In Tolkien's essay, "Tree and Leaf," he challenges the prevalent yet subconscious assumption that fairy-tales are written for children. He asks his readers to consider why the connection between children and fairy-tales has been so widely accepted.
Children have the capacity for blind faith. They trust their authorities and the words of older people, because they haven't lived long enough to learn the art of questioning others. Maybe we associate children with fairy-tales because they can experience the "magic" of being transported into another world. They don't feel the need to question fantasy and myth; they simply believe it. Or, at least, they are willing to let their minds experience it without question.
Even though Tolkien disputes the automatic association of children with fairy-tales, perhaps children are able teach the older generation how to experience fairy-tale "magic" by example. With the acceptance of a little blind faith, adults could experience the wonder of fantasy in fiction just like their younger counterparts.
2 comments:
I felt that Tolkien at times undervalued how inquisitive children are in nature. I don't disagree that adults can also enjoy fairy-stories and have valuable takeaways from reading them but I firmly believe that young children are geniuses that begging to lose their ability to innovate the more adults put down rules for them. I might just have to much faith in young minds.
I believe that although children are the main audience for fairy stories, adults can learn from fairy stories as well. Although many fairy stories teach basic morals and are thus appropriate for children, that does not mean all of these stories are only for children. Although these stories allow children to learn their values through a different outlet than being told by one's parents, adults can look at stories with a different view themselves. Adults can easily pick up nuances from stories and adapt various values to everyday life. I think it is important for adults to look at these 'children' stories to review what they learned as youth and hopefully reinvigorate any values they have ignored or forgotten.
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