That conversation with my sixth grade teacher about fairytales hit me harder than I thought

I was talking to my old teacher Mrs. Chen at a coffee shop in Portland last weekend and she said fairytales are actually about preparing kids for real world cruelty, not magic. She told me Little Red Riding Hood is literally a warning about predators and how ignoring warnings gets you eaten. Made me realize I've been writing my fantasy prompts way too soft and safe. Anyone else ever had a random chat that totally shifted how you approach your writing?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_riley20d ago

Hmm actually I kind of disagree. Fairytales are MORE about showing kids how to survive and adapt in a TOUGH world, not just scaring them with warnings. Your prompts being soft and safe might be what makes them feel magical and hopeful in the first place.

hannaht2920d ago

Oh great, so now I'm supposed to be teaching survival skills through my prompts instead of just making cute little story starters? Guess I need to throw a wolf and a poisoned apple in there next time to keep it "real." I'll be sure to add some gritty realism to my dragon poetry prompts tomorrow, just for you.