Jacki Judd's CU

Return to Fairy Tales Index Page

Seminar on Fairy Tales: Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?

Jacki Judd

Academic Setting

Jefferson Middle School is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico,a culturally and ethnically diverse city on the Rio Grande. Jefferson was one of the first “junior high schools” in town, and it is 63 years old. Now a middle school, it is located in the center of the city adjacent to the University of New Mexico, serving a community rich in tradition, including both Martineztown and the University. Within the total student enrollment of just under 800 at JMS, 47% are Anglo, 39% Hispanic, 7% Native Americans, 5% African Americans, and 2% Asian. This diversity enriches our school culture and climate.

            According to the 1990 federal census, 43% of our community’s residents were homeowners, but it is an aging population, and our in-district student numbers are in decline. This allows us to accept more out-of-district students, many of whom seek enrichment in our wonderful music classes, as well as our large gifted program.

            We currently have 130 students in our gifted program at Jefferson. These students are included within the overall special education population, which consists of nearly one third our total number. According to each Individualized Education Plan (IEP), we serve our gifted students in an academic replacement program of one, two, or three class periods per day. Based upon individual need, students may be taking literature, math, science, or as many as all three classes from any of the five teachers of the gifted. I teach 6th grade literature, but every other week we combine my class with the gifted 7th and 8th grade literature classes for a humanities seminar.

            There are many different ways to explore fairy tales. I chose to analyze the historical perspective evident in various transformations of the character known as Little Red Riding Hood. This type of approach can be used with any tale that has a number of variations, since each variant reflects the changing values and atttitudes of authors in different cultures and time periods.

                 Because I teach a class that replaces literature, there are mandated standards and concepts I must cover in my curriculum. And since I also teach students who are gfifted, I’m required to address specific goals and needs from the IEP. I am planning to do a unit on fairy tales with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students attending my seminar.

            I want my students to discover that literature and history are very much inter-related. If literature is influenced by events of the time period in which it is produced, would that also be true for music? And for art? And, how might we create a new version of “Little Red Riding Hood” that reflects what’s happening in our world today? Would we write our modern variation as a rap song or as a computer game?

Context and Background

Fairy tales may seem like they came to us today, fully developed, appealing to our modern audiences, and appropriate for both children and adult readers. But, in reality they have evolved along with the cultures that produced them. Originally, they were told as oral folk tales by the peasant classes who lived up to and including the 16th and 17th century in the feudal and agrarian societies of Europe.

            In certain areas of pre-industrial Europe sewing was a major home industry and a mostly female occupation. Young girls joined the sewing and storytelling circles as they were becoming women, and were sent to a different household to gain experience in various forms of needlework. They were sometimes even courted there as part of their socialization and coming of age rituals. While they spun fabric, these women also spun many yarns for entertainment. Their stories reflected the needs and desires of girls who were coming of age, and most of the tales had happy endings.

                   “Although virtually all of the national collections of fairy tales compiled in the nineteenth century were the work of men, the tales themselves were ascribed to women narrators” (Tatar x). Since these women were the “common folk” they were also illiterate. The stories they created were told and retold, changing with each retelling, according to the memory of the storyteller and the participation of her audience. This is much like the children’s game of “gossip,” in which one person whispers a story to the next until it has gone full circle. The last person to tell the story often relates a much different version than the first.

            The oral tales were handed down from generation to generation, and traveled from village to village. There were literally hundreds of stories, but I would like to examine the evolution of “Little Red Riding Hood.” It is one of the most popular and most often revised fairy tales, and I can use it to show my students that literature changes with its historical events.

Historical Perspective

Like most fairy tales, “Little Red Riding Hood” was first an oral folk tale, probably circulating in France and Northern Italy during the late Middle Ages. It was known as “The Story of Grandmother” (Tatar 10), and tells how a young girl takes the path of needles to her grandmother’s house after meeting a werewolf in the forest. The wolf takes the path of pins (most likely a reference to sewing and weaving), and he gets to grandmother’s first. The werewolf motif reflects how men had been persecuted for being werewolves during the 16th century, much like women had been persecuted for being witches. The wolf kills the grandmother and puts some of her flesh in the pantry and a bottle of her blood on the shelf.

            When the girl appears, the wolf has disguised himself as her grandmother and convinces the child to partake of the “meat and wine.” This passage is probably symbolic of the girl ingesting wisdom from and (taking over for) her grandmother. The werewolf tells her to undress and come to bed (another common element in the early oral tales), which she does. The two of them then have what has become a very famous discussion about his various body parts and their abnormally large sizes.

            When the wolf tells her why he has such a big mouth (“the better to eat you with!”) she realizes that he’s not her grandmother. Little Red Riding Hood tells him that she has to go badly, and does not want to do it in bed as he suggests. So, he ties a rope to her foot, but she ties it to a tree outside, and escapes.

             The heroine of this oral tradition is independent and clever enough to solve her own problems and does not need to be rescued. The character reflects the real peasant girl who needed to be able to fend for herself by this age. Because the young woman does overcome her obstacles, this is a tale that is meant not only to entertain but also to encourage its peasant audience.

            Let us move forward now into the 17th century and the beginning of the period of Enlightenment. The definition of the child is changing. Society begins to view children as a unique category of human beings with their own needs and desires. Parents now find their children amusing and have more affection for them, since it’s no longer as much of an emotional risk.

            France is the nation leading the world in the matters and manners of civilized society, and there it becomes important and fashionable for the upper classes to educate their children. The boys are being formally educated in schools while the girls are learning to be wives of culture and manners. The prevailing thought of French society is that the animal within the child must be controlled in order to create a civilized being (especially the females).

            Enter Charles Perrault (1628-1703), a French attorney turned author. Like some of his contemporaries, Perrault appropriates the oral folk tales and writes them for the entertainment of the aristocracy. Thus, we have the introduction of literary fairy tales. Only people of wealth and education are able to buy and read books during this time period.

            Perrault wrote his fairy tales primarily for adults of the upper class. As Zohar Shavit points out, he “ had to emphasize the fact that children were the official audience of his work because this was a condition for its acceptance by high society” (Tatar 325).   Yet, he was clearly aiming at the adult audience as well in his version of “Little Red Riding Hood”, since “the ironic and satirical tone of the text, particularly as it is expressed in the tragic ending of the tale” is meant for them (Tatar 325). The “new fairy tale” is supposed to teach the proper social rules of behavior for upper class children, and this changes everything for poor Little Red Riding Hood.

            In Perrault’s variation of the tale, entitled “Le Petit Chaperon Rouge” (Tatar 11), the girl now wears a red hat, which might be symbolic of the onset of menstruation. Or, it might be a symbol of her seductive nature.   Regardless, this time she is a spoiled and naive little girl who is much loved by both her mother and her grandmother. She is devoured by the wolf just as her grandmother was before her.

            Perrault ends the tale with a moral, warning that little girls should not talk to strangers, and especially not to wolves, and he implies that her demise is her own fault. The story has now become a cautionary tale for girls entering womanhood. Perrault “transformed a hopeful oral tale about the initiation of a young girl into a tragic one of violence in which the girl is blamed for her own violation” (Zipes, The Trials and Tribulations...7).

                 Americans probably know the works of the German brothers Grimm best. Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) collected oral tales for adults and then heavily edited them for children in their second edition. According to Zipes, “they eliminated erotic and sexual elements that might be offensive to middle-class morality, added numerous Christian expressions and references, and emphasized specific role models for male and female protagonists according to the dominant patriarchal code of that time” (Once There were Two...xxxiii). Not surprisingly, and like Perrault, the Grimms edited fairy tales to reflect their own cultural and personal experiences and values.

            The brothers at first seemed to lead very comfortable lives. They were two of six children, and members of the upper middle class, with a father who was an attorney. They were devoted to each other, their family and education, and their religious training in the Reform Calvinist Church. But, when the father suddenly died, Jacob and Wilhelm were ten and eleven years old; a long struggle to overcome adversity began.

                 Inititally, Jacob and Wilhelm began collecting folk tales for Clemens Brentano, a friend who intended to publish a collection of the stories in the future. Brentano never got around to it, but eventually the brothers published those tales as Kinder-und Hausmarchen (Children’s and Household Tales) in 1812. It was immediately extremely popular with children, and their second edition was published in 1815. The new edition was geared specifically toward middle class children and heavily edited for them. The Grimms wanted to “create an ideal type for the literary fairy tale, one that sought to be as close to the oral tradition as possible, while incorporating stylistic, formal, and substantial thematic changes to appeal to a growing middle-class audience” (Zipes, Once There Were Two...XXV).

             In their variation of “Little Red Riding Hood” the Grimms took the idea of a cautionary tale even further than Perrault (Tatar 14). This time the protaganist receives a lecture by her mother at the beginning of the story. She is to go see her grandmother, and while walking in the woods, she is advised to “walk properly” and not to “stray from the path.” The mother goes on to say that the girl must remember to say good morning to her grandmother, and not go peeping in all the corners of the room.

            The mother’s speech is obviously a lesson in manners, but also a clear warning to the girl about staying on the right and proper path, which of course she ignores. And, not surprisingly she gets eaten, but this time she and grandmother are both rescued by the huntsman and we have a happy ending once again. In the Grimm’s variation, Little Red Riding Hood is more naive and gullible than ever before and she cannot save herself. The male savior enters the picture reflecting the paternalistic society in which Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm lived.

            This brief examination of three variants of “Little Red Riding Hood” has shown how the same storyline can change and evolve according to the culture and time period of its origin. And, yet we have only looked at three different versions so far. There are many more. Thirty eight variations of the tale are reprinted in Zipe’s anthology, The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood, and he lists 147 published variations of the story, including parodies, poems, plays, recordings, advertisements, musicals, and films.

            For many centuries, “Little Red Riding Hood” was written and illustrated by males articulating a male point of view. Then, in the 1960’s, especially in Britain and America, writers began to rewrite fairy tales from a feminist, or non-sexist point of view. The women’s movement was beginning to influence values and attitudes about gender roles.

            A writer does not have to be a woman in order to write a feminist fairy tale, as evidenced by Roal Dahl (most of my students already know and love this author). In his version of the tale, “Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf,” the author basically follows the original storyline, including the famous dialogue about what big eyes, etc. the wolf has. But Dahl closes with the heroine freeing herself from violation as well as from the inference that she brought the violence upon herself. Dahl’s variation reflects the culture of our modern times; his heroine is a savvy young girl with a gun!

          The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers.
          She whips a pistol from her knickers.
          She aims it at the creature’s head
          And bang, bang, bang, she shoots him dead.
          A few weeks later, in the wood,
          I came across Miss Riding Hood.
          But what a change! No cloak of red,
          No silly hood upon her head.
          She said, “Hello, and do please note
          My lovely furry WOLFSKIN COAT” (Tatar 22).

There is even a song about Little Red Riding Hood, written in 1966 by Ronald Blackwell and performed by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs (Gardner 16). The song opens with a wolf howl followed by, “Who’s that I see walking in these woods? Why, it’s Little Red Riding Hood!” It goes on to say that she has big eyes of the sort that “drive wolves mad” and that “little big girls” should not be walking through “spooky old woods” alone. He offers to protect her by walking with her through the forest, hoping that she will learn to trust him, and eventually come to know that “he has a big heart, the better to love you with.” The language and attitude in the song are reflective of the 1960’s in America. The song’s first and last verses are the same:

          Hey there, Little Red Riding Hood!
          You sure are looking good!
          You’re everything a big bad wolf
          Could want. Howwwlll!

            The tale of Little Red Riding Hood continues to evolve today, and to reflect the historical culture of various societies. Because it raises issues about gender identity, sexuality, and violence, Zipes claims that it is“the most popular and certainly the most provocative fairy tale in the Western world” (Trials and Tribulations...343).

Implementation

Standards

The following standards and benchmarks from The Albuquerque Public Schools District Middle School Course Descriptions and Core Curriculum Frameworks for Language Arts are addressed in this unit:

Strand I: Reading Process

The student employs appropriate reading strategies to read and interpret increasingly complex texts for a variety of purposes.

1. Increases fluency, comprehension, and insight through meaningful and    comprehensive reading instruction:

�        uses effective reading strategies (e.g. context clues, rereading, self-correcting,      reading with others, predicting, questioning, clarifying, summarizing) to match type of text.

�        discusses selections in teacher-student conferences and small group discussions.

�        takes an active role in whole-class seminars.

�        investigates examples of distortion and stereotype.

�        recognizes underlying messages in order to identify recurring themes.

�        reads self-selected and assigned materials.

�        reads narrative and expository text aloud with fluency and accuracy and with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.

Strand II: Reading Analysis

The student responds to, examines, and critiques historically and culturally significant issues and events portrayed in literature that both illustrate and affect people, society, and individuals.

4. Identifies and explores the underlying assumptions of the author, considers      alternative points of view, and remains fair-minded and open to various interpretations.

8. Identifies and explains main idea(s), theme, setting, action, main characters, and details in a variety of texts.

10. Identifies and interprets figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification) in written and oral texts.

16. Describes how characters’ actions reflect values, cultures, and experiences.

18. Explains socially or culturally significant works of literature to develop an awareness of a variety of perspectives.

19. Examines connections between a variety of cultures, both worldwide and within American society, as depicted through a variety of literature and media.

Strand IV: Expressive Language: Speaking

The student speaks effectively for different audiences and purposes (e.g., to describe, narrate, express, explain, persuade, and analyze) using appropriate speaking strategies and conventions.

1. Demonstrates proficiency with speaking strategies:

�        enhances delivery, using strategies such as eye contact, gestures, body language,   volume, and pace.

�        clarifies, illustrates, and expands upon topics during discussions.

3. Demonstrates proficiency with appropriate types of speaking (i.e., descriptive, narrative, expressive, expository, persuasive, and analytical) for a variety of purposes and audiences.

�        demonstrates continued progress in developing and delivering speeches that describe, inform, and/or persuade.

Day One

In order to get the class to loosen up and begin thinking about fairy tales, I will begin by asking each student to volunteer the name of a tale as I write their answers on the board. When we have compiled an extensive list, volunteers will divide the list according to possible categories from within it. For example, students might suggest categories such as “fairy tales with animals in them,” or “fairy tales with a feminine main character,” or perhaps “fairy tales that begin with the letter S.” I have found in the past that this concept development exercise can elicit some good critical thinking from students who are gifted; their answers can also be quite unexpected and/or humorous.

Next, a volunteer will tell us the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” (for surely she made the list!) as they remember it. Most likely, we’ll hear a version of the Grimms story, “Little Red Cap.” I’ll take comments and revisions, and point out that we’re working on an “oral tale.” Then we’ll take a look at the first literary version of the tale by Perrault, and discuss the changes he made, and why he might have written it that way. By this point we’re almost out of time (we work on a 45 minute class schedule), so I’ll hand out the homework (see “ticket”) and ask students to write a brief summary on Perrault’s tale and his time period.

Day Two

Let me first explain about the seminar “ticket.” At the end of the seminar, students will evaluate their own efforts in preparation and participation before the teachers do. The preparation grade is called a “ticket” because you can’t participate in the discussion on the last day without it. It consists of the written work assigned for that particular seminar.

            Since, for the fairy tale seminar we are concentrating on tales from a historical perspective, the students will receive historical information from the class discussions that they are required to document on the “ticket”. For a grade of A in preparation, students must also bring in a fairy tale of their choice ( by day three!) and turn in notes from the debates (see Figure 1).

            So, today students should take notes on the worksheets they received yesterday, as we read “The Story of Grandmother” (oral tradition), “Little Red Cap” (Grimms), and “Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf” (Dahl). We will discuss how the versions vary, and what might have historically precipitated those changes.

            Then, students will pair up (or a maximum number of three students together) and write their own variations on the theme. All of their stories will begin with the scene where the wolf and the girl meet up in the forest. The pedalogical goal is to invite creative thinking about this material and to reflect on our modern times. Stories will be collected first thing tomorrow.

Day Three

We begin by reading the story endings that students created the day before, examining them from a historical perspective. What makes them sound like they were written in the year 2002 in America? Do they reflect our culture? How?

            We’re now ready to divide the class into three groups of 8-10 students, each with representatives from all three grade levels, and supervised by one of three teachers as facilitator and debate coach. We will continue to work with the fairy tale material by exploring and debating the following questions and issues:

Resolution #1: Be it resolved that young children are harmed by the violence in fairy tales.

Resolution #2: Be it resolved that young boys and girls are brainwashed by the gender messages and stereotyping in fairy tales.

Resolution #3: Be it resolved that, because of the negative way in which wolves are portrayed in fairy tales, their re-introduction program into the wild Southwest has been hampered.

Day Four

Although we do at least one formal debate each year in a seminar (so the 7th and 8th graders have been here before), it’s always a good idea to review the rules of debate (see Figure 2). After the debate rules are made clear, students will be notified of their assignment to either the affirmative or negative team. All of these roles are assigned by the teachers ahead of time, with an eye toward balance in experience and personalities between the teams. Most of the students we see in class are verbal, but some are more verbal than others! We want both teams to have an opportunity for success.

            Next, students meet as teams for the purpose of assigning tasks, doing research, and preparing for debate. The individual task a student might accomplish for their team (rebuttal or constructive speeches or research) is decided by that team. Students should remember to give the rebuttle tasks to the people who can “think on their feet.”

                 Students were asked to bring in a fairy tale as part of their “ticket.” At this point, the teams will read those tales (or, have the student summarize them), looking for support of the resolution. For example, if a student is assigned to Resolution #2 on the affirmative, she should write in her notes that “Hansel and Gretel” sent the gender message, “girls are the crybabies who need comfort from their brothers.” But, if the student sits on the negative team of the same resolution, she should write that it sends this message: “girls can save the day by pushing the witch into the oven!” Students should be reminded that their debate research notes count toward their grade in preparation.

            I will be adding some literature to the teams’ research data in order to help them focus on their resolutions. For example, the group that has resolution #1 will receive “Bluebeard” by Charles Perrault (Hallett and Karasek 117) and “Hansel and Gretel” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (Hallett and Karasek 100). Resolution #2 will receive “Hansel and Gretel” and “Peter and the Wolf.” Resolution #3 will get an article from the website (The Complete Wolf Information Center) and the “Three Little Pigs.”

            During this research exercise, students are practicing their skills from Standards Strand I (Reading Process) and Strand II (Reading Analysis).   Their progress is assessed by teacher observation.

            At the end of class, students are encouraged to think about the resolution overnight. If they want to do research at home that is encouraged, but they should at least discuss it with their parents. They should ask for an opinion on the resolution, and they might want to ask which tales were read to them and why those tales were chosen.

Day Five

The first half of the period will be spent in teams, finishing up preparation for the debate. The second half of class has the entire class back together to hear and judge the first debate. Teams have been previously drawn from a hat to see which goes first.

                 Students who are not participating in the first debate will be judges and score it according to the format on their “ticket” (figure 1). They are to write a short phrase summarizing each argument made by the affirmative team in constructive and then do the same with the negative constructives. After a short recess, students will “switch sides” on the score card, putting an asterisk next to each of the opposing team’s arguments as it is addressed during rebuttal. One point is given for each phrase and one point for each asterisk. At the end of the debate points are totaled and a winner is declared.

            During the debates, students are practicing their skills from Standards Strand IV (Expressive Language: Speaking). Their progress is assesed by teacher observation.

Day Six

Two more debates. At the end of the period I will remind the students that their “ticket” is due the next day. As previously stated, students without a ticket may not come to the discussion. They have to sit elsewhere and write the answers to the same questions we’re all sitting around talking about instead. It’s amazing how well this works at helping verbal kids to remember their homework.

Day Seven

Students will need a few minutes to get their materials organized and ready for the discussion. They should staple together all written material from the week (the worksheet, their story, debate research) and an evaluation form on top. This packet is the “ticket” to seminar.


            We spend a great deal of time throughout the year discussing the etiquette of polite conversation. Students are not allowed to raise their hands in seminar discussion. We want it to look like an adult conversation; if two people start talking at one time, one of them needs to back off. They are to be good active listeners, not doodling or engaging in side conversations. And, most of all they are to accept other students’ comments with respect and an open mind. The evaluation form assesses a student’s efforts toward these goals. Both student and teacher assign a grade in each target category on a scale of 1-5 (F-A).

            We divide into three (grades mixed) groups for discussion. The teacher serves as a facilitator, having some previously written questions on hand to stimulate discussion as needed. Some questions that might be used for this seminar on fairy tales:

     1. Which fairy tales did you listen to or read when you were “little?” Do you think any of them had a lasting effect on you? If so, which tale and what impression were you left with?

     2. Do you think that it’s possible for young children to be harmed by the violence in fairy tales? What’s the difference between hearing about violence, and seeing it in movies and on television?

     3. Do you think there are gender messages in fairy tales? And, if so, do you think they are harmful for kids?

     4. Did any of you ever develop a fear of an animal because of a fairy tale or story you heard? Is it possible that a negative view of an animal can carry over into real life? Could people really be prejudiced against, say, wolves?

     5. This week we’ve seen how history can influence literature. Can you think of any other areas that have been similarly influenced? (music, art, television, movies.......)

Assessment

The unit allows for a multi-assessment approach. As teachers, we are looking for any standards or benchmarks that any student(s) needs to practice and review. The students are active participants in assessing their own efforts in participation and preparation. And, since this curriculum unit was developed for a special education class, each student’s progress on goals written into the IEP (critical thinking, creative thinking, research, preparation, or any others decided by the committee) must be documented. That numerical scale goes from 0 (no progress made) to 2 (goal accomplished).

Documentation

Company of Wolves. Dir. by Neil Jordan. Prod. by Chris Brown and Stephen Wooley.                 Videocassette. Vestron Inc., 1985.

                Listed as a horror/fantasy, it is a surrealistic story about transformation. R rated.

Freeway. Writ., dir. by Mathew Bright. Prod. by Brad Wyman and Chris Hanley. Videocassette.                Republic Entertainment Inc., 1996.

               Starring Keiffer Sutherland and Reese Witherspoon, the tale of a modern Little Red Riding                  Hood on the streets of Los Angeles. Rated R.

Gardner, Martin. “Little Red Riding Hood.” Skeptical Inquirer. Sept/Oct 2000: 14-16.

               An article about the experts who have tried to analyze “Little Red Riding Hood:” Bruno                  Betellheim, Eric Fromm, and Jack Zipes.

Garner, James Fenn. Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. New York: Macmillan, 1994.

               Fairy tales rewritten within the framework of political correctness.

Hallett, Martin and Barbara Karasek, eds. Folk and Fairy Tales. 2nd. ed. Ontario: Broadview                  Press, 1996.

               Fairy tales, grouped by topics and motifs, as in “sleeping beauties” or “damsels in                Distress.” Also articles by Bruno Bettelheim, J.R.R. Tolkien, and more.

Little Red. Writ., dir., and prod. by Clay Valenti. Videocassette. Lock Raven, 2001.

              An urban legend, this movie puts our heroine into modern society in the ghetto. Rated R.

“The Mexican Wolf.” The Complete Wolf Information Center. June 11, 2002.
              <http://www.aboutwolves.com/mexican/index.htm>

              A history of the wolf and his relationship with man in North America, including the recent                 re-intoduction project in the Southwest.

Tatar, Maria. The Classic Fairy Tales. New York: Norton & Company, 1999.

             A collection of fairy tales, grouped by theme, written by more than one author.

Windling, Terry, ed. The Armless Maiden and Other Tales from Childhood Survivors. New                York: TOR books, 1995.

             Feminist fairy tales and articles on the reasons we need them.

Zipes, Jack. Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion. New York: Routledge, 1983.

             A critical look at the socioeconomic implications of fairy tales.

---.”Recovering the Utopian Spirit of the Weimar Fairy Tales and Fables.” Fairy Tales and Fables                from Weimar Days. Ed. and Trans. Jack Zipes. Hannover and London: University of               New England Press. 1989. 3-28.

            Covers the historical background of a the Weimar period (1919-1933) in Germany.

---.The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood. 2nd. ed. New York: Routledge,                1993.

             Thirty eight variations of the tale, with a listing of 147 more. Also many articles on the                evolution of the tale.

---.Creative Storytelling. New York: Routledge, 1995.

              How to bring out the little storytellers in the classroom with creative lesson plans.

---. Don’t Bet on the Prince. New York: Routledge, 1989.

                 Contemporary feminist fairy tales in North America and England.

---. “Once There were Two Brothers named Grimm”. The Complete Fairy Tales of the
              Brothers Grimm. Ed. Jack Zipes. New York: Bantam Books, 1992. XVII-XXXI.

              A history of the brothers’ personal and professional lives.

Figure 1

                      Seminar on Fairy Tales: Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?

                                                           TICKET                                               Name

                                                                                                                       Period
To receive an A for preparation, you need this worksheet, a fairy tale which you bring to class, and notes from the debates.

Summarize the historical perspective for each of the following tales:

1. “The Story of Grandmother” (oral tradition)-

2. “Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault-

3. “Little Red Cap” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm-

4. “Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf” by Roald Dahl-

_____________________________________________________________________

                                           DEBATE SCORECARD

Affirmative                                                                                          Negative

                                                     (constructive)

*Rebuttal addresed this

Figure 2                                                  The Rules of Debate                           Name
                                                                                                                        Period

Resolution #___Be it resolved that____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My assignment________________________________________________________

The affirmative team will support the resolution and the negative team will oppose it. There will be two types of speeches, constructive and rebuttle. The speeches will be given in this order:

1AC - First Affirmative Constructive            2 min
1NC - First Negative Constructive               2 min
2AC - Second Affirmative Constructive       2 min
2NC - Second Negative Constructive          2 min
RECESS
1NR - First Negative Rebuttal                    1 min
1AR - First Affirmative Rebuttal                  1 min
2NR - Second Negative Rebuttal                1 min
2AR - Second Affirmative Rebuttal             1 min

Notice that since the negative team has the advantage of two consecutive speeches (2NC and 1NR), the affirmative team has the advantage of speaking first and last.

Constructive Speeches:

A. Summarize your problem
B. State your team’s position
C. Cite evidence to support your position
D. Build your case.

    1. How severe is the problem?
    2. What is your plan?
   3. How will your plan solve the problem?

E. If your side is negative:

     1. Attack evidence with evidence
     2. Build a negative case
     3. Cover points given in affirmative to disprove their case.

Rebuttals
A. Can introduce new evidence, but no new arguments.
B. Summarize the crucial issues, restate your best points, ask the judges to support your side.