Only in a Fairy
Tale:
Discerning the Form
through the Art of Illustration
Part 5
“Physicalization
of Emotion”
In part 4 it was put
forth that fairy tales are filled with violence and brutality. But why the violence and physical
pain? What is the point? Is it bad
for children to be exposed to this?
Bruno Bettelheim once said that “Since ancient times, the
near-impenetrable forest in which we get lost has symbolized the dark, hidden,
near-impenetrable world of our unconscious.” Thus, many have agreed with Bettelheim that fairy tales are
ripe with desires and dreams and are a world where psychological traumas take
center stage. But what does this
have to do with violence, especially since our psychology is so internal rather
than external?
Adam
Gidwitz, author of A Tale Dark and Grimm,
explains this perplexity with the phrase “turning tears into blood”. In The
Seven Ravens illustration, Rackham gives viewers the exact moment where the
sister has almost made it to her brothers, but she has come face to face with a
locked door to which she has lost the key. Her solution is not to go back or to ask for help, she
literally cuts off her finger and this magically serves as a key to open the
door. Thus, all the love she holds
for her brothers, her fears and hopes coalesce in this painful sacrifice to
save her brothers. Gidwitz thus
claims that scenes like this take place because, “forests are where our fears
turn into wolves, our desires into candy houses…where the emotional problems we
face…are physicalized, externalized, and ultimately conquered. Where tears are
transformed into blood.” Thus, fairy tales and their illustrations, take all of
these unknown, confusing, uncomfortable and abstract feelings and transform
them into terms children know all to well, physical pain. And they slowly realize that if cuts
and bruises eventually heal, then perhaps their emotional trauma will one day
heal too.
To see more of Adam's thoughts on fairy tales check out his post here and his website: http://www.adamgidwitz.com/
Hope you enjoyed this five part series on fairy tales!!
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