Fairy Tales

Have you ever noticed how few fairy tales and kids' movies have mothers in them? I skimmed an article recently about how many parents don't read fairy tales to their kids because they aren't "politically correct" - Snow White and the Seven "Dwarfs" for example. But the article also mentioned the lack of mothers in fairy tales. Think about it - Bambi and Finding Nemo - mom dies in the opening scenes. Cinderella, Enchanted...no mom, just an evil stepmother. I don't even know where Ariel's mom is in The Little Mermaid.

The article mentioned that a common theme in kids' movies and fairy tales is the hero or heroine having to strike out on their own, overcome adversity, etc., which is why the parents often don't play a big role.

But what is it specifically about the MOMS being absent? Is it the idea that kids know if their mom is around (i.e., ALIVE) that there is no way we would lose our kids or let them go off on their own?

The other thing I've talked to Josh about with regard to fairy tales... Everyone has heard about our American culture being so focused on beauty, being thin, staying young, etc. But is that really a new thing? So many of the female representations in fairy tales comes down to Good = Beautiful and young/Evil = Ugly and old. I can think of examples where the MALE character is ugly and still good (Beauty and the Beast or the whole 'kiss the frog' and turn him into a prince thing). But with the exception of Shrek, what movies portray the heroine as ugly but good?

It's important to me to try to raise my daughters with a good self esteem that comes from acceptance of the unique image bearer of God that they each are. And I'm not sure what I want to communicate to them about the messages they will be seeing and hearing in fairy tales...

:/