Some of my favorite stories of all time are the classic fairly tales which so many children are raised on. I look fondly upon stories such as "Sleeping Beauty", "Snow White", and "Little Red Riding Hood", which were responsible for teaching me much about the world. People worldwide, no doubt, would agree that traditional literature plays a huge role in shaping children's ideas about love, good vs evil, morality, and countless other fundamental principles about life and death. Additionally, such tales or fables often allow kids to use their imaginations to enter a realm of magic, fantasy, and wonder. For these reasons, I will forever be an advocate of children's exposure to traditional fairy tales.
HOWEVER, within recent decades, these popular tales have received a great deal of flack for possibly promoting certain ideals which are less-than-desirable. I think it is important that teachers and parents be cautious regarding certain aspects of this type of literature to prevent unwanted negative influences on their children.
1) Violence- Through a consideration of some of the most popular fairy tales, an individual will find that they contain an overwhelming amount of violence and morbidity.
The Joy of Children's Literature refers to such elements as "inappropriate" and "frightening" (Johnson, 122).
2) Sexism- If one examines popular folktales (especially those written by the Grimm Brothers) the reader will see that the stories are incredibly biased against females. The women must either be put in their places or have their identities defined by males. These weak female characters rely on "Prince Charming" to determine their fate and overall happiness.
Although these considerations should not hinder a parent or teacher from allowing their children to read such tales, it is worthwhile for adults to make such considerations.
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