Essay on Children Fairy Tales

Introduction

Fairy tales are stories whose characters are mostly talking animals, non-existing creatures, and mysterious occurrences. They are mostly made for children and are narrated to them. Such stories are about creatures such as elves, hobgoblins, and fairies. Some good examples of fairy tales in children literature include the Cinderella and the Rapunzel fairy tales. The plot in the Cinderella is rich in wonderful and extraordinary episodes. Rags belonging to Cinderella are seen to abruptly turn into gowns. This is not practically possible, and this makes it a tale.

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The Significance of Fairy Tales

Fairy tales have been widely used since time immemorial in literary works. Fairy tales have profound psychological importance to children and any adult who wishes to have a significant impact on children can efficiently do so through storytelling. We learn so much from the characters in the fairy tales. Fairy tales are important to children as they learn how to approach real-life situations. The fairy tales have faced opposition from some parents though the perception has changed with time. During the children's early stages of growth, fairy tales help them grasp the strength and meaning of storytelling.

Fairy tales, like Cinderella, gives children the ability to overcome the feeling of fear. This fear could be installed through the things that happen in their lives situations. Through listening to fairy tales, kids can release the soul through acting deeply frightened but of a harmless condition. It's important to let children know that its normal to feel fear, but they should also be told that they have the power to overcome it. Fairy tales play this role correctly by helping children see their fears played out and conquered. Storytelling equips the children with the ability to imagine, and that helps them to overcome fear. Children can then use their imagination to confront fears and overcome obstacles.

The desire for adventure in children has also seen to grow through listening to stories. Most of the stories have a setting which is unimaginable and mysterious.

As a work of fiction, a fairy tale gives moral direction to the society. This is the fight between the good and the evil. These teachings end up in the children's minds. It can be used to pass the virtual of truth to children. Fairy tales also teach us about love and, courage. In the Cinderella fairy tale, it gives the lesson of humility and treating people right. The wicked mother and Cinderella sisters treated her like a slave, but at the end, she ends up a princess.

Fairy tales are rich sources of our cultural resources. Rapunzel hair history has so much contributed culturally to children. This tales too increase a child's know-how on language, which enhances the ability of the children to listen carefully to both stories and other words of wisdom. The Grimms version of the Rapunzel explains how culture influences literature. Although Cinderella's fairy tale could cause children misinterpreting reconstituted families, this misinterpretation can be reduced with excellent communication and the excellent role.

Through listening to narrations, a child develops the ability to imagine and acquire urge and love for knowledge. This is precisely the great urge to know more about the world. A child can imagine how to overcome a situation by making right decisions. Today's professionals who grew up listening to fairy tales are believed to be inventive. Fairy tales are rich in values. Because they do not have to follow what people think is real are great agents for spreading the truths.

Although a good number of people have a perception that fairy tales can be dangerous regarding its underlying content, the global influence that the tales expose children lives to is beneficial. Positive fairy stories can help people overcome challenges they face in life, a problem that cannot be solved by just reading a book. Tales are significant not only to young children but also adolescents For example, at the age of puberty, the confidence of a young woman collapses, and poor feeding habits often develop during this time

Elements of Fairy Tales

We take the aspect of the plot a fairy tale as the primary factor. It gives us details about the characters, the setting regarding when the events took place and the places where the episodes took place. In the story of Cinderella, we are given all the details of the starting clause. It starts with" once upon a time," which gives the detail of when the events took place, meaning they took place the long time ago. Also, characters are announced at this stage"...there lived a girl named Cinderella who lived with her evil stepmother and two stepsisters."

Since the elements of fairy tales are all similar in all fairy tales, the above explanation about exposition as a feature of the component can also be seen in the novel Rapunzel. The story even begins as follows "once upon a there was a man and a woman..."Similarly, we are introduced to characters that are the man and the woman. Other characters who are the main ones include; Rapunzel, the prince, and Gothel. The setting as seen in the novel is in the forest in a tall tower.

The other feature in the element of the plot, in fairy tales, is the rising action. This feature is explained as a different stage when characters find themselves in crisis. For instance, in the novel Cinderella, the rising effect is seen when all young women from all over the kingdom are invited to a party. However, Cinderella would not attend since her evil stepmother did her work throughout. Also, her step mom did not give her permission to attend the event. From this explanation, it is clear that Cinderella is in a different situation with her stepmother who even locked up her in her room so as not to attend the function. Cinderella is therefore in a crisis.

About the novel Rapunzel, the rising action is evident when Rapunzel wanted to escape from the tower which she was imprisoned by Gothel, but she would not let her. Despite the King's son effort to rescue Rapunzel and elope with her. His effort did not bore fruits since Gothel found out their plan, so she prevented it from ever happening.

In addition to, exposition, and the rising action, the other feature of the element plot in fairy tales is the climax. This feature is the turning point of a story also described as a tension point. At this stage, there is an outcome of a story being determined which either can be positive or negative. Basing my explanation on the novel Cinderella, the climax of the story is seen during the trying out of the glass slippers by different young maidens in the kingdom. However, none was able to fit the glass slipper. When Cinderella's turn came to wear the glass slipper, she was overwhelmed as the king's son tenderly slide the shoe Cinderella's foot. The slipper fitted well thus she was made the prince queen.

In the other novel Rapunzel, the turning point of the story, is when Gothel decided to cut off Rapunzel's hair when she learned about her plan to elope with the prince. The outcome of Gothel action is that despite cutting off Rapunzel hair, she took her to the desert making her live a desperate life. Also, she was also able to capture the prince. (Grimm, 1947).The other element which follows in the plot of a fairy tale is the falling action whereby the loose ends of the story is connected. The sliding movement usually leads to the end of the story. In the fairy tale Cinderella, the falling action is when wedding arrangements began after the slipper glass fits her thus marrying the prince.

In the case of Rapunzel, the falling action of the story is the falling of the prince from the tower and thorns pierced his eyes making him go blind. Luckily he was able to locate Rapunzel who cried for him, and we learn that the tears from Rapunzel after falling into his blind eyes he was able to see again.

Lastly on the elements of fairy tales is the resolution stage.in other terms this is the end of the story. That which is unknown in the story is solved. Fairy tales convey an ending which is beautiful, teaches a lesson and also showing how real life can be. In the fairy tale, Cinderella is a beautiful one since Cinderella married the prince and they lived happily ever after.

In the novel Rapunzel, a beautiful ending is also evident since after the prince regained his site, he took Rapunzel in his kingdom where they were received in celebrations, and they eventually lived as a couple happy and satisfied.

The Moral Dimension of Fairy Tales

As stated above in the last element of any fairy tale is that in the resolution stage, a lesson can be learned by the reader about life. Therefore the message is passed by the author to the reader is known as the moral of the story. In any given fairy tale there is always a moral lesson about life. The moral teachings are brought about by the use of fairy elements so they are of great use. From the features that are used in fairy tales, the following moral lessons can be identified in the novel Cinderella and Rapunzel.

In the novel Cinderella, first, a child learns that there is strength in kindness. Despite the suffering, Cinderella was put through by her stepmother she never sought revenge instead she did all the chores assigned to her wholeheartedly, because of such kindness she grew stronger every day.

Secondly, the story is that one should never stop believing in his or her dreams. Even though Cinderella stepmother not allowing Cinderella to attend the ball, that did not prevent her from attending the ball, she did not have an elegant gown, but that did not also deter her from participating since she was wailing to wore her tattered dress to participate in the ball. Likewise when the plans. Dreams and ambitions that one has seemed unreachable one should not stop believing and should strive to reach such goal. Other moral lessons from the book which are vital in one's life include not letting challenges to prevent one from living, knowing one's self-worth and above all forgiving those who have wronged you. The act of forgiveness is one of the bravest things to do. Instead of Cinderella revenging for the mistreatment of her stepmother and stepsisters after her life-changing entirely from being a typical maid to being made a princess she decided to forgive them. Likewise one should learn to forgive those who have wronged him or her. (Zipes, 2001).From the story of Rapunzel we can also derive some lessons which can be applied to one's life.one lesson is that no one can stop you from reaching to your destiny. That is no one can stop you from getting what you deserve. Gothel had separated Rapunzel from the world, so she thought it was impossible for Rapunzel to find love. But since what is expected to be must happen in one's life a prince was able to locate Rapunzel, and at the resolution stage, we learn that they got united and married each other and lived a happy and contented life. Also, the story teaches that one should not despair no matter the challenges along ones way since after enduring and persevering the results will be significant.

Conclusion

In conclusion from the significance discussed above and also the elements of fairy tales and reasons why the authors use those elements it is evident that fairy tales figures are important in fiction written for children literature.

Works Cited

Grimm, Jacob, Wilhelm Grimm, and Lucy Crane. Fairy tales. World Publishing Company, 1947.

Zipes, Jack. "The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm: Texts." Criticism (2001): 295-98.