This began as a short essay on the structure of fairy tales.
It evolved into something completely different.
It became what I call a “femifesto” – the guiding principles by which our company, Mab’s Media, functions.
Why We Still Need Fairy Tales
The world is a scary place.
It is filled with monsters that appear in unexpected places. We have no armor or weapon to speak of. We are sure to perish.
And yet, we carry with us in our childhood memories the blueprints to battle and defeat these evil beasts. Fairy tales whisper to us of dreams realized, dragons defeated, and loved ones reunited. Our very language is peppered with allusions to these stories. Some entertainment industries are even powered by them.
So how do these heroines actually succeed? How can these stories help us in our “real” life?
Fairy tales often follow the same structure and patterns. These patterns are repeated across time and cultures:
1. There is a problem that appears insurmountable: a monster, an evil leader, a corrupt sorcerer.
2. The heroine facing the problem has no tangible resources. She doesn’t possess family connections, money, or even much hope. She is kind-hearted and hard-working, and often has a skill that is undervalued by society (cooking, sewing, etc.).
3. The heroine appeals to and accepts help from people or things that others dismiss as useless and without power. Examples include: a magic pebble, the shell of a walnut, or even a variety of rodents and reptiles.
Cinderella was able to overcome her poverty and oppression through both a bit of magic and the help of the most undervalued individuals in her community (rats, mice, lizards).
Vasilisa, in Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave, not only survived an encounter with Baba Yaga but also went on to develop a profession (weaving) and marry the czar. It was all accomplished through her courage, extraordinary talents in the kitchen, and her beloved doll.
Blanche, in The Talking Eggs, escaped her abusive family and constructed a life of her own through kindness, respect, and empathy.
Throughout history, people have overcome seemingly insurmountable problems and made the world better for it. Like our fairy tale heroines, they succeeded by valuing their strengths and abilities, as well as drawing strength from their communities.
Our fairy tale heroines battle obstacles like the ones we face today. We live in a world filled with ogres who value us only for what we can provide for them, be it through our work or even our flesh. And like our fairy tale heroines, we yearn for a happy ending.
While many of us feel powerless, we can defeat dragons. Speaking up is one thing we can do. Remember the horrible McCarthy era hearings that ended with the voice of one person. When the lawyer Joseph Welch said, “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?” on June 9, 1954, it was as if a spell had been broken. McCarthy’s immense influence disappeared and he was censured by the Senate.
Supporting each other is another way to conquer our monsters. In 1975, the women of Iceland organized to fight pay inequality and their lack of representation within the government. On October 24, 1975, approximately ninety percent of the female population participated in the Women’s Day Off. The next year, laws were passed regarding equal rights. The positive impact of that day continues today.
We must value ourselves and those around us, even when the leaders and the robber barons tell us that our lives and beliefs are worthless. A better future is just over the hill. If we believe in ourselves and our community, we can all ascend the hill together.
And we can all live happily ever after.
The End
