Various social movements in the last centuries have shifted society in many ways, whereas fairy tales have stayed within the same narratives. Should fairytales be retold to reflect modern values?
Yes, Fairy tales should be rewritten
Fairytales have not stayed consistent with the present times or the lessons learned from history. Therefore, fairytales should be rewritten for the children who are being read those fairytales.
Every time a story is retold, it is modified to some extent
Before our modern time, ideas and stories were kept alive through word of mouth and certain writings, which led to much freedom to interpretation among listeners and digesters. In this sense, no form of a fairy tale is purely "traditional."
Traditional fairy tales deepen the patriarchy's hold on society by perpetuating harmful ideas such as binary gender roles, romanticized sexual violence, chivalry, and courtly love.
No, fairy tales should not be rewritten for the modern world
Fairytales are of a time and should be enjoyed in their form. That they remain with us suggests their continued relevance.
Fairy tales help a child understand the basic parts of a story
The simplistic structure of fairy tales teaches children the basic components of stories such as the story arc of introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. This helps kids gain a better understanding of literature.
