Hansel and Gretel Vs. The Simpsons Essay - 1230 Words

At one time or another almost every child has read a story about mystical beings, dashing heroes, and evil villains, all acting out a story in a mysterious place, in a time long, long ago. Fairy Tales, while almost purely of a fictional content, offer us a glimpse into the culture and social staples of a certain society. The classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, by the Brothers Grimm, depicts two young siblings abandoned in the forest by their parents during a time of a great famine. The Simpsons has long been a fundamental element of many adolescent children and is a modern, and somewhat skewed, version of the classic fairy tale. These two mediums of expression, however different they may be, give us concepts and facts about†¦show more content†¦In the story of Hansel and Gretel we are meeting these two antagonists for the first time and we do not know a whole lot about them. During the parents first attempt to abandon their children, we learn that Hansel is a very cle ver boy. While his parents are leading them to their would be demise Hansel is busy dropping pebbles on the forest floor in hopes that it would lead them back to their cottage. He deceptiveness is shown when his father asks, Hansel, why are you always stopping and staring (Grimm 185). His reply was Oh, father, I am looking at my white kitten, which is sitting up on the roof trying to bid me farewell (Grimm 185). As an audience we all know that Hansel is really dropping pebbles so that he and his sister can follow them back to their home. Because of Hansels quick thinking the two abandoned siblings, to the surprise of their parents, find their way back to their meager abode. Their parents attempt to abandon them a second time, again leading them into the forest, this time deeper into this uncharted abyss of trees and creatures. Unable to get pebbles, Hansel drops pieces of his bread, in hopes that he and his sister could follow them back just as they did with the pebbles. When they attempt to find their way home, the breadcrumbs are not there because the many thousands of birds flying about in the forest and over fields had eaten them (Grimm 187). We learn that while Hansel is clever, he could not foresee this happening