As far as Jung was concerned, the ‘collective unconscious’ that lies at the core of his work, and which he believed is shared by all human beings, is revealed through archetypes, forms and symbols found in ample quantity in fairy tales. Jungian therapists study fairy tales to help analyze the dreams of their patients. Jung’s disciples have gone on to interpret fairy tales as lives in miniature, suggesting, for example, that each character within a tale may represent an aspect of human personality.
More recently, perhaps the best-known—and certainly the most widely- quoted—psychologist to incorporate fairy tales into their practice is Bruno Bettelheim, who published Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales in 1976. Bettelheim argued that fairy tales are an important tool for children learning to navigate reality and survive in a world ruled by adults. The family conflicts and moral education of the protagonists (conveniently often children themselves) could provide models of coping. Others have disputed aspects of this interpretation. The German cultural critic and philosopher Walter Benjamin notes that the morality of fairy tales is rather complicated, with the heroes and heroines often known to lie, cheat, steal and torture villains. But there remains something empowering and psychologically insightful in these stories that, as fairy tale scholar Maria Tatar writes, demonstrate the ‘triumph of small and weak over tall and powerful’.
To sum up: one of the most useful functions of the fairy tale is to use fantasy to help address the problems of growing up. During the course of the fairy tale, the hero or heroine is taken on a journey to greater self-awareness and psychological wholeness. In a child’s life there may be many conflicts and the fairy tale helps the child express the hostility these situations may cause. Many psychologists recommend fairy tales as beneficial to children, believing they help children assimilate problems such as violence, sexuality, growing up and learning to deal with family conflict. In many ways, fantasy dreams share the same functions as fairy tales; not only do they provide a healthy outlet for socially unacceptable behavior, they can also empower the dreamer and teach hidden lessons. [1]