Writing and Deconstruction of Classical Tales

This lesson provides a discussion about Deconstruction as a philosophy hat developed into a method for
reading a literary piece and a theory for literary criticism. Understanding the process of deconstruction
in the field of literature sets off an opportunity for advancing the elements in the narrative of many
children and adolescents’ classical tales and towards rewriting these literary works into transformed
masterpieces that present the realities of modern society.

Deconstruction as a Reaction to Structuralism

Structuralism first emerged in France in the 1950s and generally pertained to the idea of understanding
the world in structures: relationships between categories and subcategories, whole and parts (Mambrol,
2016). It initially functions as a linguistic principle used to explain the relationship between language and
culture and was introduced by the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. However, this theory found its
way into literary criticism through the works of the French Anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss
(www.britannica.com). Based on the concept of Strauss, particular ideas belong to a more extensive
structure to which they can be categorized or identified. Structuralists explain that it is human nature to
reduce complex concepts into systems and categories depending on how a person perceives such
structures (Mambrol, 2016). It aims to unlock the universal principles to which human reacts and
conforms. Strauss believed that these systems and structures are constant and collective. Hence, in the
study of literature, the process begins with pointing out the characteristics of a literary piece and
proceeds to classifying the text to which category or system it belongs. It seeks to find unity and
coherence in the elements and parts of the literature and towards a larger external structure.

Strauss applied the structuralist principle in his study of the world’s different mythologies. In his study,
he found that these mythologies are similar in many things, and thus he sought to categorize and
organize these into meaningful structures. It resulted in the development of the concept of a binary
opposition which indicates that the oppositional relationship of two words or ideas determines the
meaning of each. Examples of these are light/dark, high/low, happy/sad, beautiful/ugly, and life/death.
These binary oppositions indeed illustrate a hierarchy where one is considered superior or much
preferred over the other. The structuralist concept seeks to find certainty and definite relationships
among concepts in the literary text.

Deconstruction is a reaction towards the concepts and definitive nature of structuralist principles.
Jacques Derrida initially introduced the concept of deconstruction in literature, intending to expose and
undermine the embedded Western structure and ideas in many literary texts. However, it later
developed into amethod in reading a literary piece and a theory for literary criticism. It challenges the
structuralist theory for its dependence on the language systems as a perfect instrument at determining
limitations, coherence, and definitive meanings of a literary piece.

There are three procedures in Derrida's deconstructive literary criticism:

1. inverting the hierarchy;

2. deconstructing firmly definitive limitations or margins; and

3. analysis of inherent rhetoricity.

The first one is a means to destabilizing existing binary oppositions in particular literary pieces.
Challenging the existing definitive binaries is essential in this operation. It undergoes the process of
reversal and proceeds to the process of highlighting the instability of the hierarchy. It unfolds by
emphasizing that one term is not always superior over or inferior to the other.

The second procedure means avoiding any impulse to categorize literary work in any particular pattern,
system, or rule. The deconstruction theory indicates the dismantling of the present social or cultural
structure, not constructing new meanings of literary pieces on top of these structures. It is about
establishing the inconsistent features and elements of the literary piece.

The third operation is complex since it somehow means challenging the existing binaries by unraveling
possibilities that undermine the definitive divisions of the opposing concepts. As an example, Derrida
takes on the binary opposition of literal/metaphor. People view metaphor merely as an alternative for
expressing literal concepts; however, metaphor is a creative manner of expressing literal meanings. This
process is the inversion of the hierarchy. Rhetoricity unfolds when considering possibilities that literal
meanings were once metaphors that neutralized over time and lost creativity.

Moreover, Derrida describes his process as double reading, and for a good reason. It begins with reading
the literary piece intelligibly as it stimulates the recognition of determinate meanings presented in the
text. It serves as a springboard of critical reading where one reverses the hierarchy and explores every
possibility of meanings until it arrives at anaporia - which pertains to a situation where the explorations
of meanings arrive at a deadlock (Abrams, 1999).

In one way or another, it illustrates the dynamism of human language and the essence of human
experience in literature - that it is difficult to interpret these through determinative and conclusive
readings.

Rewriting/Deconstruction of Classical Tales

As a form of literary criticism, deconstruction addresses the political and social issues surrounding
several book challenges among children and adolescent literary pieces. As a review, conservative
groups, minority groups, or individuals challenge certain books based on culturally or socially offensive
content, brutal and violent matters. Hence, the conduct of the censorship process, which later paved the
formulation of the Political Correctness (PC) ideology.

Censorship works effectively on pieces of literature that display brutality, violence, and obscenity.
Stakeholders and censors collectively decide when it comes to these apparent matters. Authorities
immediately process these challenged books for restriction or banning based on the decision reached.
However, other book or literature challenges stem from social and political issues that vary culturally.

Political Correctness is more than censorship. It sought to eliminate existing political and social biases
deemed to be offensive to any minority groups. It was a good cause, but, over time, its implementation
has gone overboard. It instead focused on formulating several unnecessary terminologies to hide or
alter words deemed insulting or damaging (Kinsler, 1995). Like, leprosy was later named Hansen's
disease, while short people are called vertically challenged individuals. Imagine reading the story of
Rumplestiltskin described as vertically challenged. The PC movement believed that these would help
eliminate the tone of discrimination. Many considered this step unnecessary or absurd because it still
refers to and means the same thing no matter how they change the name.

In some situations, authorities censor obscene or offensive content by altering the words to promote
political correctness and thus destroying the aesthetics of the text. One example is the rewriting of parts
of Shakespeare's Hamlet, where the author Thomas Bowdler changed Ophelia's suicide into an
illustration of accidental drowning. The implementation of the Political Correctness ideology has gone to
extremes that it went downhill towards hiding the truth among young readers, making them ignorant
about the absurdities, violence, discrimination, and other problems in the real world. It seems to deny
the existence of these problems instead of making every child informed and aware. There might not
even be a need to change these since very young children would never be accustomed to reading
Shakespeare's works.

One popular topic of Political Correctness is gender bias, influenced by the existing structure that the
society created and observed. There seems to be a constant struggle between femininity and
masculinity, male and female, man and woman. Feminists feel the need to empower women, and it led
to propositions of changing gender-biased words to neutral terminologies like man and woman
transformed to a person while mother and father to parents. Nevertheless, however they change the
name, it does not change the essence of the word and does not, in any way, empower the women
minority. The failed attempt of the Political Correctness ideology inspired the comedian James F. Garner
to publish the book Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. Despite its purpose of highlighting the tragedy of
the PC ideology, this published book is no more than a parody of the original bedtime stories. Even
though it seeks to extinguish the target issues of the original text and the PC ideology, its meaning is
dependent on the original book. Individuals who have not read the original book will never understand
the significance of the parody in the new book. It is no deconstruction, rather a mere reversion of the
characters and their distinguishing characteristics. Even bestowing masculine characteristics or attitudes
to female characters does not empower women; instead, it makes the woman a poor version of a man
(Hourihan, 1997).

Deconstruction does not stop at pointing out binary oppositions and inverting the values and meanings;
it advances towards exploring countless interpretations at every rhetoricity of the context. Gender bias
is one of the things that deconstruction seeks to dismantle to foster growth and development in
meaning-making and perceiving the world.

The way classical tales portray or present women has persisted for decades, mainly on how princesses
always need saving and how beauty goes with the excellent character (www.bbc.com). Tales present
women as weak and passive, incapable, of defending themselves, and great at possessing exceptional
beauty. Many even accuse the concept of beauty propagated in the tales as the contributing factors to
the insecurities among young adults nowadays (www.bbc.com). This instance exemplifies how children's
classical tales provide readers a social structure about the meaning of beauty, the essence of a woman,
and the role of women in society. These seem definitive and hierarchical and promote stereotyping.
However, the incessant demands of the feminist groups worldwide led to reimagining the character and
role of women in the modern culture of the current society, thus presenting the need to deconstruct
and rewrite these literary texts. Deconstructive criticism of classical tales provides an opportunity of
exploring rhetoricity that provides refreshing possibilities or truth. It is a vehicle in rewriting and
reinventing classical tales to suit the beliefs and culture of modern society. In this instance, the changing
social and political structures in the new version of the literature become a credible demonstration of
the ever-changing realities of the world.

Moving Pictures as a New Resource of Learning, Extending the Reach of Censorship

Internet and digital transformation, particularly its visual nature, influenced the course of the
educational system. The Philippines, for one, acknowledges this revolution, thus including viewing as the
fifth language skill in the new language curriculum framework. Viewing includes the activities that
involve comprehending and analyzing visual media, including moving pictures such as television and
film. It is a fact that children and adolescents alike enjoy these forms of technology. Hence, learning
about the favorite classical tales is no longer limited to reading books; these are now available through
viewing televisions and films.

Regarding the value of film as another form of resource for learning in the new generation, as were the
books, authorities felt the need to extend the application of censorship. It started in the United States
when the Supreme Court decided to ban The Miracle - a film of Roberto Rosselini - for its heretical
content.

Different countries in the global community establish censorship committees tasked to censor different
film productions intended for cinemas. The film is quite a big industry that reaches a significant
audience-varied in age and gender. Censoring films means restricting the viewing of these media for
specific age groups, observing the level of maturity of these particular audiences in cinemas. Aside from
this, the censorship committee’s decision may vary subject to the community’s valued culture and
traditions. In worst cases, when films are guilty of having extremely inappropriate content, this is
completely banned from the country, and authorities deny the film production company the
opportunity for showing on their big screen.

It currently happened in Malaysia – a country known to value Islamic culture when the government
decided to ban the showing of Disney’s live-action film Beauty and the Beast for its LGBTQ+ implications
and content. The Government authorities regarded the content as offensive to their religious beliefs.
Rewriting the Classical Tales in the Big Screen

The development of technology presents the opportunities of rewriting the favorite classical tales in
motion pictures and film. Walt Disney Company is one prominent entity in such an industry. It started
with their retelling of Brothers Grimm’s The Little Snow White through an animated cartoon film Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. They have rewritten the story in a manner that would be
acceptable, romantic, and enchanting to young audiences. Instead of the biological mother inflicting
harm to her child Snow White because of jealousy, the film had a wicked stepmother who is a witch to
take its place. Also, instead of the queen disguising three times, bringing poisonous objects – lace, comb,
and apple – to harm her child, the wicked witch in the film only disguised once to poison Snow White
with an apple. Lastly, instead of the prince’s subordinate accidentally reviving Snow White by hitting her
back, making her spit out the piece of the apple that got stuck to her throat, the film showed how the
prince’s true love’s kiss brought Snow White back to life. The film eliminated the disturbing content
about a mother hurting her child and the brutality of the subordinate who intentionally hit a body after
he grew tired of carrying the coffin around the prince’s palace. The industry made sure that the film
would be suitable for all ages. Several other animated films followed, including The Ugly Duckling,
Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs, and many other animated films.

Over time, as technology advances, the industry ventures at producing modern three-dimensional
animated films. The company produced the story of Tangled 2010, which is again an inspiration drawn
from the Brothers Grimm collection of fairy tales. Considering the years that have passed, feminist
movements established influence and inspired changes in at this time of film production have already
women’s image in society. These led to the deconstruction and rewriting of Rapunzel’s story, which suits
the culture of modern society.

The company produced the story of Tangled 2010, which is again an inspiration drawn from the Brothers
Grimm collection of fairy tales. Considering the years that have passed, feminist movements established
influence and inspired changes in at this time of film production have already women’s image in society.
These led to the deconstruction and rewriting of Rapunzel’s story, which suits the culture of modern
society. The film’s production team entirely removed the Brothers Grimm’s illustration of premarital sex
between Rapunzel and the prince, the prince’s suicidal attempt, and Rapunzel’s banishment into the
wilderness where she gave birth to twins and lived accepting a miserable life with them for years.
Instead of a woman who lived on her miserable life, Disney’s Tangled presents a woman who knows
what she wants, is determined, takes risks, is resourceful, possesses magical powers, and is capable of
defending herself.

Recently, the company produced live-action films of their animated classical tales in the past. These
include Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. They presented a deconstruction of the characters’
relationships and personalities in the film.
The Cinderella film presented the evil stepmother in a different light, exposing her frustration and pains
as a victim of the patriarchal society of the time. Her struggle exhibited her humanity and enriched the
content of the film. Also, a black actor portrays the role of the prince’s most trusted captain – a
demonstration embracing cultural diversity in the film. Finally, the film presents Cinderella as a person
who is brave enough to remain kind despite her adversities and can communicate her belief in the
essence of kindness. The film integrated touches of modern structure and culture in the classical tale.

The live-action film Beauty and the Beast presented a modern deconstruction of Belle’s character, a
modern culture that they successfully infused in the story’s old setting. Belle shows her love for reading
and her passion for teaching girls to read. Her role is essential in assisting and supporting her father. She
is intelligent, strong-willed, selfless, brave, and caring. Her character completely deviates from the
existing social structure of their time. Aside from that, the film incorporates the story of the death of
Belle’s mother. Finally, the film also exhibited cases of LGBTQ+, which led to controversies and banning
of the film in conservative countries such as Malaysia. Despite incorporating contemporary social issues
in the film to make people aware of this reality, there are still cases of censorship driven by religious
beliefs, to which these people possess the right to deny the showing of the film.

Finally, Maleficent is Disney’s most modern and creative rewriting of their previous animated film
Beauty and the Beast. The tale unfolds from the perspective of Princess Aurora. Despite the film titled
with the name of the once evil fairy in the animated film, Aurora remains one of the main characters
with much significance. The film portrayed the strength of Aurora’s character even when maintaining
the feminine traits of the princess. It also presented Maleficent in a different light, where she became
both the villain and hero in the tale. Deconstruction of Maleficent’s character presents the possibilities
of her kind nature being a fairy. The film showed Maleficent’s origin and the events in her life, which led
her to wish the baby Aurora a curse. The film successfully illustrated the reality and nature of every
being – that no one is purely evil or good – only that of one’s decision in life. The surprising twist in the
film was that of the true love’s kiss, which did not come from Prince Philip, but instead was from
Maleficent herself. Again, deconstruction explored and dismantled the romantic nature of true love’s
kiss to give way for another genuine type of love. Also, it illustrates two complex kinds of beauty among
women through Aurora and Maleficent, how each has her unique strengths and weaknesses.

Conclusion

Political Correctness (PC) ideology means to nurture the rights and politically offensive content found in
many children and adolescents literature. As significance of every minority group or individual impacted
by any socially of ideal is its purpose, it would generally be nearly impossible to prevent all forms
discrimination, for as varied as the culture of people, so are their reactions to the distinct literature of
children and adolescents.

The value of literature lies In its being a significant source of learning life lessons and language. Hence,
the purpose of children and adolescent literature is to inform young individuals about the realities of the
world and not hide it. As Anne Carroll Moore once advised, it is about choosing the appropriate book for
a particular child at the perfect timing. There is more to these pieces of literature than just tackling
issues of Political Correctness/Political Incorrectness. It is about illustrating the complex realities of the
natural world into the pages of books and the screen of the cinemas.