Stereotypes: The Definition Of Fairytales

The definition of fairytale is a story created for children, which have fairies, goblins, and wizards. The three fairytales I have chosen are Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and a Goldilocks and the Three Bears. All three of these fairytales have a stereotype, they show symbolism, and have a protagonist. I will speak about each of the three literary terms.
Stereotype is when all people or things of the same nature are automatically thought to be the same. As I read Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and a Goldilocks and the Three Bears I notice each fairytale had a stereotype. In the fairytale, Hansel and Gretel, the stereotype is that all stepmothers are mean. “I’ll tell you what, husband,’…’early tomorrow morning we will take the children out into the forest…and give each of them one more piece of bread…and leave them alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them (Hansel and Gretel para 1).” In Little Red Riding Hood there is also a stereotype. In this fairytale a male character saved Little Red. “…he did not fire, but took a pair of scissors, and began to cut open the stomach…he saw the little Red-Cap
In Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf symbolizes the bad people in the world. “And scarcely had the wolf said this, than with one bound he was out of bed and swallowed up Red-Cap (Little Red Cap para 29)” is a good example of symbolism. While reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears, I realized the symbolism is in relation to the European expansion. The bears symbolize the Indians. Goldilocks symbolizes the Europeans. In the fairytale, Hansel and Gretel the symbolism is when Gretel sneaks out of the house for pebbles. This symbolizes that Gretel is in survival mode. “…the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in (Hansel and Gretel para.