Fairy Tale and Fantasy...?

Question

There have been many stories from history that have ended in a 'perfect type' of way. For example take 'The Little Sea Maid' (also known as 'The Little Mermaid') from Hans Christian Anderson. At the end of the story when she is unable to kill her love she throws herself from the ship ready to die but instead is 'saved' from death by children of the air. OR 'Le Belle te le Bete' (I believe it is, my French is very rusty. Also known as 'Beauty and the Beast') from Jeanne-Marie Leprince De Beaumont where the primary female character eventually finds a way to love the beast.

But the real world is not like this, and if presented with a real world example we are in the most part unable to accept it, it is to perfect in a way.

So my question is, if we like these fairy tales and hold them as an example for what can be why do we not strive to achieve it? AND Why do we resist it, and try to change it to what we are comfortable with?

Serious answers only.

Please explain your answers.

Answer 1

There are very few happily ever afters in Irish Fairy Tales.

Answer 2

The fact of the matter is that we look up to these examples as heros of a true heart of geniune human spirit that we all strive for. We all look up to these fairy tales because we cannot do the things they do in the stories. We are human. flawed, imperfect. As we are imperfect, our environment must be directly linked with it. We cannot expect to have a fairy tale ending with a non-fairy tale person. Im sorry that that is how the world works, but thats just how it is. All we can do is raise those few examples on our shoulders and idolize them, thinking how amazing it would be to have a fairy tale ending.

Answer 3

It depends on your idea of "happily ever after."  If you describe HEA as 2 people fall in love, have a great life, nothing bad ever happens, and they both die at the same time, I'm sure you would be hard pressed to find examples of this.

But if you describe HEA as 2 people falling in love, having what they would call a good life, having good memories,and then one of them dies, and the other lives on surrounded by family and friends who love them, and they get to see their children and grandchildren grow up, then this happens all the time.

I don't think a life has to be perfect to be considered good.  It is all in the perspective of how you look at it.

To love, and be loved, is really all it takes.

Answer 4

Most of the old fairy tales were gruesome, containing cruelty, maiming and even rape.  They were used as moral stories, to teach lessons or explain things that no one knew the answers to.  It wasn't until the stories were tailored for children that the stories received softer happier endings.  Sleeping Beauty wasn't raped into awakening, she was kissed.

The changing of the stories reflect the changing of society's view on acceptable behavior, and what is "alright" for kids to hear.  The Disney version of Snow White omitted the stepmother dancing in red hot iron slippers at Snow White's wedding, because it was inappropriate for children.

Answer 5

Because achieving a fairy tale, or Hollywood, ending in real life is more often than not impossible.  Which is what attracts us to these stories.  We would desperately love to be able to ride off on our white horse with the princess and "live happily ever after" but we all know its not going to happen.

Stories and movies (which are just stories put on film) are carefully structured to ensure the ending is a happy one.  Real life, on the other hand, involves random variables we cannot plan for.