Appeal of Fairy Tales in the Modern World
It has been an experience of some designers to use fairy tales as a theme of their clothing collections. As it was stated above, these stories have a significant influence on fashion. When choosing a certain character as a source of inspiration, it is important to know what this specific image implies, and how it may be understood by the audience. The impact of fairy tales has been a subject of research and study of a number of sociologists and psychologists, including Freud, Jung, and others. They wanted to establish the main elements of these narrations responsible for popularity. The power to influence people is established “on the conscious level in the way all good fairy tales aesthetically structure and use fantastic and miraculous element” to prepare people for everyday life (Zipes, 2011, p. 3). The current paper concentrates on the most general aspects that form an appeal with a focus on modern tendencies represented in fashion and other industries.
These common tendencies are as follows:
1. Fairy tales come from the world of fantasy.
They depict things and events that cannot be real. Fairy tales show images that cannot otherwise be seen and draw attention of children and adults who are mesmerized by these stories in literature or on the screen. This aspect is stressed by Freud who states that in fairy tales “the world of reality is left behind from the very start, and the animistic system of beliefs is frankly accepted and adopted” (as cited in Zipes, 2011, p. 7). The ability to explain the world of fantasy and bring it to life in imagination is the main reason why people are instinctively drawn to these narratives that describe unusual things.
2. Fairy tales bring the sense of happiness.
In the modern world, they are often used as they create a definition of happiness in numerous forms, including clothes designed on the basis of fairy tales. The notion of “the happy end” is strongly associated with tales and draws people to the magic of these stories in eternal search of happiness. The idea is supported by Zipes who says that “fairy tales hint of happiness” (Zipes, 2011, p. 1). Designers try to create happiness out of clothes that may be related to such characters as, for example, the Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.
3. There is a clear distinction between good and evil in fairy tales that the real life lacks.
It is easy to define a negative or a positive character. It should be noted that fairy tales describe good and evil. As a matter of fact, evil is introduced by a great number of creatures. Special interest is placed on witches and evil queens. Apart from monsters, characters like, for instance, Maleficent, create an atmosphere of mystery and desire. Usually, they hold power beyond limits, and it takes the ultimate force such as love to defeat them. The wish to feel empowered makes people want to have some attributes connected to masters of evil from fairy tales.
4. Fairy tales bring people to the land where good characters seldom die.
The notion of life and death are modified in these stories. Some characters are not bound by death and are able to fight it. The episode when a prince gives a kiss to a princess, and she wakes up from a mortal dream is a powerful moment that people need to have in the real life. In the modern world, fairy tales are also used as they create an illusion in which close people do not die. This is a subtle psychological element that appeals to the audience. Therefore, objects that remind of fairy tales and this aspect are popular. For example, when a girl wears a dress that might suit a princess from a fairy tale she feels secured. This item promises a chance of a happy life and eternal love.
5. Fairy tales help people to escape from reality.
Watching an episode about a girl who is intimidated by a wolf or any other series serves humans as a distraction. Fairy tales is a space where no reality is allowed. People need them in order to remember childhood and dream. Thus, human beings look for fairy tales everywhere – in literature, on screens, in clothes, and other places. In the twenty-first century, people live under the stress that makes fairy tales a valuable resource for many industries to use.
6. Fairy tales are an essence of folk wisdom.
These stories describe basic patterns of human behavior, social roles, and political responsibilities that are valid at the present time. The most important thing is that fairy tales have morals and are able to remind about things in life that should be important, for example, love, friendship, courage, truth, faith, and other things.
These are the most common explanations that help to understand why fairy tales are used in different forms of art. It may be concluded that people want to be closer to the char
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