Blog #6

"Cupid and Psyche" is an old Greek tale about the God Cupid and his wife Psyche. This ancient tale from Greek mythology tells the tragic struggles that the young lovers face as they strive to become a loving couple. Venus, jealous of Psyche's beauty, orders her son Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with a hideous beast. Cupid, however, falls in love with Psyche himself and becomes her mysterious husband who visits her only in the night and refuses to be seen. When Psyche betrays his trust and, fearing that he is a hideous monster, looks at him, Cupid leaves her. Desperate to get him back, Psyche endures the tasks put upon her by Venus to prove her worth as a good wife. However, Psyche once again falls victim to her own curiosity and falls into a deathly sleep when she looks into a box she was not supposed to. She is saved only by Cupid who rescues her and brings her up to become his immortal wife.

At first read this story appears very unique, with no similarities to other famous tales, but the story does actually bare a lot of resemblance to the famous Grimm Fairy Tale "The Frog King." In "The Frog King" a princess, distraught at losing her favorite golden ball, makes a promise with a frog to become his lifelong companion if he returns her ball to her. When he arrives at the castle however, she refuses to let him in until the King forces her to keep her promise and let the frog eat and sleep with her. When it is time for him to sleep in her bed, however, she throws him against the wall in anger which causes him to transform into a young prince. The two return to his kingdom to be married, and the prince's faithful servant is so overjoyed that the metal bands build around his heart begin to break.

At first these stories appear to have little in common, but despite a few differences they are both tales about young wives learning to be good companions and build trusting relationships with their husbands. Both stories can also be seen lessons for young girls to accept and love the men that they are forced to marry. In both stories the forced together in a way that resembles arranged marriage. The marriage is philosophized in "Cupid and Psyche" and the king forces his daughter to keep her promise of companionship in "The Frog King." Also in both stories the young woman becomes anxious and angry when she fears she is stuck with a hideous, gross monster. When she acts out in anger, either by sneakily shining a lamp on him or throwing him against a wall, and his real beauty is revealed her feelings toward him change fully into love. In both stories the wife is forced to prove her worth and her ability to serve her husband in domestic ways. In "Cupid and Psyche" Psyche must complete the tasks given to her by Venus in order to test her "housewifery." In "The Frog King" the princess has to eat and sleep with the frog in order to prove herself as a good wife. Both stories end with the beautiful couple being happily married once the wife learns to be a good and trusting wife.

Sources: https://assets.americanliterature.com/al/images/story/the-frog-king.jpg

https://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/Amor-and-Psyche.jpg

Blog #5

In 1937, Walt Disney Studios released its first fully animated feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This move revolutionized modern entertainment and pioneered a new form of family entertainment. But how does this movie compare to the original Grimm fairy tale it claims to be based off of? To a casual viewer these stories may seem to be basically the same with just a few minor plot adjustments. In reality, however, Walt Disney chose to make very major and specific changes that alter the deeper meanings of the tale entirely.

In order to understand all the changes that were made one must first understand why they were made. The original purpose of traditional fairy tales was to convey specific themes, morals, and lessons through meaningful symbols and repetition. Walt Disney, however, cared much more about profit and entertainment than conveying the intended meaning of the tale. This is why important symbols and repetitions were altered in order to make the movie "more entertaining" for a child audience. For example, the evil queen attempting to kill Snow White three separate times with three items symbolic of femininity and sexuality (culminating in the use of a two sided apple symbolic of the inner struggle of femininity) was changed to become the evil queen attempting to kill Snow White  only once with a simple red apple.

Other changes from the original to the movie were the result of the time period when the movie was made. The movie began production in the great depression which majorly affected the themes and attitudes reflected in the movie. The makes the conscious choice to focus very heavily on the story of the dwarfs, unlike the Grimm version that gives barely any detail about them. Disney chooses to give them each distinct characters, extended scenes all to themselves, and a strong focus on their job and hard working attitudes. This is partly in order to create a more comedic movie, but it is also a way to inspire a society stricken with unrest and difficulty. The movie promotes hard working attitudes that were needed in this time period in man as well as women, who are encouraged by Snow White's love of chores, to peruse a domestic lifestyle 

Most of the changes in the movie are actually the result of Walt Disney's personal life and beliefs. Walt Disney, a country boy who moved to New York and battled his way to the top of the animation industry, loves to validate his success by making his movies at least partially autobiographical. It can be said that the choice to give the prince a much bigger role in the movie by introducing him sooner and making him the one responsible for saving Snow White's life is due to him being representative of Walt Disney himself. The dwarfs (who were responsible for saving Snow White in the original fairy tale) are diminished to doing all of the hard work and getting none of the credit in the movie, just like Walt Disney's animators. Disney also decided to alter the story to make Snow White a maid dressed in rags at the start of the movie (instead of a distinguished royal figure as she is in the original), in order to tell a rags to riches story that reflects his own journey to success.

Sources: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjcsLGl7_HkAhUxmuAKHSIOCWMQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Flwlies.com%2Farticles%2Fsnow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-at-80%2F&psig=AOvVaw3PvTtwkFEG9-CenGOmCE4i&ust=1569703464244950

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Blog #4

Cinderella is one of the most popular fairy tales in the wold. Little girls everywhere dream of being Cinderella and finding their own prince charming. Disney World even offers the opportunity for couples to have a Cinderella themed wedding. Cinderella is also something known as a "rise tale." A rise tale is a story that features a narrative arc of "rags to riches through magic and marriage." In these stories unfortunate and impoverished heroes/heroines become rich and successful through hard work, kindness, and faith. These types of fairy tales usually also include the her/heroine being aided by magic and ultimately become rich or royal through marriage.

These types of stories are extremely popular because they provide every day people with the hope that one day they too could be rich and successful. As a hard working country boy who rose through the ranks of the elite movie industry, Walt Disney is a huge fan and pioneer of these types of stories. He made sure to accentuate this theme within all of his fairy tale movies in order to boast his life story and inspire a struggling America. These tales continue to be extremely popular today because they have the power to convince child and adult alike that absolutely anything is possible.

It is well established that these stories are popular, but are they realistic? Can someone really reach success or riches with magic or marriage? Are these dreams really attainable? For a character within a fairy tale they are completely attainable. The formulaic styles of fairy tales means that the traits of a character can be used to predict their fate. Characters that are faithful and hard working will get help from magic creatures, objects, or people and eventually rise to the top and have their wishes fulfilled. Characters who are selfish, lazy, or cheating will experience a downfall and be punished. These rules are always in place in order to teach the reader that good and pious actions will have good results while selfish actions will lead to punishment.

Real life, however, is never this simple. Fairy tales can be easily predicted, but real life is impossible to predict. It is true that hard work usually results in a more successful outcome, but relying on the help of a fairy godmother a marriage with a wealthy prince is foolish. We all want to believe that dedication and persistence will propel us through life, but it is impossible to deny that those who already have wealth and power are given excessive advantages. It is very rare that a very poor person becomes very rich. In the real world it is most common for the rich to stay rich and the poor to stay poor. Fairy tales exist in a universe of perfect organization that does not exist in the real world. Good people do not get lucky chances or opportunities just because they are good and bad people do not get punished just because they are bad. Success is hard to find in the real world. It relies on chance and circumstance and cannot be influenced by magic.

Sources: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj7396wpuPkAhUPh-AKHRTNB0UQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdisneysmulticulturalism.wordpress.com%2F2016%2F03%2F12%2Frags-to-riches-the-classic-cinderella-story%2F&psig=AOvVaw0sw3gwaShZgwMOBjDVd33t&ust=1569202839360411

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Blog #3

Fairy tales are magical. They are an integral part of our society that incorporates universal tropes and motifs that represent our core humanity. We can all recognize and identify fairy tales, but what exactly are they? How can we define them? At their core, fairy tales are simple stories centered around magic that use action, characters, and objects to symbolize a theme or legend.

There are many individual elements that play important roles in these types of stories. First of all, one must be able to recognize how fairy tales differ from different kinds of legends and myths. In saint and local legends tales center around a miracle brought about by God to astound and restore humanity's faith in the lord. In contrast, fairy tales are centered around magic. This magic is a constant element in the fairy tale world that is universally accepted and respected.

Another major aspect of fairy tales in their consistent formula. This strict formula of iconic expressions, action, and repetition can be found as the backbone of all fairy tales. All tales begin with "once upon a time" and they all end with "happily ever after." These classic bookends give the story a timeless and reliable feel. Fairy tales also keep their timeless simplicity by telling stories through action and avoiding overly artistic or detailed descriptions. Another crucial aspect of fairy tale structure is repetition. Scenes or actions are often repeated 3 times with little to no change. This repetition drives themes home and keeps the stories simple for children.

There are also distinct plot and character aspects that can be found in all fairy tales. The story lines usually are based off the isolation of characters. The heroes leave home, the villains are lonely and reclusive, family is lost or separated, and the characters are forced to overcome these difficulties. These characters are also written as contrasting extremes. The characters always represent good and evil with no in between. Characters, plot, and objects in the story are also symbolic. These symbols lead the reader to uncovering the deeper meanings of these tales. The perfect structure of these symbolic plots are usually tied up with precise and organized endings. The hero always returns at the exact right moment and the problem is always solved at the crucial moment. These plots run like clockwork and are tied in a bow at the end with a perfect happy ending.

Sources: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjVidbwz87kAhVL5uAKHbQHB_0QjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fboardgamegeek.com%2Fboardgame%2F211593%2Fonce-upon-time-fairy-tales&psig=AOvVaw1u23O7zjFsAR6YqTLadDFQ&ust=1568492451304087

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjU7ou30M7kAhWqx4UKHbmyB2QQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F367043438354340311%2F&psig=AOvVaw2h9j2-En-Dh-rFXrjWDX93&ust=1568492558666964

Blog #2

The film "The Brothers Grimm" was very interesting and entertaining. However, it was absolutely riddled with historical inaccuracies. One of the most obvious and most important things the move got wrong was the relationship between the brothers themselves. In real life, Jacob was the wise and caring older brother while Wilhelm was the ill but outgoing younger brother. In the movie, however, the brothers' ages were reversed and the deep, passionate love that Zipes discussed the brothers having for one another was nowhere to be seen. The brothers in the movie were portrayed to bicker and fight constantly while taking part in activities the quiet, scholarly brothers would never do in real life. Another falsity in the movie is the fact that Wilhelm, who was constantly struggling with his failing health, was portrayed as very athletic and healthy. The only things about the brothers that the movie got slightly correct were their names, the fact that they were brothers, that they came from a poor family, that Jacob was the more introverted brother, and that Wilhelm was the more outgoing brother.

Another interesting choice the movie made was to disregard the brothers' actual profession and beliefs and instead make up a story about the brothers being dishonest con men. In real life the brothers were honest, hardworking literary scholars who toiled away working day and night in order to support their struggling family. Their Christian faith kept them motivated to educate Germany through traditional language and grammar. In the movie, however, the brothers were portrayed and conniving con men intent on becoming rich, drinking, sleeping with lots of women, and partying (things their Christian faith would have never supported). Also, in the movie the unification of Germany was no longer their top concern, instead fairy tales were their primary focus. The movie even supported the idea of the supernatural tales being real, something the real brothers would have never believed.

The movie correctly illustrated the French occupation of Germany, but decided to fabricate almost all the details. Although the brothers did work as librarians for the French government for a very short time, they never worked directly for a French general like they did in the movie. The brothers also rarely traveled in order to collect their tales, instead inviting young educated women to their home to tell stories. Therefore, the brothers would never have encountered the situation they did in the movie. Furthermore, the concept of the brothers fighting over a girl they met on their travels is highly unlikely, because Wilhelm was happily married and Jacob seemed to have little interest in marriage. Overall, the movie strayed very far from the real history of the Brothers Grimm.

Sources; https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi-rffQiL_kAhUNwlkKHfUuDdQQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Ftitle%2Ftt0355295%2F&psig=AOvVaw2P99Ky76ItG61u98yQHqXw&ust=1567957896747735

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Blog #1

I chose to take "From Grimm to Disney" as my Freshman Seminar because I have always loved fairy tales. Stories have always captured my imagination, and I have been reading and writing all kinds of stories practically since birth. I have always reveled in the mystery and magic behind classic tales such as "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Rapunzel." Tales such as these always sparked excitement in me and made me wonder about what kinds of enchantment and excitement could be found in the real world. I also love movies and have great appreciation for the childhood nostalgia that is associated with many Disney fairy tale films. I am very intrigued by the ways that English, literature, cinema, and society intertwined in order to transform the classic fairy tales from what they once were in the age of the brothers Grimm to what they are today.

I have many goals that I hope to achieve in this first year seminar as well as in my fall semester as a whole. I am very interested in English, and I am considering minoring in English, so I hope I can use this FYS and my other English classes this semester to further explore and gage my interest in the subject. I also hope I can use this FYS to meet new people who share my interests. Overall, I want to continue my academic success from High School and successfully transition into this new stage of my education. I plan on working very hard, but I also hope I will have a good time and gain a lot of new experiences.

My favorite fairy tale has always been "Beauty and the Beast." When I was younger the tale resonated with me for more superficial reasons, such as the princess's dress being my favorite color or her hair being the same color as mine. However, as I grow older the story still remains my favorite because I genuinely enjoy the complex plot and characters. I have always appreciated how Belle is more than just a damsel in distress and constantly displays her bravery by speaking her mind and standing up for her beliefs even when they differ from those around her. I love how she is also more than just a pretty face and has many admirable qualities and academic interests. I also really like how complex and misunderstood the character of the beast is and I love seeing his genuine transformation throughout the story. I think all versions of the story do good jobs of captivating the reader and telling a beautiful story of how love is about more than just superficial things.