This semester I am taking Intro to Anthropology as a General Education requirement. One of the concepts we have to learn was the concept of ‘self.’ A person’s sense of identity is created through their culture and is very important in a person’s development. A study was done on Chimps, who had never seen themselves before. When put in front of a mirror they were able to analyze their own bodies for the first time. Then, after a blue spot was put on their forehead, they were put in front of the mirror again and they investigated this blue spot because it was new to the sense of identity and self they had created. While a person’s sense of self is shaped by their culture and environment, it can also be re-formed. This is the case in brain-washing situations. Due to the importance of self-identity, a person can easily be manipulated into a new one.
In Flossie and the Fox, the young girl, Flossie, is told that wolves are dangerous and to stay away from them. But when she sees one along the path, he tells her he is a fox, and she immediately tells him he is not. The fox feels the need to prove to the young girl that he is indeed a fox. He gives her multiple reasons, but she turns down everyone. His strong need to justify that he is a fox is much due to the fact that that is his sense of identity. Although he is not physically different, the young girl’s words against the qualities he believe make him a fox affects his self-esteem. She was easily able to manipulate and brain-wash him. He is then forced to question what he has believed to be his self-identity, which corrupts his self-awareness. After many hours of studying for my Anthropology exam, it was very interesting for me to recognize the important concept of ‘self’ in a children’s fairytale. The specific attributes of a fox that are seen in all the Little Red Riding Hood stories were once again used in this one, but in a different way. This time they were compared to other animals, therefore taking them away from the fox, and stripping him of his identity. Self-image in Flossie and the Fox, whether on purpose or not, makes the story more interesting, with the use of a global concept.
I love that you connected this to your Anthropology class! It's fascinating!! And yes, fairy tales are largely about conceptions of self: notice that many of them do not involve the presence of parents! Often it is the story of a child coming into their own identity and figuring out how to move through the world on their own. I'll be interested to see how some of your Anthro class connects with this!
ReplyDelete