Modern Fairy Tales and Good Versus Evil
The Ethics of Virtue in 20th & 21st Century Popular Tales of Heroism
Dec 24, 2008
Good and evil, the triumph of virtue over sloth, and the ability of an underdog – usually someone young and untested – all represent the characteristics of fairy tales and legends since ancient times. Whether it was Odysseus returning home in Homer’s epic or Robin Hood and his courageous band of merry men in Sherwood Forest, stories of great bravery and even audacity in the face of evil stir the imagination and promote a temporary escape from the daily realities of living in a complex society. The modern world is no different from the past as we anoint new heroes and heroines.
Good versus Evil in Modern Fairy Tales
If one object of fairy tales is to describe a particular moral, an action of goodness achieved through courage, then a number of writers have accomplished the task admirably. J. R. R. Tolkien’s world of Hobbits and elves is one example of a quest to save a civilization against the onslaught of the powers of darkness. Much like J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the victory of evil and chaos is thwarted by supreme courage, sacrifice, the innocence of youth, and a helpful dose of magic. These are all attributes an audience admires and secretly wishes to personally experience.
In the Chronicles of Narnia C.S. Lewis uses children to defeat the White Witch and reestablish peace in the mythical land. It is a peace and tranquility that brings together all creatures. It is nothing short of a cosmic reordering and perhaps for this reason scholars see elements of Christology in the writings. Although such blatant symbolism is missing from the Disney interpretations, the notion of good versus evil is fully evident.
When the first Star Wars movie premiered in 1977, the audience was ready for a galactic fantasy and many viewers watched the film dozens of times. Luke Skywalker and friends, assisted by Obi Wan Kenobi, rescue a princess and defeat an Empire that has turned to the “dark side of the force.” The Obi Wan character is much like Gandalf or Dumbledore. Ultimately, it is good magic that defeats evil magic.
Referring to the George Lucas film, Sheldon Cashdan writes that, “Lucas draws on mythic themes to come up with a complex coming-of-age fairy tale that centers on timeless issues of loyalty, honor, and bravey.” [1] But the element that drew millions to see the movie multiple times may well have been the ability to escape into an experience where it was possible for good to triumph. In 1977, the Vietnam War was still a potent memory and the nation had lost respect and a sense of internal security with political institutions following Watergate.
Enduring Modern Fairy Tales
Victor Fleming’s 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz has captivated millions over the years and is still shown on television around the Christmas season. A young girl lost in a magical world “over the rainbow” befriends three misfits and proceeds to kill not one wicked witch but two. “Liquidating” the second evil witch came through an act of kindness in an effort to save her friend, the scarecrow.
In December 1964, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer made its television debut. It was the year of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, Lyndon Johnson’s presidential victory, and an escalation in the Vietnam War. Rudolph and his friends end up proving that misfits can make a positive contribution to society after “defanging” the abominable snow creature and saving Christmas town from disaster.
Rudolph may well be the greatest of modern American fairy tales. Without the young reindeer leading Santa’s team, Christmas – America’s most important quasi-religious holiday, may not have happened. As long as mankind dreams and longs for a better tomorrow, fairy tales will provide a temporary respite from the fears and uncertainties of the present. Hollywood would do well to address this need today.
[1] Sheldon Cashdon, The Witch Must Die: How Fairy Tales Shape Our Lives (New York: Basic Books, 1999) see chapter 11
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