Don’t bet on the Prince!

Fairy Tales do influence the manner in which children conceive the world and their places in it even before they begin to read.

Psychologists

Arthur Applebee: on hearing a fairy tale children “assimilate the story to their past experience of similar tales, providing themselves with expectations about such things as types of characters, patterns of behaviour, and suitable endings.

What is a “suitable ending” for a young woman according to the dominant culture?

•Marriage to “Royalty”?

•Marriage to someone who is well-off?

•Winning the lottery?

•Acquiring glamour and becoming famous? For what?

•Becoming a volunteer worker?

•Obtaining a Phd?

The “Princess” character

The Traditional View

• “Princess” is poor and tortured.

• “Princess” is tortured by evil witch.

[ women as either angels or witches ]

• Kind and handsome prince comes along.

• Prince saves “princess”.

[ Prince is happy because he is stronger and superior to princess.]

Reality

The Struggle for Power

“The Princess who stood on her own two feet” by Jeanne Desy

Alternative

The New Message

• If you sacrifice everything you are for the “saviour” (i.e. for love), you end up losing everything.

• Dependency is never a good thing.

• Prerequisites to find a “prince”: total sacrifice of self

Snow White

A) Traditionally

B) New Fairy Tale

• A Revolutionary

• A woman who liberates herself (does not wait for the prince to do so)

• Manages to alter everyone’s living conditions.

The New Message

Making Millions

Heroes and Villains

She’s a rock star!

The Only Way is Up!

Student elections

What if we could be ourselves?

The Messages

• Race

• Age

• Family

• Physical characteristics

• Success / Failure

The New Message

• Independence

• Equality

• Respect and acceptance of the “other”

Don’t Bet on the Prince!

Bet on Yourself!