Let´s recap on what we´ve covered so far.

In a nutshell…

 What is a fairytale?
In simplistic terms, we can state that a fairytale would belong to the folktale genre or folklore which
covers several types of stories. Folktales are stories passed down from one generation to the next. They
depict a culture´s values, beliefs, traditions and customs. Folktales are comprised by:
a) Nursery rhymes, songs or lullabies. (Folklore)
b) Legends and myths.
c) Fables.
d) Fairytales.

 How do we know we are in the presence of a Fairy tale? Elements/ Conventions?

 Special beginning and/or ending phrases “Once upon a time..” , “ …and they lived happily ever
after” “… far, far away”.
 Good character (good character prevails) vs. Evil character (monster, villain, wicked stepmother,
giant, witch sorcerer, etc.)
 Good triumphs over evil and conflict or problem is solved.
 Royalty such as king, queen, princess who is usually the damsel in distress, a charming
prince /castle.
 Magic ( spells are cast, curses and hexes are put, magic potions are used)
 Fantastic elements (talking animal, talking or animated objects, midnight is a turning point,etc.)
 Things are present in 3s or 7s (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, events take place in three
cycles) .
 Teach a universal lesson

 Authors?
Which are the three authors?
Grimm bros (oral tradition)
Hans Christian Anderson
Charles Perrault

 Three types of FT we will address?

a) Popular fairytales: In many cases, this is the version we are most familiar with. Many original fairytales have
had their dark, gory and even violent side covered or “sanitized” for the modern audience. We are familiar with
the “Disneyfied” or more popular versions of many tales.

b) Original fairytales: Recall that this folktale genre comes from oral tradition in past centuries. This is why we
might find slightly different versions of the same tale even across cultures. Many of these tales were told as
family entertainment and were intended not only to entertain the family but also to teach children a lesson.
Even though they were told to children, we can trace much gore, violence and darkness in several original
versions.

c) Fractured fairytales:We can loosely define a fractured fairytale as one that has been changed or modified
in some way usually with the intention to spur humor and with a contemporary sensibility in mind.
The well-known tale is taken and altered with the aim of granting greater nuance to it.

Is the fractured FT a parody? It would seem like not all fractured FT would fall into this category. Bear in
mind that several sources may categorize the same tale under both the terms parody and fractured FT.
Perhaps the greatest differentiation to help you distinguish this is to remember that a parody mocks the
genre as a whole while the fractured FT usually intends to entertain as well yet while still delivering a moral
message.

How can a popular FT be fractured? There are several ways:

 Unexpected characterization. This occurs when the personality traits or physical appearance of
certain characters are changed. These are characters that originally belong to the story, i.e., they
have not been added.
 Plot. In this case changes can include a twist in the plot development, new and unexpected
characters are added, the setting is modified, modern and contemporary content is added, etc.
 Point of view. Here we find that the story is told through a contrary point of view.
 Format. The traditional story becomes a song, a poem or rhyme, a video, a play, a comic strip, etc.

Note: In the case of format, if you were watching Disney´s classic Cinderella or Snow White on television
for example, this does not necessarily automatically make it a fractured tale. We would need more
modifications than just that. Refer to the definition above once again and recall that there needs to be a
certain nuance and humor to it.

 Pros and cons of FTs ?

There are several which I invite you to revise. Perhaps one of the biggest negative issues with FT is that
characters are stereotypical. What can we do to revert this negative drawback? Discuss it with our students
of course! Or work with FRACTURED versions or fracture the FT ourselves.

 How can a popular FT be fractured? There are several ways:

Unexpected characterization. This occurs when the personality traits or physical appearance of certain
characters are changed.

Plot. In this case changes can include a twist in the plot development, new and unexpected characters
are added, the setting is modified, modern and contemporary content is added, etc.

Point of view. Here we find that the story is told through a contrary point of view.

Format. The traditional story becomes a song, a poem or rhyme, a video, a play, a comic strip, etc.
 Let´s continue to work on fracturedfairy tales.

Task: Watch author Jon Scieska reading his own storybook “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs”. Check
the link in this lesson to access it. ENJOY!

In pairs or small groups post your answers in the forum to the following questions:

1) Create a bullet list which details how the story has been fractured.

2) Consider whether you think this authentic storybook has potential for the EFL classroom. Briefly state
your opinion. State why /why not/how/ at which level you would use it if at all, whether it served as a
springboard for other uses of fractured fairy tales, etc. The idea is to share the creative juices your teacher-
mode detected while watching it!

You have until next Friday! Recall that content and language always count!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q01X8JU3GU