I
Areyona Green
10/06/2014
ENF3/ENG111
A Real Life Fairytale
Fairy tales have been used in our lives for quite some time. Grandparents, parents and the list go on as far as different fairytales that have been shared. Each individual was raised on certain fairy tales. Other individuals have been raised on others. Over time the stories have changed yet they have similar beginnings and come to the same or similar ending. Many stories have additions, are unforgettable and classic like the Grimm brothers stories. The Grimm brothers and their stories are known through the history and fame behind there magnificent stories.
The Grimm brothers lived in Germany throughout their life and that is where most of their stories came from. They were influenced by the people and folktales as they grew up and they felt the stories should continue. The brothers loved a good story with magic and danger and with royalty and rouges. The brothers wanted to preserve the oral traditions and cultures of the stories and folk tales. People shy away from some of their stories because adults were offended by the gruesome punishments and violence in the stories. They collected stories that were passed down from generations which were placed in their first published collections “Children and House Hold Tales” in 1812. In the 20th century the stories ruled the bookshelves and the brothers had created manuals of manners. Till this day their stories live on and are very popular all over the world.
After reading stories from the brothers there was one story that caught my attention and I felt that I could relate with. The story “The White Bride and the Black One” shared issues that I once endured as a child. The story was about a step mom and step daughter who was mean and cruel to everyone especially the step daughter. They felt they looked better than her and everything they did. The step daughter felt as if she didn’t belong, but she was kind and nice. I have been in this situation growing up and having a step mom. My dad married a woman who didn’t treat me as if I was her daughter, she wasn’t nice to me and she treated me like I should have never been born. When my dad was around, she treated me nice and always asked me did I need anything for she would treat me like I was hers. Once my dad left or went away, she would verbally abuse me and make me feel unwanted. I would always dread going to my dad’s house but I knew that I had to spend time with my dad because he is in the military.
I was also connected to the story through the concept of the step daughter who was the only one to help the old man and was also willing to take him and show him where he needed to go. I seem to have been and still am the type of person to help no matter what. No matter how bad they treated me, I never did the same to them. I always treat people with respect and I will help anyone.
The Grimm brother’s stories relate to different people in different ways. They shared many stories based off of people and some off of their imagination. The brothers lived well until their father died. Jacob then had to take care of the family and that’s when they learned how to survive. Once their stories started to spread and be heard by people they felt that the brothers had created gruesome endings and harsh punishments. Once the brothers realized how the stories made people feel they revised them and created better endings. Kids still read and learn from the stories and they too grow up to think that life is supposed to have happy endings. The fairytales also teach lessons in which people go through in life such as my life story.
Works Cited
O'Neil, Thomas. Guardians of the Fairy Tales the Brothers Grimm. 1st ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2014. 44-57. PrintThe Brothers Grimm. "The White Bride and the Black
One." Fairy tales .1812.Gutenburg Project 2008 <www.Gutenburg. death>.web