Melissa DavisENG 327WEssay May 123, 2014Fairy TalesOur textbook describes fairy tales as cautionary tales designed to frighten us, as children, into appropriate behavior and obedient (p. 169). They must warn people of potential dangers. Over the years, we've all heard variations of the stories of "Little Red Riding Hood," "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Hansel and Gretel" and many more. In these stories, we are meant to notice the underlying dangers of talking to strangers, of walking around without adults, and the dangers of not listening to authorities. There are also deeper meanings in these stories, such as protecting one's virginity and being wary of situations where death is possible. These may seem a little too dark for children, but it all depends on how in-depth you want to read the stories. These stories were passed down orally and by book from generation to generation, losing parts and adding parts along the way. There are many variations of each story, but the general principle remains the same. Fairy tales captivate children, but can be used to teach lessons about safety and obedience. With ever-changing technological advancements, fairy tales have been incorporated into cinema for many years, making literary versions of these tales almost obsolete. Even with new technologies, the moral of the stories remains the same. Our manual details a few different variations of “Little Red Riding Hood”. In the Charles Perrault version, the wolf sees the beautiful Little Red Riding Hood walking in the woods and inquires about her destination. The Riding Hood didn't know it was dangerous to talk to strangers and told the wolf exactly where she was going, to her sick grandfather...... middle of paper ...... Beauty as the characters The main girls are raped, Little Red by the wolf and Sleeping Beauty by the man who ends up being her husband. This is not what I understood from the versions I analyzed, but some interpret it that way. This is another advantage of stories: everyone can have a slightly different interpretation of the same story. Fairy tales have been around for hundreds of years, dating back at least to the 1600s, and are still common tales today. The way they are told has changed, but their purpose has not. Formerly transmitted by word of mouth or in writing, they are now transmitted through children's books, adult novels, films and plays. Sure, they are used for entertainment purposes, but fairy tales also teach us valuable life lessons about danger, safety, respect, friendship, and love..