1.How might Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of fairy tales?
Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of Fairy Tales because it is explaining that the stories are meant to teacher moral lessons, the good and bad lessons to children. It's also suggesting that all people have certain "bad" thoughts, but Bettelheim's saying that everyone has good and bad in them but as long as people do the right thing it's acceptable, as long as you're not acting upon these negative thoughts.
2. How do Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purpose of Gothic?
Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purpose of the Gothic because it expands on the idea of having evil thoughts doesn't particularly make you evil- as long as they are only thoughts and not actions. This is also teaching the audience moral messages. The Gothic is basically "grown up" Fairy Tale's, in a more extreme and detailed way. The character's in Gothic are often quite difficult to categorize into good and evil because the characters contrast of both good and bad in most stories. They contrast in being good and bad, for example, because a character may be evil and dangerous but at the same time be irresistibly attractive to the reader and other characters for traits such as wealth, attractiveness power e.t.c.
3. Why do you think Angela Carter mixes the Fairy Tale and the Gothic genres in 'The Bloody Chamber'?
Angela Carter mixes the genres of Fairy Tale and Gothic in 'The Bloody Chamber' because they are very similar genres. They are the same in the message they give to the reader, that all women need men in order to be happy and content- they do not need power, wealth or intelligence to be successful or happy, the only thing that a woman requires for their happiness is a man. They are also similar due to the repeated setting both of the genre's use, the woods. It's a Gothic setting due to it's gloominess and isolated atmosphere but in contrast at the same time the woods, in a Fairy Tale genre, can be a mysterious and enchanting, supernatural setting.
Well done. You cover many of the points we discussed in class. Have more faith in yourself.
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