"The Fairy Tale: The Magic Mirror of Imagination" by Steven Swann Jones (published 1995)

Steven Swann Jones' "The Fairy Tale: The Magic Mirror of Imagination" is a great beginner's introduction to the fairy tale genre. While much of his criticism stresses what seems to me "dated" (actually the book is a bit dated for this field) concerns regarding the fairy tale - the regulation of female protagonists to domestic duties under the patriarchy, for example - I really learned a lot about the fairy tale genre as being a form of story exemplary of the "common" person, the "regular" man or woman, the "ordinary". I'd say I, for the most part, agree. Swann Jones makes clear that fairy tales usually feature a main character who isn't *special* in any particular way and under enormous social pressure as well. My response to both these criticisms is this: how can we find a way to understand the fairy tale story as a way of expressing the *extraordinary* tasks of women (whether in the domestic sphere or otherwise)? That these are tasks which shouldn't be looked down upon but instead, revered? It is ideology of the domestic sphere being somehow less important than other duties that needs to be deconstructed. And, how can we find a way to understand that the very basic components of being human is special in itself? Swann Jones seems caught in traditional ideas of value, and I think the point of the fairy tale (if there is one) is that it always seeks to question those traditional ideas by upholding an idea of an eternal past/present - which comes together in a very nice paradox. That being said, I apprieciate Swann Jones' dedicating a chapter to male protagonists in fairy tales as well as women, particularly because I have come across the common misconception that fairy tales are almost exclusively for girls and women, which is definitely not the case. Two more things: Swann Jones' conception of the fairy tale as a story type that aims to *validate magic* is absolutely brilliant. As are his thoughts on the global nature of these stories as opposed to national. A solid four stars.