Almost Done

Looking back at the class I would definitely say it helped me out a lot. At the start of the course I admit I didnt enjoy it very much, but as the course progressed I became more and more interested. I loved our discussions and most of all the grafitti. It was great learning about all of the motifs and things in fairytales that I never knew about before. My favorite story that we read  was probably Little Red Cap because I loved how it related to Silence of the Lambs. FYS 1181 has done a great job of preparing me for the rest of college and has taught me things I never knew. I even got to share my new knowledge with the Boys and Girls Club. I have had a great time.

Bluebeard, The Robber Bridegroom and  Fitcher’s Bird have similarities and differences. In all of the versions the main villain is an evil man  trying to lure the innocent girl into his home.  The Robber Bridegroom doesn’t have a room of dead women, but the innocent bride to be sees her bridegroom murder a maiden first hand.  The three are also similair in that in the end all three of the villains are punished by death. In Bluebeard and Fitcher’s Bird the girls are told not to go into a specific room. They do not listen in either version and both drop an object that gets covered in blood.

Differences between the three is that the evil man in Bluebeard actually has a blue beard. The man from The Robber Bridegroom is a robber and in Fitcher’s Bird the bad guy is a sorcerer.  In Bluebeard the man and girl actually get married. My favorite is probably the Bluebeard version. Im not sure why but I enjoyed that one the most.

My Progress

I think that I have accomplished a decent amount so far, but I am not doing as well as I should be. I keep messing up on the little things like forgetting to do my blog. I am very interested in the class which is a good thing because I learn more when i am actually interested in the topic. I am achieving my goal to learn more about the history of fairy tales and how they have changed over the course of time. I really want to do well in the class, but I know that I have to work harder and put more into it if i want to succeed. I definitely need to spend more time studing over the material we recieve. I know that what I'm doing now isnt enough and that I have to put more time into it, because if I don't the material won't stick as well. The most challenging part of the class for me is remembering the specific historical facts and all of the little details. the details are the most important part, but there are so many. I definitely enjoy all of the movies we watch. I love watching movies and analyzing all of the different symbols and things that I never noticed before. i am excited to learn more and work harder to be a better student. That's what an FYS is meant for.

Grimm vs. Disney

The Grimm version and the Disney version have a lot of  similarities and differences.  In both of the tales the stepmother is evil and wants to be the fairest in the land. She is very vain and greedy.  Another similarity is that the evil step-mother tricks the gullible Snow White into letting her into the house. In both versions there is also a poison apple which is the final attempt of the step-mom to kill Snow White. The dwarves warn Snow White in both tales to not listen to anyone who comes to the house because it could eb the queen in disguise. The dwarfs also bury Snow White in a glass coffin so that they dont get her beautigul body dirty.

One of the major differences is that in the tale, Snow White is tricked three times by the evil step-mother whereas in the Disney version the apple is the first thing that the queen resorts to.  The other difference is that in the Grimm tale the dwarfs force Snow White into a social contract to clean, cook, and keep the house in return for protection and a place to stay. In the Disney version Snow White is a maternal figure. The demise of the queen is also different. In the tale the stepmom is put in hot iron shoes and dances to death. In the movie the dwarfs chase her off of a cliff.

Disney diverted from the original version of the Grimm's tale to make it more suitable for a younger audience. It is more sweet and fun. It is full of song which adds a great dimension.  Disney gave the dwarfs names in the movie based on their seperate personalities. This is very interesting and funny to children to see and identify with the different characteristics of each of the dwarfs. The violence and complexity of the tale was taken out to make it more simple for the young audience that disney caters to.

The Brothers Grimm and the adaptation by MGM of the classic Hansel and Gretel have many differences and similarities, but they aren' very drastic..  The biggest difference is probably the mother/stepmother.  In the MGM version the mother is the children's birth mother. When the mom sends them out to get berries for dinner she feels awful because they could've lost their way or been attacked by the evils of the forest. The Grimm version is the opposite. The stepmother wants to get rid fo the kids because there isn't much food. The husband is a baby in both version who complies with everything the demanding stepmom says. I personally think the stepmother adds another dimension to the story and makes it more interesting because there is a disconnect in the family.In the movie the witch is also different because at first she is nice and acts like she wants to be their friend. Hansel even calls her Grandma. Its the opposite in the Grimm version.  In the MGM version Hansel and Gretel go in the forest once and get lost  while in the other version Hansel uses bread crumbs and pebbles.  Hansel is very protective in both versions when it comes to Gretel. In the end of both versions Gretel saves her brother by throwing the witch into the oven. for the most part the main plot stayed the same. We still get all of the same motifs and lessons from both versions.

What is a Fairytale?

I believe that a fairytale is a narrative that takes place in a fantasy realm where anything can happen. It is magical and goes against the laws of reality. It is a place of princes and princesses, witches, ogres, and dwarves. It is a lesson, not only for children, but for adults as well. It teaches morals and opens the imagination to all sorts of possibilities. A fairytale is simple, but in a way that makes it interesting. In the end good prevails over evil, and above all, everyone lives happily ever after.

Why This Course?

When i first skimmed through the list of available FYS courses only one caught my eye, "From Grimm to Disney". Disney holds a special place in my heart, and in the hearts of people all around the world. Disney is magical, not only because of the wonderous stories, but in the fact that it touches people of all ages, races, and gender. No matter who you are or where you're from we can all relate in someway to the stories and lessons that these masterpieces tell.  For me as a child Disney was an escape. I spent the first ten years of my life in the fostercare system in Baltimore. Fostercare can be a scary place for a child. A lot of kids are emotionally damaged because of the lack of attention and security. Kids question themselves and feel rejection because their parents, the people who should care the most for them just gave them away. Whenever I was scared, lonely, or feeling down on myslef i knew that Disney would always be there to put a smile on my face. I dont know much in the way of fairytales but my favorite disney movie is without question The Lion King. It taught me to never forget who i am as a person, and that you can't run from your past, eventhough it may hurt. The past is what defines you as a person. Everything you go through shapes you into who you are today. If you try to run from the past you will never learn anything or truly understand who you are as a person. Disney will never die. It's one of those things that lives on forever, not only on the screen but inside everyone who watches. I know that everyone out there can look back and learn from the classics and carry the lessons and morals from them that I have taken and applied to my life. Disney has taught me so much more than any school or education could. It has taught me about life, and everything that it should be. I hope that this course will broaden my perspective on the magical world that i have seen through so many Disney movies, and teach me more about myself.

Remember Who You Are

Lion King: Simba's Roar

Tarzan - Strangers Like Me

Colors of the Wind

Hercules - I Can Go The Distance (Full in English)

The Lion King 3D Trailer