Common Themes in Fairy Tales

A child's world is rich with stories. The tales they see in movies, read in books, or that their parents and grandparents tell them take them on magical journeys. They take them to many different places, where they meet many strange and wonderful people, animals, or creatures. When we take a step back, however, it becomes clear that the stories are not quite as different from each other as they might first appear.
Fairy tales - these first magical stories told to children - contain many similar main ideas, or themes. These themes are also similar across cultures. No matter where a child is born, his fairy tales probably have characters like a poor servant girl who marries a prince, starving children who find a new home, or a young peasant boy who discovers that he is actually a lost king. In fact, the most popular theme in fairy tales involves a person rising above his or her low position in life.


Another very common theme is caution. The main character, or protagonist, often receives a warning: "Be home before midnight", says the godmother to Cinderella. Fairy tales teach the young listener the terrible consequences of ignoring warnings. The message is predictable and clear: if you ignore the warning, you will pay the penalty.
The plots, or story lines, of fairy tales vary, but they follow the same sort of progression:
  • The protagonist does not obey a warning or is unfairly treated
  • He is sent away or runs away
  • He must complete a difficult or dangerous task, or must suffer in some other way, in order to make everything right again
  • He returns home in a better condition than before
At some point in the fairy tale, something magical happens. The protagonist meets mysterious creatures. Perhaps he rubs a lamp and a genie appears to grant his wishes. The creatures sometimes give him helpful magical gifts with special powers, like a cape that makes him invisible.
There is danger and drama, but most fairy tales end happily. The protagonist is successful and rewarded with marriage, money, survival, and wisdom. And the audience learns an important lesson about life without ever leaving home.

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