From the lens of a Psychoanalytic Critic...Many questions are raised from Goldilocks' observed behaviour:
How old is Goldilocks? Why is Goldilocks alone in the forest? And where are her parents/guardians? Friends? What type of morals is she being taught at home that she feels entitled belittling the Bears' house? Why does Goldilocks believe her behaviour is acceptable to intrude a stranger's house? Why does she have such poor manners and social skills? The analysis of Goldilocks The classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a friendly story to the average viewer. However, there are many hidden layers behind Goldilocks' sporadic behaviour that can be observed from the perspective of a psychoanalytic critic based on what is outlined in the article Introduction to Modern Literary Theory by Dr. Kristi Siegel. Goldilocks is introduced into the story picking flowers from a hill. While observing the Bears' house from afar, she mocks how ugly the Bears' house is, and she is confident that Baby Bear's house is not as beautiful as hers. The fact that Goldilocks makes this commentary demonstrates her superficiality present at a young age, making it questionable as to how she is being raised. For young children, this attitude can be dangerous because it can lead to the child feeling a sense of superiority over others as they get older. Then, Goldilocks fiercely knocks on the front door. Since there is no response, she uninvitedly breaks into the Bears' house. This shows Goldilocks' lack of manners, as well as her unusual morality to welcome herself into a stranger's house. As she explores the empty house, she obnoxiously eats all the porridge, breaks Baby Bear's chair, and falls asleep in Baby Bear's bed. Throughout her journey, these actions do not phase Goldilocks since she does what she pleases without hesitation. When she is finally caught, instead of owning up to her actions, she escapes her problems by running away from the scene. From this collective evidence, it is clear that Goldilocks feels a sense of entitlement, but it may be rooted from the deprivation in other areas in her life, such as having good family dynamics at home or having friends to hang out with leisurely.
Archetypes and theme
Character - The Outcast
Despite Goldilocks' narcissistic demeanor, she can also be seen as the archetype of The Outcast. In the beginning of the tale, she is alone picking flowers from a hill. Throughout her exploration of the Bears' house, she continues talking to herself. Once she is caught in the bed, she does not even speak to Little Bear, which she is acquainted with, and she decides to run away instead of confronting the family. From this evidence, it could be possible that Goldilocks does not have any friends or any siblings to converse with, otherwise her social skills would be much more developed. Symbolic - The Crossroads
In this tale, there are two instances where the archetype of The Crossroads is present: when Goldilocks is knocking at the front door of the Bears' house and when Goldilocks is found sleeping in Baby Bear's bed. In the first instance, Goldilocks has many options as to what she could do when no one opens the front door, such as: go back home, come back at a different time, wait until the Bear family comes back, or explore the house. In the end, she barges through the front door and begins her free tour of the house. In the second instance, Goldilocks also has options as to how to respond to the angry Bear's family, such as: own up to her actions, lie about what happened, or stay quiet and run away. In the end, she decides to run away from the situation. Theme - Every Action has a Resulting Consequence This is a major theme in Goldilocks and the Three Bears through Goldilocks' behaviour. While she adventures around an unfamiliar household, she eats what she wants, sits where she wants, and sleeps where she wants, all the while critiquing the items in the house to her standards. Ultimately, she is unaware that this misbehaviour is socially and morally unacceptable, and there will consequences because of it. By the end, her consequence is being found guilty by the Bears' family after coming back home. In real life, every action, whether it is positive or negative, will have some sort of impact to the future accordingly. For example, if someone steals a product from a store, there will be resulting legal punishments. If someone donates money to a charity, that person will be rewarded in ways greater than money can afford, such as eternal happiness. This theme can be applied to many aspects of life but proves to be an underlying theme in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Works CitedIntroduction to Modern Literary Theory. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 July 2017.
McLeod, Saul. "Saul McLeod." Id Ego Superego | Simply Psychology. N.p., 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 13 July 2017.
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Other themes include: Love Always Conquers All Embrace Your Fears Being Different is Special True Love Consumes You THe continuing appeal The tale of Beauty and the Beast originates from the French author Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, written in 1740 (The Original Beauty and the Beast Story). Despite how old this tale may be, it proves to have a continuing appeal to each generation since it was written. The appeal is due to the underlying message, the modern adaptations, and the archetypes. This tale continues to appeal to a modern audience because the underlying message of the story is relatable to all ages and all generations. The idea of not being deceived by appearances is a theme that everyone can connect with since it can apply to many aspects of life, such as: meeting someone for the first time, trying new foods, observing the cover of a book, and acquainting with an unfamiliar animal. As well, the modern adaptations of this story are what allows for the continuing appeal. There have been many remakes of this tale to adapt to its modern society from the time this tale was published. Disney is an example of a production company that has taken the original tale and made it more family-friendly. If there were no adaptations throughout the generations, the tale would gradually lose its appeal from the version that was originally made. The recurring patterns of archetypes are also what allows for a modern audience to connect with the story. The Beast's magical shape-shifting transformation at the end of the tale is a major event that continues to catch the attention of the viewers. The theme of true love is also a classic subject that viewers are familiar with and continue to adore. The characters, the situation, the setting, and the symbolism in this tale are what makes the story interesting to all people from all walks of life. Ultimately, the message that this tale reveals, the adapted versions, as well as the archetypes in the story are what appeal to each generation's modern audience. Moral of the story The moral of the story is that one should not judge a book by its cover and that true beauty is found from within. In this tale, the Beast has a rough, unappealing exterior, portraying him as a ferocious animal. Once Beauty gets to know the Beast past his appearance, she realizes that he is a kind, genuine being and ends up falling in love with him. In the film, the materialistic prince that the Beast begins as mocks the basic gift of the rose the enchantress presents to him. The rose may have been the only gift the enchantress could afford to give, showing it is the thought that counts behind the action. In both cases, the story teaches that inner beauty is much greater than superficiality. This concept can apply to real-life scenarios. When meeting someone new for the first time, it is easy to assume to already know who that person is solely based on their physical attributes. This is a misconception because the physical appearance is impermanent, acting as a temporary shell that encloses one's true self within. It takes the right amount of time, effort, love, and patience to crack open that encapsulating shell to reveal the true beauty that is left within it. This story teaches the lesson that one should take the chance to uncover a person's inner beauty rather than familiarizing with their physical beauty. Being able to look past the facade that one may have can lead to the discovery of something more beautiful than ever before. Works Cited"Beauty and the Beast (2017)." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 10 July 2017.
Craig, Amanda. "Beauty and the Beast: the dark history of a literary fairytale." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 10 Mar. 2017. Web. 10 July 2017. Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, Martine Reid (Commentaires), Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot De Villeneuve, Walter Crane (Illustrations), and Rachel Louise Lawrence (Goodreads Author) (Adapter), Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot De Villeneuve, James Robinson Planché (Translator). "Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2017. "Plot Summary." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 10 July 2017. "The Original Beauty and the Beast Story | Beauty and the Beast History." Pook Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2017. |