The other day\u00a0in class, we were discussing the differences between the story and the illustration \u00a0in Edward Gorey’s short stories. \u00a0I could not help but recount famous\u00a0stories that we have heard throughout our childhood that had much darker meanings than we associate the childish images\u00a0with. \u00a0Looking at the images within Gorey’s book, his playful use of color and animation with his cartoonish drawings offer a sense of childish play in his illustrations. \u00a0However, further reading of his witty and short writing, open up a whole new world of darkness that we wouldn’t necessarily associate with our version of the modern day children’s books.<\/p>\n
As a child I grew up in the magical world of Disney, and it’s\u00a0princesses and cartoons. \u00a0Even though I am now 21, I still am obsessed with this portion of my childhood, and can\u00a0recount any Disney song (with my 24 year-old sister for backup) at any moment. \u00a0However, what is often ignored is the darker origins of these stories that we hold near and dear to our hearts.<\/p>\n
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs<\/em> is the first Disney princess classic, and the movie was released in 1937. \u00a0What is forgotten, is that the origin of this story comes from the 1812 publication of folk tales by the Brothers Grimm. \u00a0These were fairy tales that had been told for centuries, and they do not fit the definition of “fairy tale” as we know it today. \u00a0The Evil Queen sends a hunter to kill the fair Snow White, and he can’t so he brings back parts of a dead bear in order to “prove” he had killed her. \u00a0The Queen then eats these in order to be the fairest of them all. \u00a0(This part is definitely not included in the Disney version. \u00a0Finally the story ends at wedding where the Queen is forced to wear burning-hot iron shoes until she drops dead. \u00a0(Also excluded from the cartoon magical fairy tale by Disney).\u00b9<\/p>\n Snow White is not the only example of this: in\u00a0Pinocchio Jiminy is killed by Pinocchio and in the Little Mermaid Ariel is killed if she cannot get true love’s kiss. \u00a0Disney managed to take these dark and intricate stories and turn them into these fabulously bright and happy cartoons kids have been watching for decades. \u00a0So who knows, maybe in a few years well be watching the newest Disney installment of Gorey’s short stories. \u00a0It is true that our modern version of the children’s book is very different than the fairytales of the past, and maybe that is what Gorey was inspired by\u00a0in his stories.<\/p>\n (I had some interesting illustrations of the Brothers Grimm versions of the stories, but I was not allowed to upload them for some reason so if you’re interested just google the stories with Brother’s Grimm!)<\/p>\n The other day\u00a0in class, we were discussing the differences between the story and the illustration \u00a0in Edward Gorey’s short stories. \u00a0I could not help but recount famous\u00a0stories that we have heard throughout our childhood that had much darker meanings than we associate the childish images\u00a0with. \u00a0Looking at the images within Gorey’s book, his playful use … <\/p>\n\n