Essay Sample on Fairy Tales: Classic Tales with Magical Elements

Introduction

A fairy tale is a narrative that contains characters that include goblins, elves, witches, monsters, and conversing animals. It also consists of a sequence of events. In literature, a fairy tale is a genre rooted in oral tradition. Most fairy tales have the same plots, characters, and motifs that spread across various cultures. Some of the stories such as 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' 'Alice in the Wonderland,' and 'Peter Pan' are fairy tales that contain come critical elements of fairy tales as described further in this paper.

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One of the common themes of fairy tales is that of good versus evil, where good always prevails over evil. In all the three stories, 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' 'Alice in the Wonderland,' and 'Peter Pan,' the element of good versus evil are present. In 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' Harry and his family are portrayed as good people while the Dursley's are evil. Harry is forced to work as a slave at the Dursleys' house, who are his relatives. At his Uncle Dursley's home, Harry Potter lives in a small house infested by spiders (Rowlings n.p). He faces extreme neglect, ignorance, and abuse. Eventually, Harry potter manages to escape, which the author depicts as the successful departure and escape from evil. Similarly, in 'Peter Pan,' Captain Hook is evil evident from his wicked deed aimed at causing harm. The captain kidnaps Tiger Lily and attempts to murder Peter. When Peter rescues the lost Boys, the captain tries to kill him for a second time. Peter, who represents the right side, triumphs over Captain Hooks when he kicks him right into the mouth of the crocodile. Consequently, the Red Queen is the evil person in the story, 'Alice in the Wonderland,' who is an oppressive ruler. The citizens are enslaved, oppressed, and executed in unjust manners. Alice represents good, and she is determined to rise and reassume power and place the white queen on the throne. Alice saves her people by beheading the Red Queen's monster, a move that makes the Red queen's knight to revolt against the evil deeds of the leader.

The second element and theme outstanding in all the three fairy tales is that of adventure. Precisely, fairy tales are adventure stories in a literal sense. In the story, 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' death is portrayed as an adventure. Typically, experiences are beautiful occurrences and ordeals. Death, in this case, should not be dreaded or feared but is a natural cycle that everyone should embrace as part of humanity. In addition to that, Harry and his friends disobey the rules set by Hogwart due to the need for adventure. From this tale, one can see the importance of fairytales. Consequently, 'Alice in the Wonderland' is an adventurous film in itself. The story follows the magical and outrageous world that contains knights. Alice's adventure in wonderland prompts her to create her experiences in the real world. In 'Peter Pan,' Peter has the desire to not grow up into adulthood. The reason why Peter would like to remain young forever is for him to indulge in wild adventures, which he believes he would not enjoy when he throws older.

Lastly, the theme of repetition is imminent in the three tales. In 'Alice in the Wonderland,' repetitious events are witnessed, such as those that unfold from March Hare and Mad Hatter's tea party. The repetition allows for viewers and readers to connect with the events and situations. Through such connections, one can easily believe in the bizarre nature of the world described since fairy tales are not entirely believable (Carroll n.p). Repetition in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' is evident from the theme of sparkling celesta notes that evoke imageries of magic appearing in faint glows. The recurring themes signify the beginning of the character's story. Similarly, repetition in 'Peter Pan' is evident in phrases that describe various events and happenings in a bid to enhance connection with the characters portrayed. For instance, repetition is apparent when the bird calls Peter to get into the nest to show emphasis (Barrie n.p). From this, one can see repetition is a common theme in the three tales.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the three themes of fairytales have been discussed in this paper. The items include repetition of events or phrases describing functions, adventure, and good versus evil. All these themes are frequently found in fairy tales, which are fictional stories characterized by intense fantasies. From these themes, it is clear that good triumphs over evil in fairy tales, repetition emphasizes events to enhance connection with a reader or audience, and adventure where characters indulge in various adventurous activities.

Works Cited

Barrie, J M Peter Pan. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Co, 1991. Print

Carroll, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass. , 2019. Print.

Rowlings, J K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. California: Warner Bros, 2002. Print.