BIOGRAPHY Bruno Bettelheim was child psychologist Born on August 28, 1903 – Passed away on March 13, 1990 1938 – Sent to a Nazi concentration camp 1939 – Escapes to the United States 1943 – Publishes a study based on his experiences in the camps Individual and Mass Behaviour in Extreme Situations His work was prevalent in the 1940’s in America Analysed fairy tales with Freudian Psychologist
MAIN WORKS
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales Bruno Bettelheim explores how fairy tales help children explore their own emotions in a safe context Bettelheim analysed fairy tales in terms of Freudian psychology He discussed the emotional and symbolic importance of fairy tales for children, including traditional tales once considered too dark Suggested that traditional fairy tales, with the darkness of abandonment, death, witches, and injuries, allowed children to grapple with their fears in remote, symbolic terms
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales By reading and interpreting these fairy tales in their own way children would get a greater sense of meaning and purpose Bettelheim thought that by engaging with these socially evolved stories, children would go through emotional growth that would better prepare them for their own futures
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales Criticisms: Bettelheim denies children the freedom he supposedly advocates by narrowing the meaning of fairy tales to sexual readings and undertones Bettelheim never addresses this directly in his book, and so his position on this remains unclear He also restricts his discussion to gender norms, and there is very little consideration of non-European settings and cultures
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales