Author Archives: Kate G. Jameson

Why the Woods?

I was walking across campus this morning (very carefully, because it’s ridiculously icy today) trying to decide what to write about when a thought struck me. Why do so many fairy tales involve woods? Think about it. Sleeping Beauty was raised in the woods, then her castle was isolated by a forest of thorns. SnowContinue reading “Why the Woods?”

Stuck in a Tower

Dear Fairy Godmother, I have seriously got, like, the worst parents ever! They are so strict! I keep trying to get them to loosen up, but no amount of arguing works. They can’t believe that I’m growing up. They might as well lock me up in a tower somewhere for all the freedom I get. HowContinue reading “Stuck in a Tower”

Why the Best Ones Die

Gandalf. Obi-Wan Kenobi. Mufasa. Have you started crying yet? In so many fantasy stories, and some of our favorite Disney movies too, we are faced with the death (however brief) of beloved characters. Aside from the fact that writers are cruel, inhuman monsters who like to toy with the emotions of readers and movie-goers, thereContinue reading “Why the Best Ones Die”

But What About Me?

Dear Fairy Godmother, I have a stepsister and I’m tired of being overlooked, or worse, cast as the villain. Cindy is a nice girl. She has a hard time getting along with my mother, true, but they both try their best. Despite what you may have heard, we all pitch in around the house asContinue reading “But What About Me?”

A History of the Fairy Tale

Fairy tales have been passed down orally for centuries, so it’s hard tor trace their exact history. However, once they were written, it becomes easier to see how they’ve grown and change. But where did these stories of the fantastic come from? I may not have precise answers, but I can talk about where theContinue reading “A History of the Fairy Tale”