Sagas about princes and princesses, beauty, magic and love, fairy tales like Snow White and Cinderella, among others, became the stories children's favorite at bedtime. However, as parents tuck in their sons and daughters, they fail to realize that these stories serve a much more daunting purpose. American writer and poet Jane Yolen suggests that fairy tales indicate the values ​​of life. Furthermore, Yolen insists that these tales are “imprints of history” (Yolen 27). By studying fairy tales in depth, she proves that the "functions of myths" are to "create a landscape of allusions [and] allow us to understand our own culture and that of the outside from within" (Yolen 18). Yolen confirms that these stories comment on “the abstract truths of our common human existence” (Yolen 18). For Yolen, fairy tales inform audiences about important historical themes and events. Retired professor Jack Zipes has been lecturing on the subject of fairy tales and folklore for many years. Zipes argues that fairy tales are far from harmless and play a much more important role in society. In fact, he concludes that "the creative purpose and major themes of folk tales were not about harmony but about the representation of changing social structures" (Zipes). Additionally, he emphasizes that “might makes right,” as the ideas of a particular fairy tale usually reflect the beliefs of the ruling class (Zipes). According to Zipes, “the concept of power is at the heart of most tales” (Zipes). Furthermore, Zipes argues that fairy tales frequently present elitist and sexist views. Zipes argues that fairy tales reflect the views of the ruling class, often mocking minorities in a given community. As Jane Yolen and Jack Zipes stated, fairy tales play a much greater role...... middle of paper... ...h much more meaningful themes and truly enlighten people (Yolen 36).Work CitedTatar, Maria. “Jack Zipes: Breaking the Disney Spell.” Classic fairy tales. New York: WW Norton and Company, 1999. 332-352. Yolen, Jane. “How basic is Shazam?” Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie and Folklore in Children's Literature. Little Rock: August House Publisher Inc., 2000. 13-19. Yolen, Jane. "Once upon a time." Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie and Folklore in Children's Literature. Little Rock: August House Publisher Inc., 2000. 27-36.Zipes, Jack David. Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2002. Zipes, Jack. “On the use and abuse of the fold and the fairy tale with children: the moralist magic wand of Bruno Bettelheim. » Literary Resource Center. Gale, 2007. The web. February 18 2010.