Wednesday, March 3, 2010

My favorite fairy tale is the Disney movie “Beauty and the Beast”. I love this movie; it has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. I think that it also has a great meaning to it. Belle refuses to marry the most attractive man in the city because he is mean and rude. Everyone is astounded that she rejects him because he is the most “popular” guy in the city. Belle ends up falling in love with the beast, even though he is very ugly and hated. This teaches children that looks are not the most important thing. I know all of this now because I am able to analyze the fairy tale. When I was younger, however, I think I just loved the movie!
I think most of the popular Disney fairy tales impacted my childhood because I was always watching the movies. I loved watching them with my younger sister and brother. I remember watching “The Swan Princess” and each of us acting out a different character (I was always John Bob, the French frog). I think that these movies were very important to my childhood because they helped to fuel my imagination. For example, my favorite part of “Beauty and the Beast” is (and always has been) when all the plates and silverware and furniture rush around to make dinner. I do not think I was very impressed by the princesses, but more by the magic in the stories.
The tale I remember the most vividly is not a classic or even one that anyone will know. My family goes to Cashiers, North Carolina every Thanksgiving for a big reunion. Many years ago while we were up there in the mountains, there was a huge storm and the power went out. As hours went by, it got colder and darker in the house. All the cousins began getting antsy and bored, so my Uncle Bill took us all into a room and told us the story of the “Fagan Brothers”. The “Fagan Brothers” tale is now repeated each Thanksgiving at our reunion… and each year it gets more and more elaborate (and ridiculous). My Uncle Bill completely made up the story off the top of his head, but it is one of the most memorable fairy tales from my childhood.
Another factor of fairy tales that has affected me is, of course, the music! Disney music is one favorite things in the world. In fact, I am listening to “The Little Mermaid” as I write this blog. I think that Disney music is so great because it is loved and known by so many people. I still listen to it all the time and I know many of my friends listen to it too. It calms me down when I am stressed out (so I have recently been listening to it all time!). For this reason, these fairy tales did not just affect my childhood, but continue to affect me, even now!

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