This class has been enlightening, to say the least. Fairy tales were a huge part of my childhood; I would pour through my grandmother's volumes of children's stories, one of which was dedicated completely to fairy tales, and be in total awe of the stories and the illustrations. I can still smell those old books. I remember reading stories like "Hansel and Gretel" and thinking I was so glad to have nice parents and grandparents who take such good care of me. Because of my vast exposure to these tales as a child, I feel I know well the effect they have on a young mind.
What this class has taught me is the ADULT in fairy tales. My favorite part was by far the Angela Carter versions of things, as she exaggerates those adult elements and gives them some real shock value. Apart from the content, her writing style has inspired me to be a more descriptive writer and work on my voice. I adore her spin on things and her fearless effort to sexualize that which we think of as innocent.
The thing I read that had the biggest effect on me was Neil Gaiman's "Snow, Glass, Apples," the story of Snow White told through the stepmother's point of view. I have always been fascinated with stories that are turned around like that--I love reading and teaching them because apart from the obvious literary benefits, they serve to remind us that we should always go straight to the source and consider all points of view.
It's been fun, y'all!