The more research you do, the more at ease you are in the world you're writing about. It doesn't encumber you, it makes you free.
A. S. ByattRead
I am not sure how much good is done by moralising about fairy tales. This can be unsubtle - telling children that virtue will be rewarded, when in fact it is mostly simply the fact of being the central character that ensures a favourable outcome. Fairy tales are not, on the whole, parables.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote questions the effectiveness of imparting moral lessons through fairy tales, suggesting that outcomes are often based on narrative roles rather than virtues.
A. S. Byatt critiques the common practice of moralizing fairy tales, which often imply that being virtuous will lead to a rewarding outcome. Instead, she argues that these stories typically favor the main character regardless of their moral standing, highlighting that narrative structure plays a significant role in determining outcomes rather than ethical behavior.
Themes
Fairy TalesMoralityNarrativeVirtueCharacters
In practice
Example use cases
During a lesson on storytelling, one might reference this quote to emphasize the difference between fiction and moral lessons.
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I am a creature of my pen. My pen is the best of me.
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