Choosing a reading topic:Select a fairy tale

• Browse through the library collection, and online collections to explore versions of fairy tales. Make sure to consider all the characteristics of fairy tales that we have discussed.
• Find a fairy tale that you like and want to learn more about.
• Find a version of your fairy tale that was written down before the 1900’s. (Grimm brothers, Perrault, Andersen) You are welcome to look at more modern versions too, but be certain to have an older variant as well (like the Grimm’s versions we have examined) to do your analysis and interpretation.
• Find information about the history of and the author/translator of your fairy tale.Think about what the time period and place were like when the fairy tale was written down.
• Look at the resources on line and in the stacks to find information about your fairy tale. (i.e., http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/)
• Take careful notes on this material.
• Use your notes to write a couple of paragraphs explaining what you have found out about the author, history, and culture surrounding the fairy tale.
• Document your work carefully using MLA style.

Part 2 Reading Evaluation: Interpretation/analysis

• Read your fairy tale again.
• Annotate your reading and synthesize your annotations
• Write down all of the characteristics that make this story a fairy tale.
• Consider all the motifs and elements we discussed in class.
• If your fairy tale has a more modern version or a version from another country, compare the two versions.
• Write a page or two discussing what you found making sure to include references and citations from the text.

Prepare your analysis and submit it with your paragraphs