Throughout the Brothers Grimm Fairytales, we found that men were often presented as

masculine and protective. An example can be found within Hansel and Gretel. Hansel, the leader
of the two, is seen as clever and resourceful. He uses unorthodox methods to create solutions to
his stepmothers obstacles. He is shown to be extremely protective of his helpless sister Gretel.
He takes her hand and is the one shown comforting her. Another example of men portrayed
as protective is in Little Red Cap. The single human male in the story is the Hunter. He is
portrayed as muscular and brave. It is also the huntsman who is dynamic and shown taking
action. Some readers may point out The Emperors New Clothes as a counter argument. In this
story, the males are seen as dimwitted and cunning. The antagonists do not use might or force but
a trap. However, it is noted that there are no female characters in this story at all. The entire cast
is male and thus cannot be used as a counter example of males being protective. According to
Gender Schema Theory, children learn the differences between male and female through the
people around them and the media that they are exposed to. This is reinforced as the children
develop into adults. The stories portray traditional gender norms. The children who read the
stories are subject to reinforcement of their gender norms.