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Thursday, March 14, 2024

Reasons to Enjoy Fairy Tale Retellings

 Fairy tales (and retellings) have a strong appeal. And, for me there are many reasons why they’re my favorite type of story.

Life Lessons: Fairy tales often contain valuable life lessons and morals that can be applied to various situations in real life. Perhaps that’s why children and adults can enjoy them.

Magical Settings: These stories transport readers to enchanting and whimsical worlds filled with mystical creatures and fantastical landscapes. There’s nothing like being whisked away to a land where anything is possible.

Universal Appeal: These tales transcend cultural boundaries, resonating with people from diverse backgrounds across the globe. There are versions of popular fairy tales and folk tales that have been told in just about every culture and country.

Symbolism: Many elements in fairy tales are symbolic, offering deeper meanings and insights into human nature.

Happy Endings: The promise of a happy ending is comforting in a world where life can be so unpredictable. A HEA makes things so much better.

Inspiration: These tales inspire creativity, which is why retellings are so popular. You can create so many new stories from established ones.

Royalty: Not to say that every fairy tale has a royal family, but it’s always nice to have a Prince (or Princess) Charming show up at some point.

Fairy Tales are for Children and Adults: Fairy tales are popular books to read to children, but adults love them too. (As I’ve mentioned above!)

They can have different Meanings: When I was researching fairy tales for my novellas, I was surprised to learn the origins of Beauty and the Beast. One version was written in France in the 1700's and was said to reflect the anxieties of young women who might not know what to expect in marriage. Would their betrothed be a beast or a charming hero?

Transformation: Usually, characters will have a transformation of some kind, as when the beast becomes a man, or the heroine transforms from mermaid to human. And who doesn’t enjoy a good story of transformation?

 

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