The Deeper Meaning

1)
When reading the three different versions of “The Three Little Pigs”, the cultural differences in the African- American, Italian and English versions stand out and clearly reflect the culture of their origin. In the African-American version, much slang is used to narrate the story. When describing the pig mother dying they describe it as “kicking the bucket” They refer to the old sow as “Ma” Also, the main difference in the story is that there are five little pigs instead of three. There are Big pig, Little Pig, Speckled Pig, Blunt and Runt pig. Runt being the “lonesome” neglected pig, she ends up being the heroine by being the only pig to stand up to Brer Wolf’s trickery. Instead of physically blowing or knocking the house down, the Brer wolf uses his smooth talking to enter the pigs homes and eat them. The language used and the size of the pig family may reflect the African-American culture when this story was told.

In the Italian version, goslings replace the pigs. There is no mother gosling in the story and the three goslings are assumed to fend for themselves. They acquire materials for their houses from good Samaritans and begin to build. The mention of eating Macaroni and cheese is an Italian cultural reference because it was and still is associated with the staple diet of many Italians. Also, this version deals more with the virtue of loyalty and forgiveness. Because the goslings tricked one another, they were subjected to being gobbled up by the Wolf. The gosling left on its own kills the wolf and forgives its siblings and they live happily together.

The English version is the most widely known version in America. There are many elements in this version that are seen in many English folktales. They begin with “Once Upon A Time” and many of the lines are repeated and rhyme, almost like a poem. There is an identical exchange in dialogue between all three pigs and the wolf where he begins by saying “Little pig, little pig let me come in” and they respond with “Not by the hair of my chiny chin chin” he grows angry and proclaims, “then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in” Most of us familiar with folktales can recite these lines by heart due to the rhyming and repetitive nature of the story. That may also be the reason this version is so widely recognized.

2)

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,
His name is my name too.

Whenever we go out,
The people always shout,
There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.

Dah dah dah dah, dah dah dah

I chose John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt because it is a short song that I grew up singing. When my friends and I were younger, we would sing this song repeatedly to annoy each other or help pass the time on long field trips. I always imagined it to be about a jolly fellow who was known and loved by his whole village because of his amiable nature.

This poem is actually relating to the surge of German immigrants in America. The name Jingleheimer is suppose to reflect a stereotypical German last name, and the line “his name is my name too” is poking fun of the large German population whom shared last names which were lengthy and difficult to pronounce in American standards. Considering its real meaning, this song promotes bigotry and doesn’t share a valuable life lesson or promote good moral values. But regardless of its true implication, we can all still enjoy this little song for its catchy tune.

Ring around the rosy
AKA as Ring a ring o' rosies

Ring around the rosy
A pocketful of posies
"Ashes, Ashes"
We all fall down!

Ring-a-Ring o'Rosies
A Pocket full of Posies
"A-tishoo! A-tishoo!"
We all fall Down!

This nursery rhyme can be traced back to the childhood of most. Children would link hands in a circle and spin around while chanting these two verses. It would end with everybody in fits of laughter on the floor. However, the true implications of this short rhyme are not as blissful. The poem actually refers to the bubonic plague that infected a large population of 14th century England. “Rings around the rosy” describe the rash that formed as a symptom of the plague. “Posies” were sacks of herbs carried around that were believed to ward off the disease and “Ashes, Ashes” can either be referred to as the cremation of the infected bodies or the violent sneezing, another symptom of the black plague. Finally, the last line “We all fall down!” basically implies that the diseased all fell down, dead.

When I first found out when this nursery rhyme meant, I was shocked that such a joyous little dance was actually describing such a somber time in history. It is strange that this rhyme has carried over after so many years and practiced by happy elementary school children.

3)

Analyst Melissa Krukjian discusses the positives of the Disney adaptation of the Cinderella Story. Many people criticize the animation for twisting the original stories told by Perrault and the Grimms solely for marketing purposes. Ms. Krukjian explains why she feels that the Disney version has been perfectly adapted for its main audience, children. Created in the 1950’s it reflects the social norms of the time which emphasizes the strength of the male characters and appeals to the American need for happy endings. In the Disney version, there is no violence and there are clearly defined good and bad guys. In the end, the good guys are rewarded and the bad guys are punished. This is very clear to the children watching the movie and is an example of why fairy tales are told to children. In order to instill values of right and wrong in young people, entertainment must also ensue.

Sandeep Nandi takes a psychoanalytical approach on why fairytales can help children coping with psychological issues. Mr. Nandi feels that these stories can help people connect with their inner conflict because they can see themselves in the characters presented in these fairytales. In terms of young children, their trauma is often suppressed or they have difficulty identifying the source of their troubles. Fairytales are a good medium of understanding their behavior because their characters are clearly defined as good or bad, reflecting the child’s positive image versus their negative inner feelings. When children can identify who they most relate to in a fairytale, analysts have an easier time helping them and finding out the roots of their conflicts.

Philip Klein does an analysis of fairytales in the classroom and reports what he has learned from his interaction with the children and the teacher. He speaks to Mary Gore, the librarian who sees fairy tales as a great way of educating young minds. She believes that the simplicity of fairytales makes it easy for children to understand and enjoy and “helps to foster creativity and imagination”

I find the psychoanalytic approach to be most relevant because I believe that the fairytales you enjoy most can reflect your personal desires and ideas and can really shape young minds. Children can relate to the hero’s or villains in the story and learn the consequences associated with right or wrong. Fairytales provide children with lifelong lessons while entertaining them at the same time.