The quest to revise The Little Mermaid continues. This week, we call in the experts. Part two of three.
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07/29/21 • 31 min
5 Listeners
Revisionist History - Little Mermaid Part 2: The Fairytale Twist
Transcript Summary
In this captivating episode, the speaker delves into the influential power of fairy tales on children's perception of the world, focusing on the popular Disney film, "The Little Mermaid." They explore how traditional Disney fairy tales often promote the concept of poetic justice, where good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. However, they propose a twist in the story, challenging the idea of poetic justice and aiming to spark innovation and creativity in storytelling. The flaws in "The Little Mermaid's" plot and character development are analyzed, and the speaker invites a screenwriter to join them in fixing these issues. With the aim of creating a groundswell of support, particularly among young girls, for a better version of "The Little Mermaid," they discuss Bruno Bedelheim's book "The Uses of Enchantment" and Angus Fletcher's categorization of original and modern fairy tales. Ultimately, the speaker questions whether children prefer the predictability of Disney fairy tales' narrative structure over original fairy tales with twists and unlikely events. Tune in to explore the thought-provoking world of fairy tale storytelling in this enlightening episode.
Transcript
Pushkin. In his best known work The Uses of Enchantment, the late Austrian psychoanalyst Bruno Bedelheim asks us to consider the genius of the children's tail. Three little pigs. You remember, three little pigs. The first little pig was very lazy. He didn't want to work at all, and he built his house out of straw. The second little pig worked a little bit harder, but he was somewhat lazy too, and he built his house out of sticks. Then they sang a
Little Mermaid Part 2: The Fairytale Twist Top Questions Answered
How can fairy tales negatively affect children?
Fairy tales can have a negative effect on children by promoting catastrophizing.
What do fairy tale twists aim to do?
Fairy tale twists aim to defeat catastrophizing and teach that good can come from bad.
How is poetic justice portrayed in The Little Mermaid?
The Little Mermaid film portrays poetic justice on steroids, where good things happen to the powerful and bad things happen to the ugly.
What happens to Ariel's agency in The Little Mermaid?
The protagonist Ariel loses her agency when she becomes a human and waits to be rescued by a prince.
What is said about the coherence of The Little Mermaid's plot?
The plot of The Little Mermaid lacks coherence and logical narrative.
How have Disney's fairy tales impacted society?
Disney's fairy tales have made society less happy and hindered innovation in storytelling.
Who is invited to fix The Little Mermaid?
Brit Marling, a screenwriter, is invited to fix The Little Mermaid in a creative way.
How is Triton's leadership portrayed in The Little Mermaid?
The character Triton in the film displays appalling leadership and indifference to his subjects.
Why do citizens in Triton's kingdom seek out Ursula's help?
Many citizens in Triton's kingdom seek out Ursula's help, indicating dissatisfaction with the ruling regime.
What is the approach of Brit Marling towards reimagining The Little Mermaid?
Brit Marling eagerly accepts the challenge to reimagine The Little Mermaid and bring new possibilities to the story.
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