Wow! What a Class!

I must say that I didn't know what to expect from a graduate class on fairy tales. My prior knowledge of fairy tales was highly influenced by Disney and that experience was many, many years ago. As a result, I had forgotten much of the content of the tales. Besides, as a young child, one doesn't really grasp much except the entertainment factor.

Reading the fairy tales as an adult has enlightened me, and to be quite honest, shocked me. I had no idea that so many fairy tales were so violent, gruesome, sexual, and dramatic, and that many of them were never originally meant for child audiences. As I stated at the beginning of the course, they are like soap operas.

It was very interesting to learn of the origins of the tales. I enjoyed reading the different versions of the stories. That, along with reading the varied analyses of the tales, although some were a bit confusing, helped give me a better understanding of fairy and folk tales, whether I agreed with the analysis or not. Taking this class has sparked in me a renewed interest in fairy tales, particularly the modern versions of the tales. It's interesting to see how modern-day "storytellers" (filmmakers) use creative license to put their own spin on the classic tales. It has also renewed my interest in watching the Disney fairy tales that I grew up watching, as well as some of the Disney tales created in recent years. I guess I could say that this grown up class has awakened the child in me!

I have to say this class has been one of my favorite graduate courses. I'm so glad I took this class! Thanks Dr. Rufleth and fellow classmates for making this a great class! I really enjoyed reading the posts, especially the revised fairy tales. All of you are so talented and creative!