Jack And The Beanstalk Analysis

In the classic play, “Into The Woods,” the fairy tales Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and The Beanstalk, and Rapunzel collide in a twisted story. The fairy tales intertwine in the woods, while they are struggling to make their wishes come true. In the play and in the book by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, the fairytale, “Jack and the beanstalk,” helps pave the path for Into The Woods. For instance, by having the reader's question the moral behaviors of the fairytale. Furthermore, Jack and the Beanstalk helps readers comprehend Into the Woods by regarding greed as an essential element to understanding the play and the book.
By analyzing Jack's experiences and actions in the story, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” the readers are able to identify the other characters motives and intentions in a higher level. For example, Jack's actions in the beginning are justifiable, a poor family in poverty. Although, as Into the woods progressed he became greedy and suffered the consequences. His lesson was learnt after death

and destruction in Into the Woods. The moral lesson of Jack and the Beanstalk is not to let greed overcome you as well as do not take opportunities for advantage. In addition, Jack and the Beanstalk is a significant part of, “Into The Woods.” To clarify, Jack brings all the characters together in Act 2 but to fight the cannibalistic giant. In which was his wrong doing. Also, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” showed how greed could overcome you, an important issue in, “Into the Woods.” Therefore, Jacks moral behaviors in,“Jack and the Beanstalk,” provide a greater understanding of the entire play and provides a greater understanding in all of the fairy tales, not only that but many tragedies would not have happened if it was not for him. For instance, in Act II, it all falls to pieces. To clarify, a second giant goes on a killing spree due to Jack's carelessness. The princes cheat. The couple resorts to blaming and bickering. The characters question their original wishes and what they stole and whom they sold out to fulfill them. Nobody quite lives happily ever after.
The classic Fairy Tale, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” is told in a variety of ways, the most common is Jack battling the giant. The classical Jack tale cycles are of Britain origin finding its way here, becoming the English version,“Jack and the Beanstalk.” Furthermore, one of the oldest Jack tales is, “Jack and His Bargains,” the fairy tale includes a father and his son Jack, who have dominance arguments. (Bettelheim.) Unlike the fairy tale we are used to, “Jack and His Bargains” is a lot different, they have seven cows and three bargains as well as no magic
beans.(Bettelheim.) Jack and His Bargains represent social and sexual development, by marriage, of Jack and a princess.

Similar to Jack and the Beanstalk, but Jack represents, greed, maturity, and the ends justify the means. Jack unable to stand up to his father in the beginning of the tale, later on becomes the dominant one. The bargains involve a magic stick that fights off people, a musical instrument that talks, and a bee that sings. (Bettelheim.) He is handed all three objects and only by them is he able to gain independence and dominance. Unlike, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” where Jack makes the continuous effort to keep himself alive without magic objects. As well as Jack became more mature and in Act two he no longer needed his mother but only a friend. Therefore, both fairy tales have the same meaning, in the beginning he is an adolescent boy, but at the end Jack had reached maturity through obstacles he had overcome and lessons he had

learned.
As Jack reached the top of the Beanstalk, he experienced a whole new world, he saw his world differently and himself. He saw a world with riches and wished he could live a life in between his own and the giants. Although, in the play when encountering a new environment malevolence may occur. For instance, Rapunzel’s experience as she left the tower was miserable because she encountered her death. As well as Cinderella faced difficulties, as she told her prince in the book, “My father's house was a nightmare. Your house was a dream. Now I want something in-between.”(Sondheim and Lapine.) Furthermore, identical to Cinderella going to the ball, Red Riding Hood as she strayed from the path, Rapunzel once she left the tower, as well as the baker and his wife in their new environment. Jack in the fairy tale, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” helps us get a better understanding of the play and book, “Into the Woods.”

In the 1987 play, “Into the Woods,” incorporating fairy tales such as Cinderella and Rapunzel, the play shows fairy tale characters come together and try to make their wishes come true. Throughout the play, “Into The Woods,” the characters moral behaviors are questionable, greed, temptation, and stealing. However, the ends justify the means in, “Into The Woods.” In fact all of them have committed unethical or unwise acts, which have contributed to their current crisis.(Sulton)To demonstrate, The Baker and his Wife must bring the witch a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold in order to have a child. Moreover, although throughout the play the Baker and his wife achieve this, but in questionable ways, by stealing and lying. It can be noted the Baker and his wife are portrayed as willing to do anything to get what they need. The wife tries to steal Cinderella's slipper and cuts Rapunzel's hair while the husband tries to steal Little Red Riding Hood's cape and lies to Jack. Continuing this further, Little Red Riding Hood was greedy and stole pastries from the baker and his wife for her grandmother. Also, Jack stole gold, hen that lays golden eggs as well as a harp. Furthermore, Jack needed the gold for their economic standing, however, a hen that lays more than enough golden eggs. One of the problems with an excessive appetite for riches is it often leads to tragic consequences. Jack became more greedy with each climb, he took up the beanstalk and was not satisfied with what he had. Little Red Riding Hood and Jack were not contempt with what they had. As a consequence to Jack's mistake, the giant's wife came, destroyed everything and killed his mother. The grief brought by greed in stealing can be seen in, “Into the Woods.”

In, Into the Woods, the fairy tale Rapunzel refers to a girl hidden in a tower. Continuing this further, the grief brought by greed can be seen in, “Into the Woods,” by the witch and Rapunzel. For instance, a witch was greedy and wanted Rapunzel to live with her forever,so she scared her of the outside world. Due to her actions, the witch ended up being the death of Rapunzel. Furthermore, by putting herself in front of others, no matter what the consequences or actions will be she hurt and killed. She put forth her own beauty, while others suffered and were in danger. It can be seen the ends justified the means, by sacrificing others for her own gain. Greed is an important element in Rapunzel, if the witch would not been greedy Rapunzel did not have to die. Not just that, but in order to get the witch's beauty she sent the couple in a dangerous scavenger hunt. Although since greed has consequences, the witch lost her powers as she gained her beauty because she was not contempt.