Philology

Little Tom Thumb 1st Discussion Board – Again, what characteristics of the classic fairy tale do you find in this story?

What examples of irony do you find?

How and why does Tom become the scapegoat of the family’s troubles? How does Tom then subvert the family’s expectations of him?

Why does the narrator include the epilogue with an alternative theory of Tom’s source of wealth? Consider how it adds humor and would have appealed to Perrault’s original audience.

Does the moral remain relevant to readers today? Why?

Cinderella’s-2nd discussion
What magical elements does the fairy godmother bring to the story, and why are they important to Cinderella’s fate? Are there any that are not present in modern adaptations of the tale? How does their inclusion add to the tale?

The two step-sisters are forgiven by and indeed helped by Cinderella in the end. What subtle point is Perrault trying to make here?

The ending of the story is somewhat abbreviated compared to film versions in which the prince himself travels about trying the slipper on the foot of every girl in the land. This is perhaps because Perrault wanted the reader to focus on the message of the two morals. What do the lessons of these morals say about his upper-class French audience who were focused on wealth, beauty, and privilege, and how are these morals still relevant today?

Discussion 3- Red Riding hood
In Perrault’s original short fairy tale about Red Riding Hood, both the grandmother and the title character are eaten by the wolf and are not saved by anyone. The moral makes clear that the word “wolf” can apply to many kinds of creatures to which naive young girls can fall prey. What lesson is Perrault really trying to teach his aristocratic, adult, French audience, and, by extension, younger people who might be read this tale? How does the fact that the grandmother and girl are not saved support this moral?

There should be three different discussions answering the following questions. Each one should have at least 5 sentences and a quote from each. Please see instructions.