The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
Bruno Bettelheim
Top 10 Best Quotes
“The child intuitively comprehends that although these stories are unreal, they are not untrue ...”
“The unrealistic nature of these tales (which narrowminded rationalists object to) is an important device, because it makes obvious that the fairy tales’ concern is not useful information about the external world, but the inner process taking place in an individual.”
“Since there are thousands of fairy tales, one may safely guess that there are probably equal numbers where the courage and determination of females rescue males, and vice versa.”
“If we hope to live not just from moment to moment, but in true consciousness of our existence, then our greatest need and most difficult achievement is to find meaning in our lives.”
“Even Aristotle, master of pure reason, said: 'The friend of wisdom is also a friend of myth.”
“what redeems us as human beings and restores us to our humanity is solicitude for those whom we love.”
“Therefore, even more than at the times fairy tales were invented, it is important to provide the modern child with images of heroes who have to go out into the world all by themselves and who, although originally ignorant of the ultimate things, find secure places in the world by following their right way with deep inner confidence.”
“The myth of Oedipus . . . arouses powerful intellectual and emotional reactions in the adult-so much so, that it may provide a cathartic experience, as Aristotle taught all tragedy does. [A reader] may wonder why he is so deeply moved; and in responding to what he observes as his emotional reaction, ruminating about the mythical events and what these mean to him, a person may come to clarify his thoughts and feelings. With this, certain inner tensions which are the consequence of events long past may be relieved; previously unconscious material can then enter one's awareness and become accessible for conscious working through. This can happen if the observer is deeply moved emotionally by the myth, and at the sametime strongly motivated intellectually to understand it.”
“Maybe if more of our adolescents had been brought up on fairy tales, they would (unconsciously) remain aware of the fact that their conflict is not with the adult world, or society, but really only with their parents. Further, threatening as the parent may seem at some time, it is always the child who wins out in the long”
“He disappears, and her endless wanderings in search of him take her to the moon, the sun, and the wind.”
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Book Keywords:
reading, reality, catharsis, comprehension, meaning-of-life, meaning, learning, nonfiction, on-fiction, stories, self-awareness, education, fiction, tragedy, fairy-tales, myths, children, psychology, importance-of-reading, truth
