Into the Forest discussion

So this isn't so much of a tale of a month. What extactly is a fairy tale to you? Folktales,legends, and myths are easy to define. But what makes a modern fairy tale? How do you think of a modern fairy tale? Or is the term an oxymoron?

Hmm; Good question. I'm not sure I know how to answer but there are some conventions we recognize when we see them that help us define a story as a fairy tale. Like when a story starts with "Once upon a time" for instance.

When I was reading Snow White, Blood Red last night in the introduction I remember they were describing what counts as a fairy tale and what does not. It's pretty much how I felt: Fairy tales are something that have mythical creatures: Fairies, dwarves, elves, dragons, wizards, etc. and have fantastic things that happen (IE: Snow White, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, etc) Myths are about gods and angels and such. Not quite sure how I'd define "modern fairy tale" To me as a writer, I sometimes re write fairy tales and some of mine have been "updated" (such as in one of my tales, the princess chooses to go out into the world on her own instead of settling down with the prince) But not quite so sure if that's modern as opposed to just a different way that the tale could be told. Now something I question myself is do I believe Harry Potter, Lord of The Rings, Twilight, and such are fairy tales? I go back and forth with this which is why I generally just refer to these as "fantasy" stories.

For me a "modern fairy tale" is a fairy tale that has modern elements or is in a modern setting. (Of course, that just begs the question of "What is a fairy tale in the first place?" !)

Most of Charles de Lint I think of as modern fairy tales. They have the fairy tale elements of magic, transformation, an indefinite setting - but in this case it's in a big city, so definitely modern.

Harry Potter could be considered a modern fairy tale, I suppose. It's got all the fairy tale elements plus modern pieces like buses, television, video games, etc. I have trouble fitting it into that category in my head, though, maybe because it's so long. For some reason I don't think of fairy tales as being 7 volumes long!

I don't think I'd count Twilight since vampires are more horror than fairy tale, and there's no magic. There is transformation (werewolves, plus the human-to-vampire), but that's about it.

Other things I think of as modern fairy tales: Edward Eager's Half Magic, Magic by the Lake, etc. The Chronicles of Narnia. Maybe Freaky Friday?