Fairytales with Bite
  • Home/Interviews
  • From Light to Dark
  • Blog
  • Chandlers Ford Today
  • News
  • ANTHOLOGIES
  • Biography - The Trouble With Mother
    • Biography - Short Stories
    • The Trouble With Mother Behind the Scenes
  • Alfie Dog - Allison Symes author page
  • Alfie Dog Bites - Fantasy Dinner Party Guests by Allison Symes
  • Bridge House Publishing
  • Cafe Lit
  • Cafe Lit Blog - Allison Symes stories
  • Cafe Lit - A Day Out by Allison Symes
  • External Link - ironpress.co.uk
  • External Link - Lulu.com
  • External Link - Shortbread Short Stories
  • All About Eileen
    • Eileen's Definitions >
      • Eileen's Definitions - 2
      • Eileen's Definitions - 3
      • Eileen's Definitions - 4
      • Eileen's Definitions - 5
      • Eileen's Definitions - 6
      • Eileen's Definitions - 7
      • Eileen's Definitions - 8
      • Eileen's Definitions - 9
      • Eileen's Definitions - 10
      • Eileen's Definitions - 11
      • Eileen's Definitions - 12
      • Eileen's Definitions - 13
    • All About Jenny
    • All About the Fairy Queen, Roxannadrell
    • All About the Chief Witch
    • All About L'Evallier
    • All About Hanastrew
    • All About Melanbury
    • All about Rodish
    • All About Brankaresh
    • All About Roherum
    • All About Wes (Whespy)
    • All About Stan (Stanrock)
    • All About Isabel
    • All About Fresdian
  • Fairy Kingdom Definitions
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 2
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 3
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 4
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 5
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 6
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 7
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 8
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 9
    • Fairy Kingdom Definitions - 10
  • The Rules of Magic
    • The Rules of Magic - 2
    • The Rules of Magic - 3
    • The Rules of Magic - 4
    • The Rules of Magic - 5
    • The Rules of Magic - 6
    • The Rules of Magic - 7
    • The Rules of Magic - 8
    • The Rules of Magic - 9
    • The Rules of Magic - 10
    • The Rules of Magic - 11
    • The Rules of Magic - 12
    • The Rules of Magic - 13
    • The Rules of Magic - 14
    • The Rules of Magic - 15
    • The Rules of Magic - 16
    • The Rules of Magic - 17
    • The Rules of Magic - 18
    • The Rules of Magic - 19
    • The Rules of Magic - 20
    • The Rules of Magic - 21
    • The Rules of Magic - 22
    • The Rules of Magic - 23
    • The Rules of Magic - 24
    • The Rules of Magic - 25
    • The Rules of Magic - 26
    • The Rules of Magic - 27
    • The Rules of Magic - 28
    • The Rules of Magic - 29
  • Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips
  • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 2
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 3
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 4
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 5
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 6
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 7
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 8
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 9
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 10
    • Further Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips - 11
  • Kingdom History
    • Kingdom History - 1
    • Kingdom History - 2
    • Kingdom History - 3
    • Kingdom History - 4
    • Kingdom History - 5
    • Kingdom History - 6
    • Kingdom History - 7
    • Kingdom History - 8
    • Kingdom History - 9
    • Kingdom History - 10
  • The Kingdom's Guide to Approaching Other Species
    • The Kingdom's Guide to Approaching Other Species Part 2
  • What the Kingdom Would Like To See
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 2
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 3
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 4
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 5
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 6
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 7
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 8
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 9
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 10
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 11
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 12
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 13
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 14
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 15
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 16
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 17
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 18
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 19
    • What the Kingdom Would Like To See 20
  • Appropriate Songs for My Characters
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 2
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 3
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 4
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 5
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 6
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 7
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 8
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 9
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 10
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 11
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 12
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 13
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 14
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 15
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 16
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 17
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 18
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 19
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 20
    • Appropriate Songs for My Characters - 21
  • Contact Form

fairytales and truth

13/4/2018

0 Comments

 
I'm sure you must have come across at some point someone saying something like "it's just a fairytale".  That phrase has always annoyed me.  There is nothing "just" about a fairytale.

When examined closely, the vast majority of fairytales contain at least one element of truth in them (and often much more).  Yes, fairytales do tend to follow character type but there is a lot of truth in those.  What does the wicked witch represent?  Those who are prepared to use the power they've got to control others or who are prepared to do anything to gain power.  Who does the good fairy represent?  Those who use their powers for the good of others.  And that's just to name two examples. We can all think of real life people who can fit into those categories so fairytales do reflect humanity as we know it.

Hans Christen Andersen showed that fairytales do not always have happy ever after endings.  (While it surprised me the first time I read his The Little Mermaid here, I have a greater appreciation now of the truthfulness of his characterisation and the way the story does end).  Fairytales can sometimes get across a certain amount of social commentary (again see Hans Christen Andersen's The Little Match Girl here). 

So I do wish some people would stop being dismissive of fairytales.  There is a lot more to them than may at first be apparent.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I'm Allison Symes and I write novels, short stories as well as some scripts and poems.  I love setting my work in my magical world, the Fairy Kingdom, and my favourite character is Eileen, who believes hypocrisy is something that happens to other people without caring that statement is hypocritical in itself!  Eileen is huge fun to write for and about. 

    Archives

    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    General Background

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.