Fairy tales: a mirror of the past that lights up the present

Picture of Leah Newhouse.

Fairy tales are much more than stories for children. They are symbolic maps of the human experience — narratives that preserve, in simple and poetic language, the collective wisdom of generations. They speak of fear and courage, of loss and discovery, of transformation and hope. In doing so, they mirror the psychological, moral, and social challenges of every age. In the European project Stories4Empowerment, we explore how traditional tales can be reinterpreted and used as educational tools to foster empowerment among people in vulnerable situations — including women, prisoners, young people, families, and persons with disabilities. The project builds a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary educational practices, helping professionals use stories to unlock potential, strengthen resilience, and nurture inclusion.

Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of human communication. As Jerome Bruner (1990) suggests, narrative is not merely a way to tell stories — it is a way of knowing and constructing reality. Through stories, we give meaning to experience, organize our understanding of the world, and imagine new possibilities. This is especially powerful in educational contexts. Paulo Freire (1970) described dialogue and storytelling as instruments of conscientization — processes that enable people to reflect critically on their experiences and transform them into action. Likewise, Jack Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning (1991) highlights how reflection on lived narratives can lead to profound personal change. Fairy tales, in this sense, become a form of transformative storytelling: symbolic narratives that offer models for overcoming obstacles, building self-awareness, and developing agency.

Fairy tales often begin with a rupture — a loss, a journey, a challenge — that sets the protagonist on a path of transformation. Bruno Bettelheim, in The Uses of Enchantment (1976), wrote that fairy tales help readers (and listeners) confront unconscious fears and conflicts by projecting them into symbolic form. The tale becomes a safe space where inner struggles can be explored and resolved. Consider The Emperor’s New Clothes: it reveals the mechanisms of power, conformity, and truth — issues that remain deeply relevant in modern societies. Little Red Riding Hood speaks of danger, trust, and personal boundaries; Stone Soup celebrates cooperation and the power of community. Each story encapsulates universal human values — self-confidence, resilience, empathy, citizenship, democracy, and inclusion. These are not abstract ideals but lived experiences that educators can explore through storytelling, enabling participants to recognize their own strengths and resources.

In the Stories4Empowerment project, we are developing a methodology that combines storytelling with reflective and participatory practices. Educators are invited to use tales as tools for dialogue, group work, and personal development. By retelling and reinterpreting stories, participants are encouraged to identify the challenges faced by the characters, the strategies they use, and the transformations they undergo — and then to relate these journeys to their own lives. This process aligns with Martha Nussbaum’s (2010) idea of narrative imagination: the capacity to put oneself in another’s place, to understand different perspectives, and to cultivate empathy and ethical awareness. For people who experience marginalization or vulnerability, storytelling offers a way to reclaim agency — to become not only the subject of a story, but its author.