Well, to be fair, there is more than one point to fairytales. My list would be:-
- Entertainment. Fairytales are stories first and foremost and so must entertain if they are to be read.
- Warnings. Fairytales are often very moral and can give warnings against greed (I'd count Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory here), selfishiness and vanity (Snow White's evil stepmother), strangers (Little Red Riding Hood really should not have talked with that wolf) and so on.
- Encouragement. One moral common in fairytales is that beauty is within someone, it isn't just about physical appearance. The Ugly Duckling is probably the best example of this. For anyone who has ever felt they don't fit in/are ugly etc, this kind of tale can be enormously encouraging. And it is a reminder that it takes all sorts to shine in this world.
- Social Commentary. Stories like The Little Match Girl and Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince are two great examples here. It is so easy to tell on whose side the authors are!
- Introduction to Reading Wider. Fairytales are often amongst the first stories someone reads (or has read to them) and can spark a greater love of stories and books, leading to people reading far more widely. How do I know? Fairytales did this for me!
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