Words   |  7 Pagesback to his kingdom. Furthermore, earlier in the tale when Snow White is initially discovered and presumed dead, because of her beauty, the dwarves could not bring themselves to bury her and thus they persevered her in a crystal clear casket. Therefore, it is because of her beauty that Snow White is not buried alive and this teaches the reader, particularly young girls, that possessing beauty can be protective and save their lives. To add, fairy tales, although perhaps unintentionally, depict thatRead MoreThe As A Girl s Self Esteem1514 Words   |  7 Pagesthe emphasis that fairy tales place on physical appearance can be very detrimental to a child (particularly a girl’s) development and ideas of reality. To add, fairy tales, although perhaps unintentionally, depict that attractiveness determines who is good and who is evil. The protagonist is often the princess, who is described as the prettiest in the land. The antagonist on the other hand is often less attractive and more than likely labeled ugly (Schussler). Because fairy tales often depict goodRead MoreCinderell An Outdated, Lying, Anti Feminist Tale?925 Words   |  4 PagesCinderella: An Outdated, Lying, Anti-Feminist Tale? Anne Sexton was a junior-college dropout who, inspired by emotional distress, became a poet. She won the Pulitzer Prize as well as three honorary doctorates. Her poems usually dealt with intensely personal, often feminist, subject matter due to her tortured relationships with gender roles and the place of women in society. The movies, women’s magazines and even some women’s schools supported the notion that decent women took naturally to homemaking