Why Fairy Tales? How They Can Help Us Find Ourselves
When we think of fairy tales, we imagine stories for children – perhaps ones told to us by our parents or teachers, or those old Disney movies we watched. In our current world, so filled with concerns about productivity and self-improvement, we rarely take time to understand ourselves. Even self-reflection has become heavily commercialized and turned into its own self-indulgent culture; one need only look at all the “spiritual” and “wellness” influencers and businesses that have sprung up over the past decade. As the pace of our lives grows faster and our connection to meaning sometimes feels lost in the noise of materialism, we increasingly need a space where we can explore stranger ideas and concepts, free from the pressures of constant productivity or expectation. Fairy tales, when looked at with a deeper understanding, are not only about escapism but also about facing the inner truths we often avoid. In today’s cynical world, they may be exactly what we need.
As the world around us grows more focused on appearance, success, and productivity, fairy tales offer a way to take us beyond our superficial social concerns and wake us up to the realities of who we were and who we are as individuals. Marie-Louise von Franz, a Jungian psychologist, in her work The Interpretation of Fairy Tales, describes fairy tales as journeys of self-discovery; not merely for the characters, but for ourselves. In fairy tales, we see parts of who we are that are often hidden, and we are gently guided to confront and integrate them. Von Franz explains that fairy tales allow us to explore these psychological depths without fear or judgment. “Each fairy tale is a kind of wholeness model of the psyche,” she wrote, encouraging us to dive deeper into our own stories. They remind us of the power of imagination and the importance of staying connected to the inner self, the unconscious part of us that guides us through life’s challenges.
There is much we deny ourselves nowadays, a great part of that being the wild self. That part of us is true in instinct and feral in nature. It’s the part that tells us we are still surviving in this world, the one that wants us to hunt, run in the forests, and act without thought. In a culture that often prizes conformity, fairy tales offer a reminder of our true, untamed selves. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, in her book Women Who Run With the Wolves, argues that fairy tales reconnect us with our “Wild Woman” archetype – the untamed , instinctual nature within all of us, whether man or woman. Estés explains that these tales provide a way to reclaim parts of ourselves we may have lost to social expectations or daily routines. Fairy tales help us rediscover “the wildish nature,” reminding us of our strengths and instincts that lie beyond logical reasoning. For anyone feeling stifled by societal norms, these tales offer a call to reclaim one’s true self and move away from a purely rational approach to life. This reconnection to intuition and inner wildness isn’t just a return to nature; it’s a return to authenticity and personal truth. Fairy tales open these doors to a richer, more authentic life by reminding us of the wild within and the fantasies that can so much enrich our lives.
The Fight Against Cynicism: Hope
“Fairy tale ending” is a term often used to criticize the endings of certain media, dismissing them as naively optimistic and hopeful. Today, many popular media tend to favor darker endings, with “bittersweet ending” becoming common in descriptions of finales in popular shows, films, and books. While modern cynicism often views fairy tales with skepticism, the famous J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, saw them as carriers of hope and “consolation.” In his essay On Fairy-Stories, Tolkien coined the term “eucatastrophe” to describe a moment in fairy tales when an unexpected, joyful turn occurs, offering readers a sense of hope even in the face of overwhelming darkness. For Tolkien, these happy endings aren’t shallow fantasies but “a sudden and miraculous grace” that allows us to hold onto faith in the possibility of goodness and redemption.
In Tolkien’s view, fairy tales are not merely stories to entertain; they are stories that reassure us that hope, courage, and resilience are real. “Fairy stories are not escapist,” he wrote. They are about recovery, consolation, and strength, all things of great value. This sense of consolation is vital in a world that can feel increasingly fragmented and hostile. Fairy tales allow us to confront our own darkness while holding onto the belief that light will ultimately prevail. In a society where we are often told to “be realistic,” fairy tales encourage us to believe in possibilities beyond what we can immediately see; to see the light in the dark.
Tolkien also spoke of the power of “Recovery,” a term he used to describe the way fairy tales help us see the world anew. In On Fairy-Stories, he explained that by immersing ourselves in imaginary worlds, we rediscover the beauty and mystery of our own world. “We need, in any case, to clean our windows; so that the things seen clearly may be freed from the drab blur of triteness or familiarity—from possessiveness,” he wrote. In other words, fairy tales don’t only offer escape; they offer a fresh lens on our lives and surroundings, a whole new wonder towards what we previously thought irrelevant, mundane, or unnecessary.
In an era where disillusionment and cynicism are common, this refreshing perspective is both rare and important. Fairy tales help us reconnect with our sense of wonder, a feeling many of us lose as we grow older. They allow our inner child to flourish healthily and kindly. By revisiting these stories, we can rediscover the simple joys and awe that make life meaningful, stepping away from the consumerism and hyper-rationality that often overshadow it.
Fairy tales remind us of the beauty of inner journeys and the courage it takes to face our struggles. They provide us with models of resilience, helping us see that even in our most difficult moments, there’s the potential for transformation. In the words of Tolkien, “A story must be told or there’ll be no story, yet it is the untold stories that are most moving.” These “untold stories” are the ones that live inside us, the ones we tell ourselves, and the ones in which we sometimes live. I have found great inspiration and wonder in the fairy tales I read, as they allow me to explore childish fantasies and carefree wonder in a place where I will not be judged or ridiculed for them, where I can be joyful and silly without limit. More and more, I find my own “untold stories” to be enriching experiences that lead me to appreciate the people and nature around me more.
In fairy tales, we’re given a unique space to reclaim joy, face our fears, and see the beauty in the world around us. We’re invited to embrace the weird and bizarre, the odd and fantastical, and to live life as a dream we enjoy. In an era that prizes productivity over presence, perhaps what we need most is not more efficiency but more imagination, not more reason but more heart and passion. Fairy tales teach us that sometimes, the most transformative journeys are the ones that take place within. And in a world as complex and cynical as ours, maybe it’s time we let ourselves believe in a bit of magic again.
