Brainstorming Topics: Styles Week 2

Stories in Black Magic: Styles Brainstorm

Topic:

My storybook will be about witches/ evil villain in the Grimm fairy tales. My goal is to identify witches in the Grimm fairy tales and how they use their evil magic on their victim. One story that I enjoy and is something I would want to include is Hansel and Grethel. Another story I would like to share is Rumpelstiltskin. I think people can relate to these two stories because they have been passed down for generations. I think it would be interesting to retell them with a twist using a different style.

Bibliography:

Hansel and Grethel translated by Margaret Hunt (1884) from Household Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm.source

Rumpelstiltskin translated by D.L. Ashliman from The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales.

source

Illustrated by Walter Crane

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Possible Styles:

Villains as Storytellers: Many times stories are told from the victim’s point of view. I think it would be unique to use the villain or witch to tell the story. The audience would get the “other half” of the story in a sense. I think this is a good choice for this topic.

Stories based on social ranking: Most of the time a witch or evil villain attacks someone of a higher ranking, such as the Queen in Rumpelstiltskin. I think it would be creative to use this style to create a witch seeking power. Most of the time a witch or villain is an outcast of the city that uses black magic to make the rich suffer.

Bibliography: a story about how the witch or villain came to result in such an evil character. I think that using the witch to tell about personal conflicts or trials that he or she faced would be entertaining. Showing the life of the enemy may make for a softer and sympathetic tone for the story, which is different when dealing with a villain. I do not see this style used often and I think it would be effective.

Holidays: Most stories have a time frame of importance. For example, on the princess’s eighteenth birthday she would be locked up in a castle. I think using a time frame or holiday could base the story around the whole purpose. Birthdays and Christmas are usually big settings for an awful scene to happen. Another importance factor, which I would put in this category, is the victim’s age. Most of the time the young are the targets or witch’s black magic.