Folktales, especially the Western European fairy tales such as Cindere

Folktales, especially the Western European fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White, have been criticized as having sexist stereotypes. In some ways, this criticism seems valid when one considers that folktale characters are stereotyped. However, the genre, rooted in an ancient oral tradition, reflects its origins: folktales echo the culture in which they arose. This presents an interesting dilemma. Are the stereotypes present in folktalessuch as the beautiful, kind, and helpless princessbad? Will they damage todays childrens concepts of gender-appropriate behavior? Can one story be that powerful, or is it collections of stories that we have to consider? Discuss these questions as a class. As always, you need to write your original response and at least two replies to others.