somewhere, but in some stories they are mental journeys where the main character has to overcome a problem in the place they are at.
Cinderella, as opposed to many other protagonists in fairy tales, is not sent out on a quest or journey.
She has to overcome her problems at home, her quest is to follow the right path, which in this case is to be good and do the right things at home. She had to overcome the tyranny from her stepmother and two stepsisters and because she displays the necessary maturity and does this she is rewarded. Though she does not travel anywhere she is still faced with a problem she has to solve. The mental journey in this case represents her problems growing up with the envious women who try to make little of her and make her life difficult. This is a situation which reflects some aspects of our inner world and of the steps required by our evolution from immaturity to maturity. This is a situation many children and adults can recall and so is it with many situations in fairy tales. These quests or journeys in fairy tales reflect situations, which often occur in life and this is also one of the reasons why fairy tales appeal to so many people. But as these often are situations which people can recognise from real life, some of the themes addressed in fairy tales are quite unpleasant and brutal as life sometimes
is.
The evolution from immaturity to maturity is also explored in the fairy tale of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. This tale portrays a maturing young woman's sexual awakening. Of all the other fairy tales, it is just the fairy tale of ‘Hansel and Gretel’ who also imparts the spirit of warning and awakening maturity. ‘The colour of the riding hood is perhaps the most striking colour of the spectrum and is associated with the symbol of sexuality’. ‘The plot device that has Red Riding Hood taking off on her journey to grandmother's house should be viewed in terms of a metaphoric journey toward maturity’ (Von Franz, 1970, 39).The woods in this fairy tale are not only dark and mysterious, but more importantly they are overflowing with temptation. Being able to follow the right path was the greatest test of Little Red Riding Hood’s maturity. This fairy tale also represents our evolution from immaturity to maturity as we battle to stay on the right path throughout our lives.
Fairy tales are seen as perhaps something not to be taken serious and something which serves only the purpose of entertainment. Fairy tales can be understood and read in different ways. It is evident there are often different layers of interpretation and offer deeper meaning which reflects some aspects of our inner world and of the steps required by our evolution from immaturity to maturity. Fairy Tales can serve as portals to understanding the human condition in general, but they also touch each of us individually, and where we are touched opens the door to our inner world and our self-understanding.