Using between one and four of the tales or legends read thus far, explore any or all of the following questions about
the relationship between fiction and reality in more detail. Fairy tales are obviously not retellings of real
historical events, so how can they indeed help supply a history for individuals, or for an entire culture? If fairy
tales do contribute to our individual and/or cultural history, are they really providing us with a ?virtual?
history?with a sense of a past we didn?t really have? Is this a problem? Do you think that literature?even a fairy
tale?that refers to historical events needs to be historically accurate? And even if literature does portray
historical events accurately, doesn?t it still just provide us with a virtual world?are we essentially kidding
ourselves that we can know the past, something that is forever over, through literature we read in the present? Is
this virtual reality?the reality we know through representations?the best we can do? Is it even perhaps a good thing?
Snow White
?Little Red Cap?
?Saint Joseph in the Forest?
?Iron Hans?