Confrontation of existential predicaments in our lives: An analysis of The Tales of Beedle the Bard

For many, fairy tales are meant for children and therefore representations of innocence. With that ingrained biased view, many once violent and sexual fairy tales have been simplified and modified to accommodate their young audience. Walt Disney has been known for the culprit in simplification of fairy tales. According to Jack Zipes, most of the storyline and plot development in the original versions were lost in their Disney animation adaptations. Worse still, these simplified and one-dimensional versions of fairy tales have been deviated greatly from their originals that some of the preaching purposes and intended moral values have lost. Most of Walt Disney’s adaptations have been well-received and welcomed by the public, be they children or adults, mostly because of their simplicity and entertainment. However, psychologist Bruno Bettelheim concluded that simplification of fairy tales does not necessarily help children’s development. This essay examines the work The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a spinoff literary work by J.K. Rowling who created the Harry Potter universe, and attempts to explain why fairy tales should not be sanitized with respect to their purposes and how the realistic aspects manifested in book are conducive to the development of the young readers.