Fairy Tales and Gender Roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fairy Tales and Gender Roles - Essay Example They seem to brig inspiration to the reader or viewer of the fairy tale. Fairy tale stories are meant to describe a life that is none existent. Sometimes they show a legendary figure who emerged as a result of a historical event (Greenway, Jennifer, and Erin, 14). They are used as a teaching tool in schools and can bring about the much needed knowledge by students about how this came to be. Fairy tales do not usually focus outside certain aspects like places, people, and certain religion. They derive their story more from a certain time in life: in that they do not dwell on the present, instead, they are more of a past time in history. They are characterized by a beginning, â€Å"once upon a time†, and an ending, â€Å"†¦happily ever after† (Greenway, Jennifer, and Erin, 33). In this essay, attention will be focused on one of the most famous fairy tales, Snow White. This fairy tale teaches and shows a lot, despite being a fairy tale that is based on fantasy. This l iterary piece of writing contains certain attributes that relate to gender roles, values that are important to both sexes, the existence of evil and the influence that the fairy tale has on society. In the film, the house chores are done by a happy Snow White who entertains herself by singing loudly. Here, the film goes on to show that such a girl, who at the time is cleaning and cooking, is happy despite her work. She is in a joyful mood despite working for people who do not treat her in accordance to how she is supposed to be treated. At this point, it is safe to say that she is doing chores usually designed for a woman. From the cooking, doing the dishes and cooking, women play their role in society without questioning why they are doing it. Snow White, despite the jobs being tiresome, performs her duties without complaining (Greenway, Jennifer, and Erin, 15). She has come to understand her role in society. In society, women are bound to perform certain tasks in their homes, or i n places they live. It goes on to show that they have accepted that as their role and that it is them that should perform them. The film was produced during the great depression when women were not allowed to work in farms and industries, but were to stay at home and do house chores (Stahly and Robert, 97). The film depicts women values such as being industrious, dutiful and longsuffering by snow white way of living and handling issues. From this, a lesson can be learnt; that even though women play their roles since it is they that should, they have other characteristics that are bound to grow on other people. When Snow White accidentally came upon a cottage in the middle of the forest after being released by the queens’ servant, she goes in, at this point showing her curiosity, and falls asleep till she is discovered by the dwarves. Her curiosity brought upon her good fortune. It could have brought her disaster, since entering a house whose owner(s) is not present could lead to certain consequences. Meeting with the seven dwarves, playing her role in ensuring they ate at the required moment and cleaning, goes on a long way to show just how women’s roles fit into society. Traditional and modern society have one thing in common; in that the roles that each member of the opposite sex performs. Snow White shows how women are supposed to be like in