Goldilocks and The Three Bears

Overview

Goldilocks and The Three Bears is just one of many classic fairy tales commonly told to children. It has drawn various interpretations to its story; allowing it to become one of the most famous fairy tales told and heard.

Not only is the story iconic for its “just right” line, but it opens the door for readers to explore the complexities of human life and society by touching on universal human experiences, such as greed, and the desire for happiness, and also by touching on societal principles such acting on a code of ethics in terms of living simple, having consideration for others feelings, belonging, and rights. By exploring these themes, Goldilocks and the three bears help us better understand ourselves, others, and the effects of our actions.

Summary

The story is about a young girl named Goldilocks who stumbles upon the home of three bears (Mama, Papa, and Baby Bear.) While they are away on a walk, she tries out their porridge, chairs, and beds, seeking which one of each fits her perfectly. When the bears return home, they discover their personal space invaded, messed with, and worst of all, find Goldilocks asleep in Baby Bear's bed, causing her to wake up in fright and run away.

Analysis

In, Mara Alperin's 2014 publication the author uses fairytale elements in the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears as a sliding glass door between the perception of characters to the perception of ourselves by having us think critically of our actions, and morals in terms of good v. evil and right and wrong. The Author proposes that the story is an effective way to teach people, especially young children, to respect other people's belongings/ privacy as well as think about their actions and their consequences before delivering them. Through the character Goldilocks, who is a “VERY cheeky” girl, decides thoughtlessly to enter the home of the three bears after she peaks through their window and discovers no one is there. Goldilocks takes it upon herself to make herself at home which leads to a ripple of finding satisfaction in the bear's home by using and going through their items until she finds the ones that are “just right.”

In the picture book, we see the effects of Goldilock's actions on the family of bears when they come home from their peaceful walk. Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a useful piece of literature that acts as a mirror of self-reflection for readers' actions, code of ethics, and illustrates viewpoints on seeking what perfectly suits you without doing it at the expense of others. What is interesting about this story is that the message this fairytale is attempting to get across is not explicitly stated nor immediately understood. This story is meant for readers (and/or listeners) to critically think throughout the story. Thus acting as a powerful source of entertainment but also, education.

Themes and Adaptations

Theme:

Good v. evil

These themes are highlighted in this fairytale by depicting Goldilocks's actions as wrong (representing "evil" or "wrong") because she intrudes on the bears' personal property and disrupts their personal items and home. The 3 bears are presented as the "good" characters who simply want to maintain their belongings and live peacefully in their own space.

Theme: Consideration & Mindfulness

In Goldilocks and the Three Bears is consideration of others and mindfulness. This is highlighted by how Goldilocks's lack of thoughtfulness for the bears' belongings, results in negative consequences. Although not for Goldilocks, we see the negative effect it had on the bears who are left with destroyed items and feelings of confusion and hurt. The story does an effective job of highlighting the importance of being mindful of other feelings and taking into consideration how our actions may affect others.

Adaptation: Raold Dahl

Human beings have a natural instinct to prioritize self-preservation and well-being; ensuring their own needs are met before attending to others. According to Jill Suttie, human beings must also be mindful to “foster positive social interactions, build empathy, strengthen relationships, promote compassion, and ultimately contribute to a more harmonious society by allowing us to understand and consider the feelings and perspectives of those around us, leading to better communication and conflict resolution.” We see an example of this through the bears who from a different perspective could have unleashed furry on Goldilocks for invading their home such as in the dark, comedic adaptation by Raold Dahl where instead of Goldilocks running away, papa bear thinks it would be more suitable for her to be eaten up saying, "Your porridge is upon the bed. But as it’s inside mademoiselle, you’ll have to eat her up as well.” With this alternative ending, the moral of the story is altered, and now a different lesson emerges.

Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas is a retelling set in Chinatown, that celebrates Chinese New Year. In this retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the story follows the same format of the story with the Chans (the pandas) not being home, and that not stopping Goldy from trying out their rice porridge, their chairs, and their beds—with disastrous results. However, what makes this story different is Goldy takes responsibility for her actions and even makes a new friend just in time for Chinese New Year. Keeping the same storyline, but again altering the lesson.

Activity

Rewrite the Ending of Goldilocks

Age Group: 6–8 + years (Primary School)

Objective: Students will rewrite the ending of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," imagining what could have happened differently when Goldilocks encounters the bears. They will create an alternative version of the story's conclusion, encouraging creativity and an understanding of plot development.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will develop creative writing skills by imagining an alternative ending to the story.

Students will strengthen their understanding of narrative structure (beginning, middle, end) and how characters’ actions drive the plot.

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