Maybe your husband doesn't consider it a fairytale because it didn't have a happy ending. I suppose Jack was happy in the end but the giant was murdered and had his belongings stolen...jack and the beanstalk?
wasn't Jack and the Beanstalk considered a fairytale? My son had a project in school last year on fairytales. My husband tried to tell me it wasn't considered a fairytale. what do you guys think?
Same here.Hmm. I never considered its message to be that you could achieve great things from little or nothing. I was always rather disturbed by the tale as a youth. "But you aren't supposed to steal, Mommy." Jack robbing the giant bothered me a lot more than him killing the giant at the end.
The stealing bother's you more than the murder?! Killing the giant is a lot worse than stealing from him; and that's not to say that stealing from the giant wasn't right. It's just that killing outweighs stealing. So much seems to be wrong with Jack. First he steals from, then he kills, the giant. He is no hero. If anything, he would be the villain, the giant the victim.Hmm. I never considered its message to be that you could achieve great things from little or nothing. I was always rather disturbed by the tale as a youth. "But you aren't supposed to steal, Mommy." Jack robbing the giant bothered me a lot more than him killing the giant at the end.
Agreed. So no happy ending... Isn't that what makes a fairytale? The good guy wins and the bad guy loses and everyone goes home happy.The stealing bother's you more than the murder?! Killing the giant is a lot worse than stealing from him; and that's not to say that stealing from the giant wasn't right. It's just that killing outweighs stealing. So much seems to be wrong with Jack. First he steals from, then he kills, the giant. He is no hero. If anything, he would be the villain, the giant the victim.
E. M.
Sorry, but I need to correct you on just one thing. Often in fairy tales, it ends rather grim. I mean, yes, the hero or good guy usually wins out against the villain, but usually at a cost. For example, take a look at The Little Mermaid. It does not end nicely. When the prince chooses another woman over her, she has to make a choice between killing the prince in order to get her tail back, or die. I'll leave you to ponder which path she chooses (I don't like to give away endings). But either way, it's grim. Also, look at The Robber Bride Groom, Little Red Riding Hood (Perrault's), Bluebeard, and Cinderella or Aschenputtle (both) for more examples. They don`t all necessarily have unhappy endings, but at the very least the story itself is rather grim. As Jack Zipes, a fairy tale aficionado, has said, fairy tales were never meant for children.Agreed. So no happy ending... Isn't that what makes a fairytale? The good guy wins and the bad guy loses and everyone goes home happy.
Jack and the Bean Stalk was rewritten/collected by Joseph Jacobs in his 1890s books, like the Grimms wrote/collected their stories. The story existed before him. In older versions, the giant had killed Jack's father (unknown to Jack or his mother), thus excusing the theft and murder as just deserts."Jack and the Beanstalk" is a fairy tale written by Joseph Jacobs, the same author who wrote "The Three Little Pigs" as well as "Molly Whuppie". There are a few known fairy tales which came from him, or are attributed to him at least.
Here's a little bit about the guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Jacobs
E. M.
I know what you mean, but I was definitely referring to the children's versions.Sorry, but I need to correct you on just one thing. Often in fairy tales, it ends rather grim. I mean, yes, the hero or good guy usually wins out against the villain, but usually at a cost. For example, take a look at The Little Mermaid. It does not end nicely. When the prince chooses another woman over her, she has to make a choice between killing the prince in order to get her tail back, or die. I'll leave you to ponder which path she chooses (I don't like to give away endings). But either way, it's grim. Also, look at The Robber Bride Groom, Little Red Riding Hood (Perrault's), Bluebeard, and Cinderella or Aschenputtle (both) for more examples. They don`t all necessarily have unhappy endings, but at the very least the story itself is rather grim. As Jack Zipes, a fairy tale aficionado, has said, fairy tales were never meant for children.
E. M.
Ah, yes, the most popular ones have been updated to include a children's audience. I wonder who originally did that - without bothering to change the titles. I just have a rule that, when a story is rewritten, you change the title as well. Because it's not the same story, and otherwise becomes confusing. You know, some would start to think that "Little Red Riding Hood", (Perrault) ends happy, when in fact it ends rather grim. "Little Red Cap" (Grimm) on the other hand has a happy ending -- which is sometimes mistakenly attributed to "Little Red Riding Hood". Those two seem to be the most confused, though I'm sure there are others. Partially, thanks to Disney.I know what you mean, but I was definitely referring to the children's versions.