Analysis Of Jack Zipes Competitive Brothers And The Four Skillful Brothers

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Fairytales share similar themes in the manner in which they approach storytelling for the individual. In “The Great Fairy Tale Tradition”, Jack Zipes has selected and edited stories and categorized them by their respective themes, illustrating the different thematic elements found in each story. Every chapter includes a short introduction to the literary history of the selected stories and their themes. In the “Three Brother’s Who Become Wealthy Wandering the World”, “The Three Brothers”, and “The Four Skillful Brothers” each story explores the adventures and pursuits of brothers who venture into the outside world and are later faced with a test of skills in which they must prove their worth and courage. Although the three tales are incorporated into the thematic chapter of “Competitive Brothers” and share similar characteristics, there are contrasts between their respective stories. The dominant characteristics found within ‘Competitive Brothers’ focuses on the familial dynamics, son’s duty to his father, and test of will and character. All three stories shared the same family unit, which was made up of one parental figure that serves to …show more content…

In the “Three Brother’s Who Become Wealthy Wandering the World” and “The Three Brothers” the focus remained on finding the individual’s worth. While in “The Four Skillful Brothers” the focus remained on the brothers who display their equal worth by being strong, courageous, and knowledgeable. Enforcing the idea that when a group of strong individuals come together, there is a unity and brotherhood that serves to make them an invincible force. Reading fairytales is one of the best ways readers can learn about values, morals, and concepts of loyalty and worth. These stories have stood the test against time because of their enduring popularity with readers and will remain a significant part in the realm of literary

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