Children love fairy tales, which is not surprising as books contain worldly wisdom, allowing them to find a way out of many life situations and in an accessible form explaining the structure of this world. Many of the world-famous fairy tales were initially written for adult readers. Only transformed and adapted over time, they began to be read to children. Thus, children’s fairy tales are helpful not only for the children themselves but also for adults.
Through the example of the heroes of fairy tales, a person makes sense of their own life. The story of “Little Red Riding Hood” is a fairy tale full of symbols and various interpretations. Prudence and caution are the basis of safe living which is the book’s central idea (Grimm, 2021). As an adult, the fairy tale can help determine the right way to solve the problem by projecting the deed of the fairy tale’s hero onto modern life. As for the “Sun, Moon, and Talia,” the moral is “Those whose fortune favors find good luck even in their sleep” (Basile, 2010). Children listen to an exciting story, rushing to find out how it ends; this is crucial for them. Adults tend to analyze the cause-and-effect relationships and imagine other options for development.
Fairy tales help develop a child’s understanding of people’s inner world, relieve anxiety, and foster self-confidence; one of such tales is “Ashputtel.” At the same time, the author wrote that his creations should not be taken deeply; it is vital to remain a discerning realist, perceiving stories as entertainment (Grimm, 2012). It is not only fairy tales that influence thinking, but also cartoons. In recent years, Disney has been making more and more cartoons for adults. Some comics raise poignant and adult issues, but that does not mean a clear division between adults and children. As with any work of art, everyone finds their meaning, which applies to the age categories.
The texts of fairy tales are of interest to children and adults. In adulthood, many moments of the fairy tale can be perceived differently, the moral of the narrative can be interpreted in another way. Whether a person is young or an adult, they must navigate through life. Before a person learns to navigate external life, they need to operate in inner life which is the formation of their personality.
References
Basile, G. (2001). Sun, Moon, and Talia. In The Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brothers Grimm, pp. 685-688.
Grimm, B. (2012). Ashputtel. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Grimm, B. (2021). Little Red-Cap. Strelbytskyy Multimedia Publishing.