Writing to an audience requires a person to understand the psychology, background, culture, and principles the audience is bound to. It is essential to understand the audience in their respective contexts as it serves as a foundation to how the author can exploit in his or her writing in making his or her message more persuasive. In retrospect, I found this assignment helpful in analyzing the author's use of rhetorical devices and references to which underscores his or her message. Thus, this marks a moment in my journey to better understand the author's intended messages in literature through the audience's, as well as the author's, historical contexts.

Christopher Chen

Professor Karlsson

Writing 39B

15 July 2017

Question 3 on ““Fitcher’s Bird””

        Children often listen to stories and take the information and situations at face value. Thus, I believe that it is most accurate to supplement evidence and explanations from a more logical and less abstract perspective, less analysis on symbolism. In the same respect, the Grimm Brothers developed their story knowing the general psyche of children and how they learn. Implementing allusions and especially vivid scenes, helping maintain a serious and frightening tone throughout their story. Aggressive diction and forceful scenes, such as “[the Sorcerer throwing the first daughter] down, … [and dragging]… her by the hair,” are prevalent throughout the story. Some argue that violence, so vividly painted, isn’t suitable for children. However, I beg to differ, scenes such as “[chopping] her head off on the block, and [hacking] her in two pieces so that her blood flowed all over the floor” will haunt kids and become a mental example of what to fear, the dangers of strangers. The Grimm Brothers focus most of their fairy tale versions as an educational medium, and that the intended violence and its effect is what makes the story appropriate for children, even if it is unappealing is many respects. Moreover, by highlighting the dangers and violence that can be brought upon children, it educates them to be more cautious in matters seen in “Fitcher’s Bird.” The Brothers also emphasize the consequence of being disobediently curious. As seen through the violent dismemberment of the first daughter, the Brother’s disturbing diction further conveys that curiosity comes with consequences, often painful punishments. Similarly, alluding to the biblical Eve eating the forbidden fruit and eventual downfall. The Brothers seemingly disapprove the idea of curiosity. However, ironically the authors also suggest that cleverness, being smart, is an attribute that all people need in order escape from danger. Ironically because, despite being punished for being disobedient, being clever displays a manner of defiance, being sly and untruthful, which avoids punishment. To this extent, this would also be teaching children to be clever about situations, but subsequently also teaching them to lie and take advantage of people for their ignorance. Overall, the Grimm Bothers illustrate that a good child will be obedient to avoid punishment, which also requires suppressing their curiosity that might endanger them of punishments. A good child would also be clever and will escape the clutches of evil, the sorcerer while remaining obedient. Though this tale was written within the period of “nationalist folklore” that Haase describes, the morals and messages transcribed within this story “are in many cases of mixed origin” which “are not purely German.“ Thus this also “[gives] us greater insight into the other, into ourselves, or into humanity” and implies that the fairy tale’s message is also a subject for to all children to read and therefore “claim.”