Grimm's Fairytales Day 2, Theme 1: THREAT OF THE UNKNOWN & DARK v. LIGHT

We have already discussed some of the recurring themes central to the storylines Grimm’s Fairytales, based on the reading due for today, I have accrued a list of what I found to be the most prevalent themes:

1. Central character faces insurmountable odds

2. Good prevails over evil

3. Beauty & rank are critical to the characters in the fairytales, most commonly; the protagonist is ugly/”defective” and has low rank.

4. Good-hearted, hardworking and selfless characters always prevail over the greedy, evil characters, which usually involves the protagonist transcending his “hierarchal rank” through his good deeds and hard work.

5. The forest is the primary setting for most of the tales, and is where the protagonists face their “challenges,” i.e.; thieves, evil witch, evil old man, wild animals, hunger, poverty, deprivation, rejection, etc.

6. Money as a driving force for the “evil-character,” vs. money as a tool used by “goodhearted” protagonists to overcome evildoers.

7. The “Dangers of the Unknown” – heavy political implications.

8. Inevitable inclusion of hierarchy based on; wealth, rank, trade, sex, appearance, skills, etc.

9. Happy endings always come for the hardworking, honest, pure-hearted protagonist – with luck or magic.

10. Darkness vs. light

1. Prior to Tuesday’s class discussion, I had no knowledge of the origin of Grimm’s Fairytales The fact that these tales were written in the early 19^h century when Germany was not a unified nation, but merely a melting pot of approximately 40 states, many of which had been newly created by Napoleon, thus the primary unifying factor of this fragmented nation was the German language. I was also surprised that the Grimm Brothers were not the original authors of the tales; instead, the Fairytales were a compilation of oral folk-tales they had gathered from lower-ranking people of Germany. This knowledge impacted the way I read Grimm’s Fairytales, particularly as I read “Thumbling” and “The Travels of Thumbling.”

At first glance, the stories of tiny, but courageous Thumbling seem to focus on his boldness, cleverness, wit, and unbelievable survival skills despite all odds – but really, the political implications run deep and thick: Thematically, the dangers of the unknown (as a threat to German citizens)– lowly citizens must remain loyal to the all powerful Motherland (or else bad things will happen).

1. In “Thumbling,” the protagonist doesn’t waste any time feeling sorry for himself about his size, instead, Thumbling makes it very clear from the beginning that he is not, and never will be limited because of his size; Thumbling works hard to go above and beyond his capacity to prove to himself and those around him that his opportunities in life are unlimited, and appears to be foolish in doing so. Tumbling’s “courageous”(foolish) ventures & “amazing feats”(luck, deception):

*In the Daylight: 1. He is born prematurely because of his mother’s illness and survives, he is a “miracle & exceptional” at birth because of his durability.

*Light: 2. Drives his father’s cart by speaking into the horse’s ear for directions.

*Darkness/forest: 3. “Sacrifices himself” as he is sold to the strangers in the woods so that his father can earn money, promising he will escape and return. (Foolish risk).

*Darkness/forest: 4. Sits of the rim of stranger’s hat to survey the country; but this is not his natural place in society, and he cannot survey the country without the height of the stranger.

*Darkness: 5. Climbs into mouse hole at night to escape strangers – mocks & taunts them from inside the dark hole – seeks protection of empty snail shell. (Always requiring protection while on his own, in the dangerous wild.

*Darkness: 6. Volunteers to “help” thieves steal the parson’s gold and silver – but screams as loudly as possible once in the parson’s chamber to wake the house and scare the thieves away. (In the darkness of night, maid strikes a LIGHT to see what is happening).

*Darkness/swallowed up: 7. Sleeps on hay in barn – maid feeds the hay & Thumbling to the cow’s throat where “There are no windows in this room,” he said to himself, “and no sunshine, and I brought no light with me,”(Thumbling, page 134). Thumbling calls out in terror in this darkness.

*Darkness/swallowed up: 8. Escapes body of cow when it is killed, but is swallowed by a wolf who eats the part of the cow where Thumbling was trapped. Thumbling cannot escape wolf’s body, yells and shouts.

*Darkness/Light: 9. Tumbling’s parents hear him yelling, come and save him by killing the wolf. He is happy to be home and safe with food, clothes and comfort.

Thumbling cannot save himself from being swallowed up by the cow and wolf, he screams in terror because of the “darkness” he is in. There is a clear progression and contrast between light and dark in Thumbling. At home, with his mother and father, Thumbling is happy and safe in the daylight. But from the minute he encounters the first strangers in the forest, Thumbling remains trapped in darkness until his parents save him at the end.

Since Germany was in great disarray at the time these stories were published, it seems likely that these political implications were an attempt to deter German citizens from “venturing out into the dangerous unknown,” and preserving what little unity was left in the early 19^th century. This was critical to the future of Germany, for if all her people began fleeting the fragmented country, German culture and heritage would undoubtedly have dissipated into history. Grimm’s Thumbling & The Travels of Thumbling serve as a warning for the German people to not desert their homeland during this tumultuous time in history; the rest of the world is “dark, evil, and dangerous,” and hungry to swallow up innocent German people – bad things WILL happen if you leave the safety of your homeland, Germany.

“How dangerous it is to walk in this field in the dark: one might soon break one’s head or legs;” and so saying he looked around, and by great good luck saw an empty snail-shell. “God be praised,” he exclaimed, “here I can sleep securely,”(Thumbling page 132).

***“Other things, however, was he to experience, for there is much tribulation and trouble going on in this world,”(Thumbling, page 134).

In The Travels of Thumbling, these ideas of darkness, light and loyalty to Germany continue and are further emphasized by Thumbling as he endures further, and much more terrible traps in the “unknown darkness while traveling the world.”

Thumbling in this tale is much more cocky and impulsive than before; he deceives and mocks many people, all of whom could easily kill him. On the second page, Thumbling laughs at the Mistress and criticizes her cooking, however, the mistress (despite being a WOMAN and inferior to Thumbling despite his size) catches him, and throws him out of the house.

I feel the size of Thumbling and the power that the lowliest wild beasts, peasant thieves and women have over him is a reflection of the how tiny and helpless Germans would be if they left their safe, light, and homeland.

Also in his travels, Thumbling is no longer of pure-intent; he willingly helps a band of thieves steal the King’s treasure, and even keeps a piece for himself. The watchman who spots Thumbling says: “What ugly spider is that crawling there? I will crush it,”(The Travels of Thumbling, page 157). This line sounds like it is straight out of Nazi Germany, and the reputation of German’s fierce culture that literally, crushes, demolishes, and exterminates all adversity. It is a chilling line!

After Thumbling steals the money, he does not run away, instead he mocks the King and watchmen, hiding under a dollar, laughing, and scurrying around at their feet. When Thumbling is done, the thieves want him to be their leader, but he declines.

Thumbling only takes one piece of the treasure because he cannot carry it – even though he did all the work, his size and rank prevent him from attaining wealth, ESPECIALLY when it involves stealing from the King.

“Thumbling was skipping about from daisy to daisy…”(The Travels of Thumbling, page 158). Feminine description; Thumbling is weak and foolish in his adventures & exploration of the world outside Germany.

Darkness, again, swallowed up by a cow. When Thumbling yelps for attention, the master asks, “Where are you?” “In the dark,” is Tumbling’s response. This darkness is because of his ignorance and foolish behavior. He is also made into a piece of sausage, wrapped in the intestine of a cow. He is forced to promise the fox all of his father’s hens in order to not be eaten alive; thus, he betrays his father for his own adventures and foolishness, he is not a loyal, dutiful son.

“Why, you simpleton, don’t you think your father would rather have his dear child than all the fowls in his farmyard!”(The Travels of Thumbling, page 160). Certainly, the future Nazi Germany would rather have their “dear Aryan children,” than a mix of fowl in their homeland.