Once Upon a Time…

We’ve been hearing stories since we were born. Our parents or grandparents told us stories of magical kingdoms, witches, princes and princesses and all that jazz. They all had morals to them didn’t they? Cinderella taught us to still be on our best behaviour even if those around us weren’t. Little Red Riding Hood taught us to confront our fears and the importance of stranger danger. Fairy tales were developed as bedtime stories, though they were told orally at first. The first documented versions of fairy tales can be traced back to the Renaissance. Early writers of the genre include The Brothers Grimm, Giovanni Francesco Straparola, and Charles Perrault. They wrote what is the basis of many modern fairy tales. Originally fantasy was considered fairy tales, but has since gained its own recognition.

Most fairy tales follow a hero’s journey. It shows the hero’s rise to ‘fame’. The reader follows along with the journey and starts relating more to the character.

However fairy tales have had negative effects on those that read them. One reason being the warped reality. The princess meets her knight in shining armor that saves her, they get married in a castle, then ride off into the sunset. Unfortunately, that kind of thing has a habit of not happening in real life. Or if it does, the marriage will only last about 72 days. But they have encouraged us to believe in love. Everyone wants to find their one true love, just like in the fairy tales.

Got an opinion on the matter? Leave them down in the comments section below.

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References:
Danish, E. (n.d.). Influence of Fairy Tales on Children. Retrieved March 11, 2016, from http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15745/1/Influence-of-Fairy-Tales-on-Children.html

Malala’s Story

In 2014, 17 year old Malala Yousafzai made history as she became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner. She has been an activist for women’s right since she was only 12 years old. In 2009 she began writing for the BBC, due to the fact that the Taliban was strengthening their hold on her village. Women were being prevented from going shopping, but most importantly, from going to school. The Taliban has always been against women being educated, and as such, wanted all schools to be closed down. Malala did not have any of it, and spoke out continuously about the rights to education.

In 2012 while she was on her way home from school, she was shot in the head by a masked gunman. Although she survived, she had to be transported to a hospital in the United Kingdom that knew how to deal with military injuries. The news of the Taliban’s attempt on Malala’s life spread, leading to protests in Pakistan and global outrage. The weeks that followed saw the National Assembly approve the country’s first ever Right to Free and a Compulsory Education Bill.

Malala’s story created buzz about what was going on in Pakistan. It showcased to the world the disgusting lengths that the Taliban was willing to in order to further their agenda. She has inspired many with her speeches on women’s rights. She has appeared on many news broadcasts and TV shows, talking about her experiences and beliefs. She was even on Ellen.

Malala inspired many people with not just her tragic story, but also her heroic comeback.

Have an interesting opinion? Share it in the comments below.

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References:

The Malala Fund. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from https://www.malala.org/malalas-story

 The Incomparable Malala Yousafzai. (2015, September 9). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Pz9V6LzcU

 

Greek Mythology: The Story of Icarus

Last semester, I took a class on Greek Mythology. In very first lesson my professor asked one simple question: what is a myth? A myth is a traditional story that holds social power in a group or community (found in the textbook). Social power is the most important part of that sentence. Greek myths were used as ways to control social and societal behaviour.

The story of Icarus is good example. Icarus and his father, Daedalus, were imprisoned on the island of Crete. Daedalus was a master craftsman, and decided to make them both a pair of wings for them to escape. He attached feathers to a wooden frame using wax. He gave one to his son, but warned him. If he flew too low, the sea would clog the wings. If he flew too high, the sun would melt the wax. They strapped the wings to themselves and left. Icarus became very excited at the fact that he was flying. He began soaring high into the skies, ignoring his father’s warning. Alas, the sun melted the wax and Icarus crashed to his death.

Jacob Peter Gowy’s ‘The Fall of Icarus‘

The story of Icarus was told to the youth of Ancient Greece. Even I was told this story by my parents when I was a child. The message is clear: listen to your parents. Otherwise bad things will happen. Is the story a tad extreme for the message? Maybe. But the point is quite clear. It would no doubt make children want to listen to their parents. The story is telling children that their parents are just looking out for them. Their rules are simply in place to protect them from harm.

What stories were told to you as a child? Leave them in the comment section below.

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References:

Buxton, R. G. (2004). The Complete World of Greek Mythology. London: Thames & Hudson.

Finding Peace with God(s)

Religion has been around for centuries. There are over 4200 different religions in the world. Religion is defined as the belief in and worship of an entity with superhuman powers. The entity is usually described as the omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. Religion provides a moral compass. For example, in Christianity (and a few other religions) there are The Ten Commandments. It prohibits murder, theft, and dishonesty to name a few. Our laws were influenced by those Commandments, as murder, perjury, and theft is illegal. These laws protect our society. For more information on theology and law, click here.

However religion is meant for personal comfort. It is to show the path of righteousness, so that the worshiper may gain access to a reward from God. It gives them a peace of mind about how the universe came to be and why. It gives them a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

The reason I focus on the positives related to religion is because of the story I wish to tell.

A few weeks ago, a man came into the store where I work. He was the only customer in the store, so I was able to strike up a conversation with the man. After some time, he started telling me about his friend. When he was younger he was a troubled man. He had participated in illegal activities, and was just a bad person. He didn’t have much or any respect for the people around him. He then got arrested. His friend had found God while in prison and had changed himself because he realized how meaninglessly he had been living his life. Now he was only telling me this story so I would come to an event at his church. But essentially the moral that I took away from his story is that some people can find comfort in religion.

Disagree? Comments? Questions? Leave your opinions down in the comments  section below.

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References:

McConville, J. G. (1984). Law and Theology in Deuteronomy. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.