The Everlasting Question: What is a Fairy Tale?

        The concept of a fairy tale is one that I always felt extremely confident in. From growing up listening to such stories, I was always mesmerized by them and, until now, I have always believed I knew what a fairy tale was.  But, now thinking about it, I am not entirely sure I completely knew the answer to that question.

        Based on readings from class, I have attained a much better grasp of the true definition of a fairy tale, but I definitely still have much more learning to do in the subject.  From the knowledge I have acquired the past two weeks, I know a fairy tale is a verbally passed story that is on a one-dimensional plane; meaning the characters and setting are simplified with limited details. These tales also generally follow a pattern with slight variations between stories. For example, many, if not all fairy tales, begin with an introduction of the hero and setting followed by a problem and journey, introduction of a villain and helpers, and triumph and return with a solution to complete the tale.  

http://www.puzzlehouse.com/fairytales.htm

        For me, the most interesting aspect of a fairy tale is that it is never doubted. No matter what events take place throughout the tale, the reader/listener never thinks deeply into its aspects. One may interpret the motifs of the story, but one will rarely doubt the actions and characters throughout the story. For example, when the princess kisses the frog and he turns into a prince, the audience never says, “Well, thats not possible!” We take it for granted. We believe and are immersed within the tale. By far, I love this piece of the definition. Even though the characters and settings are so flat, the audience is so attracted to the story that nothing else seems to matter. 

        With origins unknown and many cultural spins on each story, fairy tales may be one of the most interesting forms of art in the world. They apply to everyone everywhere and their morals and characters can apply to everyone. Whether one listener relates to the hero and another to the helper, each character plays a vital role throughout the story and has an application to the real world making the fairy tale a multifunctional piece of art that, although it is has “depthlessness” in itself, its effects are so vast that its application seem never-ending.