Fairy Tale Redoux

**OhThereYouAre** · 09-29-2009 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by WildChild

Iffy.
Ariel gives up her voice (the ability to express oneself and ones needs) in order to get legs to attract a man she has never met and only seen once. He is attracted to what? Her complete inabiltity to function in society? Silence? Looks? It certainly isn't her intelligence or wit (she has no voice and is unknown to him, trying to fit into an alien world). In the original story she ceases to exist becoming sea foam. Disney takes her from her family and loved ones to live separated from her true self.

Princess Jasmine has some spunk and in later stories is apparently a black belt but it gives an impression of cultural freedom that absolutely does/did not exist in the world she comes from.

Pocahontas's story isn't quite what might be thought. Did you know that colonial America had so many people "going native" that entire villages emptied? They passed laws with a penalty of death for joining tribes in some areas. Pocahontas had sad end disconnected from her people and trying to live in an alien culture.

The Story of Belle, teaches what? That abusive, self focused men can be transformed into loving princes? If a woman is good enough - ah yeah, right.

Well, if you're so inclined to see the glass as half empty, I guess there really isn't anyone who could say anything that could help.

These females also possess admirable traits and in the movies are potrayed in a positive light. Whether or not the viewer wishes to take note of that is up to them.

**Isabellacat** · 09-29-2009 05:10 PM

In Sleeping Beauty I would make Prince Philip be the one who's sleeping in the scary castle and have Princess Aurora be the one who wakes him up. I mean guys sleep more anyways and plus it would be a cooler story.

**WildChild** · 09-29-2009 05:12 PM

I start this thread to have some fun coming up with new twists on the stories. I'm sorry I allowed it to get so far way from that.

Most of these stories are about women who sacrifice themselves or are caught up in other people machinations and their only way out seems to be to be rescued and then to marry the rescuer whom they don't even know. I don't see much of a positive message in that. For someone derisive of the fantasy wedding as a goal in life and of some women's excessive concern with looks and such, I'm surprised to find support for something I see as feeding that type of thinking. But we all have different perspectives.
I used to discuss with my kids what the charactures could have done differently to alter their situation for themselves.

Originally Posted by WildChild

Many fairy tales were originally teaching stories that were twisted to teach other ideas later on. I thought it might be fun to recreate some popular fairy tales into something more empowering. What would you do to give them a better message? Why is there always a wicked older woman instead of a helpful one? Why does the girl always have to be rescued? Why can't she save herself? Maybe we could do this like some other story threads where everyone adds their bit?

**WildChild** · 09-29-2009 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Isabellacat

In Sleeping Beauty I would make Prince Philip be the one who's sleeping in the scary castle and have Princess Aurora be the one who wakes him up. I mean guys sleep more anyways and plus it would be a cooler story.

LOL, I agree. How could she prick her finger on a spindle anyway? My spindle doesn't have anything you could get pricked by. Oh I know who or what does... Never mind, not going there.

**Isabellacat** · 09-29-2009 07:57 PM

OMG I trip off that too.... True how could she hurt herself with the spindle?? I never liked that part when I was little.

**Little** · 09-29-2009 08:59 PM

On a positive note, has anybody looked into the Princess and the Frog? I know it's not out yet, but I was looking at a storybook/stickerbook for it at work today.
It's about a girl whose family is black in 1920's New Orleans. I don't know in what way she is a "princess," but apparently her family has worked very hard to make a restaurant successful. She apparently turns into a frog when she kisses a frog prince, rather than being rewarded for randomly falling in love with a frog

Looks promising!

**WildChild** · 09-29-2009 09:20 PM

LOL, its a twist at least. I like Shrek because Fiona gets to be completely herself and he gets to be completely himself, they don't worry about what others think and find what works best for them. His rescuing her works because it forces them each to really "see" the other.

But back to Sleeping Beauty. She gets drugged into sleeping for 100 yrs and then marries the first man who makes the effort to get to her. What can we do with her and the Priince? (NOT what Ann Rule did) If she's drugged she really can't get herself out of it... Maybe her parents need to be more proactive instead of throwing out all the spindles and destroying the weaving industry. Is this a diamond for a hymen story? Or is it really more directed toward men-if you fight through the obsticles you win the girl? Maybe Beauty needs to get out on her own, get some education and start a business?