by Amishi Daga, Grade 8
Most of us grew up listening to fairy tales such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty, recorded by the Grimm Brothers during the early 19th century. The world has evolved since then and the environment in which those narratives are set in no longer exists. Due to decades of rapid industrialisation and major urbanisation, several of us encounter the repercussions of climate change in our homes. Therefore implying so must those iconic characters we once grew up with.
This concept is explored by Bijal Vachharajani and Rajiv Eipe’s book When Fairyland Lost Its Magic, which was the basis of their NLF Masterclass “Fairy Tales, with a Climate Twist.” With an audience ranging from grades 4-8, the engaging session began. The colloquial language made all those who attended feel accommodated and comfortable, with the authors asking students if they were satisfied with the recently served lunch. Bijal eventually began her session with a fun read-aloud, involving a little bit of acting.
Imagine Rapunzel unable to take care of long, silky hair due to the water crisis we face. How would Rapunzel feel with only washing her hair once every two weeks, unable to maintain it? How could Snow White remain Snow White, if snow no longer existed? We discussed these ideas in the masterclass, which drove home the dangers of the climate crisis. The audience empathized with their favourite characters, and specifically what Rapunzel would have to do if she were acquainted with dandruff.
The use of an allegorical character stood out to me. In the story, Prince Charming is in denial about climate change, and instead emphasises the positives of urbanisation and efficiency in modern society. He sounded like the many politicians and corporate executives across the globe, who prioritise profits over sustainability. However, the conventional fairy tale characters regard him as foolish, and say that they do not require a prince to save them which is another detail that is rooted in modern society. It is 2024; we’ve moved past needing a guy in tights to fix everything.
The authors then moved on to an activity, in which the students were requested to guess a character based on their features. By adjusting minor features of a character an entirely new character was built. For instance, Snow White evolved to become Snot White (she’s fighting a very different kind of evil now—seasonal allergies, perhaps) and Rapunzel changed to Napunzel. The fairy grandmother became the hairy grandmother (no, it’s not a werewolf story) and Little Red Riding Hood gained a leg comparable to that of a horse, making her Little Red Riding Hoof. The same approach was put into action when students created comics around their reframed characters. I found it interesting that a small difference in a character’s appearance could affect their personality as well as how readers connect with them. Such small alterations not only change the character’s visual identity but also influence the narrative’s direction, which could add a new layer of humour or indicate that the character may address different challenges.
With this concept outlined for them, students were able to perform the last task with ease, which was to illustrate a comic while focusing on the dynamics of a singular character. Creating an image of the character would assist in identifying their personality traits or features.
As a whole, I found the masterclass to be an intriguing one because it reimagined classic fairy tales to address contemporary issues such as climate change, making the stories relevant and thought-provoking. The use of interactive storytelling made the session captivating, while the connection between iconic characters and real-world environmental concerns helped the audience empathise with their struggles. The humorous transformations of characters illustrated how small changes in appearance can lead to shifts in personality. Additionally, the session also challenged traditional gender roles and aligned with modern values of empowerment. Above all, activities that encouraged students to create their versions of the characters fostered active participation and sparked our creativity. I would highly recommend Bijal Vachharajani and Rajiv Eipe’s When Fairyland Lost Its Magic to anyone who wants a fresh take on fairy tales, for how it combines creativity and social awareness to reinvent the stories we all love.
