Topic: Writing a Happy Ending: Fairy Tales, Composition and Culture

The evil step-mother, the fairy princess, the wicked witch and the handsome prince are
stereotypical characters so ingrained in our culture that they are instantly recognizable.  Similarly,
a "Cinderella story"-- whether within or outside of a magical frame--is one which has a structure
so familiar to us that anyone roughly between the ages of 4 and 94 could reproduce it easily.
Despite these constant reminders, people often lose sight of how these characters and stories
influence how we as both individuals and as a society construct and understand ourselves.  In this
course, we will explore how fairy tales reflect, produce and even challenge cultural "norms."