I’ve been asked to choose an area that I am passionate about for my final project, utilising my skills, strengths and knowledge. For my final project, I want to demonstrate my storytelling and illustration skills. The aim of the project is to create a design and narrative that offers a different version of a fairytale character that deviates from the norm.
When we think of fairy tales, we think of Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood. I noticed that fairy tales with girls as damsels-in-distress are most popular, which reflected the sexist ideals of medieval times and also women’s treatment in fairy tales. There are interesting fairy tales with a strong female main character that are unfortunately overlooked by stories with a damsel-in-distress.
Fairy tales’ roles of women reflect the treatment of women in the middle ages. Women had literally no right to do anything besides marry and have children, especially no right to decide their own destiny.
I realised fairy tales are unbalanced and have unfairness in them, as well as double standards, loopholes, clichés and questions. They are outdated and need to be updated.
The Little Mermaid gave up everything she had for the ungrateful human prince and ended up attending his wedding. But rather than die, she learnt to read and write, and told him off for his infidelity to her and the princess he married.
Snow White was born with a skin condition, a larger body and big hair, and unfortunately suffered harsh bullying and neglect from her vain stepmother. But she is the fairest of them all because of her inner beauty and became proud of her body in which she was born with.
Sleeping Beauty got cursed because of her parents’ mistake and now she refused to marry the prince who harassed her in her sleep. Although everyone judged her badly in favour of the prince, she defended herself well and brought light to the serious issues of sexual harassment and rape.
‘The Philosopher’s Stone’ is an unknown story by Hans Christian Andersen, the legendary storyteller, and is about a blind Indian girl who sets out into the world to find her lost older brothers and discover the Philosopher’s Stone.
Shame no one knows it exists.
