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Folklore Essay: What's Your Argument? 151: Folklore, Argumentative Essay Overview: In her study of fairy tales, Heidi Anne Heiner wrote, “The fairy tale has a place in the training of children which common sense and a sympathetic attitude toward childhood will not deny. Some rigid philosophers, who see no more of life than is to be found in logical science, condemn the imaginative tale. They regard the teaching of myths and stories as the telling of pleasant lies, which, if harmless, are wasteful. What the child acquires through them, he must sooner or later forget or unlearn. Such arguments carry conviction until one perceives that their authors are measuring the worth of all teaching in terms of strictly intellectual products. Life is more than precise information; it is impulse and action. The fairy tale is a literary rather than a scientific achievement. Its realities are matters of feeling, in which thought is a mere skeleton to support the adventure. It matters little that the facts alleged in the story never were and never can be. The values and ideals which enlist the child's sympathy are morally worthy, affording a practice to those fundamental prejudices toward right and wrong which are the earliest acquisitions of a young soul. The other characteristics of the tale-the rhythmic, the grotesque, the weird, and the droll-are mere recreation, the abundant playfulness which children require to rest them from the dangers and terrors which fascinate them.” After choosing a prompt below, you will write your essay in the form of an argument. Your argument should be clearly stated in your thesis in a sophisticated, clear, and logical manner. Your body paragraphs, and specifically the claims, should develop your argument and lead your readers through the rationale behind your argument. The evidence within your body paragraphs (cited from the tales we’ve read and outside sources) will provide support for your claims (the full argument behind your thesis) and elaboration sentences will “fill out” or expand and develop the evidence, by linking it to the claim and ultimately the thesis. Prompts: Who is the audience for fairy, folk tales, or myths? Is it children, adults, or both? Explain with examples from at least TWO tales. Many of the tales we have read seem to be mirrors for life, teaching us valuable lessons about relationships. What is one of those important lessons? Provide at least TWO tales that exemplify this lesson. How do these tales confront the nature of good and evil? What does this unending struggle teach us? Provide at least TWO tales that help us to understand your answer. Is there a difference between “boy stories” and “girl stories” in folklore? Is the goal different or just the means of achieving it? What lessons do these stories teach boys and girls of today? Are the characters of these tales still relevant to modern day gender roles? Provide at least TWO tales to help us to understand your answer. Make an argument for the importance of reading folklore. Use examples from at least TWO tales to demonstrate the necessity of folklore and argue why your two tales should be taught in school. While a brief summary of the tales you will discuss is necessary, do not overburden your essay with summary. Be sure that the argument itself is the focus of your paper. As you write, refer back to the prompt of your choice, making sure you are staying on topic. Requirements: An organized argument, with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Source evidence to support your argument, in the form of properly cited quotes and paraphrase, from A minimum of two tales that you have read in this course and, A minimum of one outside source. 1200 -1400 words (approximately four - five pages), double spaced, in Times New Roman, formatted to MLA standards. A properly formatted Works Cited Page. Focused and closely-edited writing free of grammar, spelling, or typographical errors.