ABSTRACT

In his latest book, fairy tales expert Jack Zipes explores the question of why some fairy tales "work" and others don't, why the fairy tale is uniquely capable of getting under the skin of culture and staying there. Why, in other words, fairy tales "stick." Long an advocate of the fairy tale as a serious genre with wide social and cultural ramifications, Jack Zipes here makes his strongest case for the idea of the fairy tale not just as a collection of stories for children but a profoundly important genre.

Why Fairy Tales Stick contains two chapters on the history and theory of the genre, followed by case studies of famous tales (including Cinderella, Snow White, and Bluebeard), followed by a summary chapter on the problematic nature of traditional storytelling in the twenty-first century.

chapter 3|38 pages

Once Upon a Time in the Future

The Relevance of Fairy Tales

chapter 5|39 pages

The Male Key to Bluebeard's Secret

chapter 6|27 pages

Hansel and Gretel

On Translating Abandonment, Fear, and Hunger

chapter 7|21 pages

To Be or Not to Be Eaten

The Survival of Traditional Storytelling