Week 4 - September 16-20: Cinderella: Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Monday:      FIRST LOOK: The Hidden Curriculum (LHS 222)

Tuesday:      The Complete Fairy Tales, “Cinderella,” pp. 79-84
Report 3: Bruno Bettelheim, “Cinderella,” In: The Uses of Enchantment, pp. 236-277. On reserve in Hoover Library

Wednesday: Evening Film: “Cinderella” by Walt Disney

Thursday:     Discussion of Film and Tale

                    Report 4: Jack Zipes, “The Triumph of the Underdog: Cinderella’s Legacy,” in: The Enchanted Screen. pp.172-191. On Blackboard under Course Documents

Blog Entry 4: Cinderella is one of these so called “rise tales”, which features a narrative arc of “rags to riches through magic and marriage”. Can someone reach success or riches with magic or marriage? How realistic is that? Blog is due by Sunday, September 22.

Week 3: September 9-13: Nature of Fairy Tales

Tuesday: Form, Function and Structure of Fairy Tales
Read: The Complete Fairy Tales, “Brier Rose,” pp. 171-174
 Lüthi: Once Upon a Time, Chapter 1, pp. 21-34
Report 1: Zipes, The Brothers Grimm, Chapter 9, pp. 207-229

Wednesday: Evening Film: Sleeping Beauty by Disney

Thursday: Discussion of Film and Tale - Folk and Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends
Read: Lüthi: Once Upon a Time, Chapters 2-3, pp. 35-57
Report 2: Bruno Bettelheim, “The Sleeping Beauty” In: The Uses of Enchantment, pp. 225-236. On reserve in Hoover Library.

Blog Entry 2: Develop a one-page working definition of a fairy tale based on class discussions, stories and other articles we have read in class.  Blog is due by Sunday, September 8.

Week 2 – September 2-6: Nature of Fairy Tales

 Week 2 – September 2-6: Nature of Fairy Tales

Monday:           No Classes – Labor Day

Tuesday:           Origin and Reception of the Tales
Read: Zipes, The Brothers Grimm, Chapter 2, pp. 25-64

Wednesday:     Evening Film: ”Brothers Grimm” with Matt Damon – Part 2

Thursday:         Discussion of Film and Readings

Blog Entry 2: Compare the film “The Brothers Grimm” with the real life of the Brothers Grimm (Chapter 1 in Zipes). What is Fact and what is fiction? Blog is due by Sunday, September 8.

Week 1 - August 26-30 - Introduction

Week 1 - August 26 – 30: Introduction

Monday:           Film: ”Brothers Grimm” with Matt Damon – Part 1

Tuesday:          Introduction, Syllabus
What is a fairy tale? What is a folk tale?

Wednesday:     Film: ”Brothers Grimm” with Matt Damon – Part 1

Thursday:         Once There Were Two Brothers Named Grimm

                        Read: Zipes, The Brothers Grimm, Chapter 1, pp. 1-23

Blog Entry 1: Why did you choose this course as your FYS? What are you hoping to accomplish in the seminar? What is your favorite fairy tale? Why? Blog is due by Sunday, September 1.

Welcome to FYS "The Brothers Grimms to Walt Disney"

Course Description: Once upon a time … For centuries folk and fairy tales have fueled the popular imagination of people of all ages around the world. Fairy tales are perhaps most commonly associated with German literature, especially with the Brothers Grimm. Their tales have been adapted and reinterpreted in many countries. Here in the United States, the Walt Disney company was one of the first in the world to make movies out of the various fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm.

This First Year Seminar provides an introduction to the fairy tale tradition, an overview of the most famous German fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and a comparison to the Disney movie adaptations. We will read, discuss and analyze various fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm as well as various Disney film adaptations, which most if not all students grew up with. In addition, the fairy tales will be illuminated from various perspectives, including formalist (structure and style), feminist, and psychoanalytic approaches. This seminar fulfills one or more of the following requirements of the McDaniel Plan: First-Year Seminar, International Western and Textual Analysi

Learning Objectives: Through reading and analyzing fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, students will gain a better understanding of the historical, social-cultural and political situation in 19^th century Germany and Europe. In addition, students will learn how to compare the original fairy tales with the filmic adaptations by Walt Disney. This comparison will help students better understand the reasons why Disney has changed and subverted the originals. The course provides the students with the interpretative tools they need to critically examine the fairy tales and understand the fairy tale tradition. The learning objectives will be guided by some fundamental questions: What is the meaning of a particular fairy tale? What do fairy tales tell us about the culture they were crafted in? What do they mean to us today? What devices do the writers employ to accomplish their goals? What motifs and symbols are used in fairy tales and what do they mean? What are the various functions of fairy tales and how are these introduced and used in various tales?

Learning Outcomes: In the course of the semester, the students will improve their reading, writing and speaking skills and at the same time develop the analytical skills needed for a better understanding and an in-depth interpretation of the tales read and the films watched in the class. They will be able to identify motifs and symbols employed in the fairy tales and to critically analyze the tales and the films from various perspectives. In addition, they will write critical essays comparing the original tales with the film adaptations.

How the Learning Objectives will be met: The objectives will be met by using various methods: pre- and post-reading assignments, class discussions, creating a blog and writing weekly reflections, taking notes and summarizing the class discussions and posting these summaries onto Blackboard, writing analytical papers, taking in-class exams, and giving oral reports.

Sources for images: http://www.kinderkrebsstiftung.de/typo3temp/pics/0574786dcb.jpg
http://www.as-creation.de/files/work/4kids_motive/xxl_motive/marchen_gr.jpg 

Week 3 - September 9-13: Hänsel & Gretel – The Child as a Hero

Tuesday: Read:  The Complete Fairy Tales, "Hansel and Gretel," pp. 43-49,  "The Juniper Tree," pp. 148-157 and Lüthi: Chapter 4: The Uses of Fairy Tales, pp. 59-70

Wednesday: Global Experinece & Diversity Exploration - Leidy Room
Wednesday: Evening Film: “Hansel and Gretel” with Cloris Leachman. MGM 1987

Thursday: The Meaning of Hansel and Gretel
Report 3: J. Zipes, “The Rationalization of Abandonment and Abuse in Fairy Tales: The Case of Hansel & Gretel.” On Blackboard under Course Documents
Report 4: Bruno Bettelheim, "Hansel and Gretel,” In: The Uses of Enchantment, pp. 159-166. On reserve in Hoover Library

Blog Entry 3: Compare the original Grimm tale with the MGM version. What is different in the film? What is similar? Why did the movie directors make these changes? Blog is due by Sunday, September 15.

Week 14 – Service Learning Project

Monday: Final Preparation for Service Learning project. All must come to class

Tuesday: Service Learning Project at William Winchester Elementary School

Blog Entry 11: This is your final Blog. In this blog, please reread all blogs you have written and reflect about what you have done and learned in the semester. Blog is due by Sunday, November 29.