My biggest problem with the stories is the depiction of the stepmother. She is invarably an evil person who is greedy and doesn't care for anyone but herself.
As a stepmother myself I don't think it's fair! (yeah I know life isn't fair). I'm not evil and I don't just think about myself. THough I'm sure my step-son thinks that when I'm getting on him about his homework and household chores.
I have an copy of the original stories and I've read most of them. No evil stepfathers. If the mother is good she's too poor to do anything or dead. Even the male characters are stilted and one-sided in most of the stories. The handsome prince who carries the girl off into the sunset. THough I must admit I will selectively read some stories to my kids and the more gruesome (or vindictive endings) my kids like the best. I don't know what that says about my kids but...
I've read some retelling of the classic fairy tales recently where the heroine isn't passively waiting for fate to solve her problems and the hero doesn't always do the right thing. I must admit Misty Lackey's latest books set in Edwardian England and the Fairytale series have been interesting. Beauty by SHeri Tepper definitely was a strong heroine. and isn't all about evil step mothers
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branchandroot
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Date: 2007-01-04 03:24 pm (UTC)As a stepmother myself I don't think it's fair! (yeah I know life isn't fair). I'm not evil and I don't just think about myself. THough I'm sure my step-son thinks that when I'm getting on him about his homework and household chores.
I have an copy of the original stories and I've read most of them. No evil stepfathers. If the mother is good she's too poor to do anything or dead. Even the male characters are stilted and one-sided in most of the stories. The handsome prince who carries the girl off into the sunset. THough I must admit I will selectively read some stories to my kids and the more gruesome (or vindictive endings) my kids like the best. I don't know what that says about my kids but...
I've read some retelling of the classic fairy tales recently where the heroine isn't passively waiting for fate to solve her problems and the hero doesn't always do the right thing. I must admit Misty Lackey's latest books set in Edwardian England and the Fairytale series have been interesting. Beauty by SHeri Tepper definitely was a strong heroine. and isn't all about evil step mothers