A series of conversations with arts and culture professionals about their work and unique perspective on contemporary life. Hosted by Kevin Moore, the talks are held at twilight overlooking New York City's West Side.

Muzammil Syed (HeHim) wrote a new post on the site Muzammil Syed's FIQWS PORTFOLIO 16 minutes ago

Semi-Weekly Reflection: Week 15Prompt: What have you learned that has proved most useful to your composition process? As I worked through the composition process, I […]

Muzammil Syed (HeHim) wrote a new post on the site Muzammil Syed's FIQWS PORTFOLIO 18 minutes ago

Semi-Weekly Reflections: Week 12Prompt: As you have continued your research work, how has your argument evolved? As I progressed in my research, I explored various […]

Muzammil Syed (HeHim) wrote a new post on the site Muzammil Syed's FIQWS PORTFOLIO 25 minutes ago

Semi Weekly Reflections – Week 13Prompt: What is the relationship between your Research essay and your MMT? In your response, be sure to compare the rhetorical […]

Biva Zaman (She/Her) wrote a new post on the site Biva Zaman's FIQWS Portfolio 29 minutes ago

About Me!My name is Biva Zaman. I am a student at City College of New York taking FIQWS Fairy Tales and Retellings. I created this site to be a […]

Akraz Khan (he/him) wrote a new post on the site Website for akraz writing 1 hour, 6 minutes ago

Home PageWebsite for my FIQWS essay along with multimodal elements.

Andrea Rosso Efthymiou (she/her/hers) wrote a new post on the site Writing Together 1 hour, 13 minutes ago

Well done! You Made It!Grab a snack! Read your work! As we settle in I’ll ask that you select a passage to read aloud from your Autoethnographic Essay. The […]

Akraz Khan (he/him) wrote a new post on the site Website for akraz writing 1 hour, 25 minutes ago

Fairy Tale Literacy Narrative Akraz KhanProfessor OrwigFIQWS 10105Date 10/14/24Disconnect from sleeping peopleThe story of “Sleeping Beauty” was deeply talked about in class with a professor of mine,and that played a significant role in how I viewed the story. When my professor pointed outminuscule details such as the old vs. young and how the underlying messages in the story pointto not such good things as glorifying rape and sexual assault. It affected my view on stories andthe underlying messages by showing me how, in current era values, these stories are quitemorally questionable and downright disgusting. It evoked a feeling of disgust but also curiosity,as I wanted to know more about what other messages the story had and how it compares tomodern-day values and how it played a role in the story’s progression. The conversation withmy professor further pushed me to look at these views that we encountered as we delveddeeper, such as writing structures, morality, and social views. We saw how the story progressedin Sleeping Beauty and other fairy tales, and now looking at other literature, I’ve been able tounderstand them on a deeper level.“Sleeping Beauty” impacted me by highlighting common stereotypes in stories. The storyalso reflected culture and morals that butted against my own. With its unique story, I can admit itimproved my literacy skills. Now when I read stories, comics, and fairy tales, I usually look forthe more hidden tones and themes that reflect the nature of the writer, the era they live in, andwhat type of environment they’re surrounded by.In “Sleeping Beauty,” there’s an emphasis on the evil characters being ugly. Wheninviting 12 fairies to a banquet, a 13th ugly fairy comes uninvited and casts a curse that will killthe child by contact with flax or a flax spinner. This shows how villains are always portrayed asold and ugly. This inflicts the view that only those who are ugly can’t be trusted and must be evil.This is false in reality when we see that those who are evil are never based on looks but theirown personality and traits. This implies that evil characters are expected to be conventionallyunattractive. In “The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods” (Charles Perrault 93), the Queen isdescribed as someone who likes to pounce on children because of her ogre tendencies. On thesurface, this seems to be a simple way to introduce the Queen as evil, but later in the story,when the Queen, who is the prince’s mother, dies, he is immediately okay. Family loss isdifficult, even when we aren’t close. How they looked never mattered to me when it came topersonal relationships, family, and friends-wise.When it comes to morals and culture,“Sleeping Beauty” would be controversial in itsstory’s progress. The main conflict is with “Sleeping Beauty” finding true love while asleep.Although the magic on her is what allows her to find true love, the writing hints towards how thisstyle of writing was unproblematic back then, but in today’s era this is controversial. This isbecause sexual assault and rape are put in a more favorable tone and glorified. In anotherversion of sleeping beauty known as “Sun, Moon and Talia” (Gian Batista Basile),“He lifted herin his arms and carried her to a bed, where he gathered the first fruits of love.” The storyglorifies the King of this version as someone acting out of love, but at face value, this is the Kingraping an unconscious girl. If this happened to someone I knew, I would be appalled. From theway the story was told, we determine that this type of culture was acceptable back then, fromwhere the author wrote the story. It gives me a perspective on how not many things seem whatthey are, as what the King did isn’t what someone would call love but a crime, and I can seefrom other perspectives that this might be the norm even though it’s a highly controversial thingand topic to do and discuss.Sleeping Beauty significantly improved my literacy skills.“Sleeping Beauty” taught mehow to create a strong backstory with lasting conflict. The title connects with the backstory as itjumps straight into the conditions of the curse and how her being a sleeping beauty isproblematic but her only way to grasp onto life. As stated in “Briar Rose” (Brothers Grimm 163),“‘The girl will not die. She will fall into a deep sleep for one hundred years.’” With a strongbackstory and conflict, it provides a good source to improve one’s own literacy skills. Ipersonally use strong impacts on backstory to set up conflicts that help build the story to what itis, and Sleeping Beauty is a prime exam […] “Fairy Tale Literacy Narrative”

Akraz Khan (he/him) wrote a new post on the site Website for akraz writing 1 hour, 32 minutes ago

Ariel’s tail splits into two opinions The views on Ariel’s race change brought about by casting a black woman instead of a red-headed white woman sparked controversy when the news was released. ”’I Don’t Want a Black Ariel.’ — Why We Shouldn’t Be Satisfied With Race Switching” (The Final Cutback) is an article published in June 2020, almost a year after the announcement was made. The article focuses on why the black Ariel was a bad move that didn’t show diversity in a good way by telling a new story with a character of color but in a poor way by keeping the story but with a race change. Another article, “The white nostalgia fueling the ‘Little Mermaid’ backlash” (Brooke Newman). This article, released in July 2019, which was around the time the announcement of a black Ariel was made, argues for the race change as it doesn’t affect the character’s traits or story but still showcases a woman of color in a fairy tale story. Newman brings up how the backlash surrounding the announcement comes from a certain nostalgia held by fans, especially white audiences, who feel the race change disturbs the version of Ariel they grew up with (pathos). This nostalgia can often blind people to the value of new representations, making them resistant to change. The article by The Final Cutback is the opinion of a black man, and it’s relevant to the article because it shows credibility (ethos) since it’s a black man who feels like representation of his skin color should be in a new story, not a retelling but with a different color. He sees it as an opportunity missed to create a strong, original black character for young black girls to look up to and identify with. The article by Brooke Newman is by a white woman who feels that the race change is a good move has all to do with politics because of how it was mentioned in the elections and that those who oppose this change are part of one side of a political party. The Final Cutback tries to reach out to an audience who thinks the race swap is a good idea to showcase diversity and tries to add a solution instead of agreeing with the idea that nothing should be done and Ariel should be changed back to her original Disney interpretation. He wants to add the idea of a new story with an original black character and not a retelling with a raceswap. The article pushes for this purpose and showcases an example like Miles Morale’s Spider-Man to show that this idea works out much better and has a better audience reach than just making Peter Parker a black man. Brooke Newman on the other hand, views the race swap as a great idea and tries to reach out to an audience of democratic voters, as she mentions in her article about how white people and Donald Trump used Black Ariel to show that white people are being marginalized and used that to win the election. Newman highlights that the backlash from conservative groups comes not only from the race swap but from a deeper fear that their cultural dominance is slipping away. The Final Cutback adds to the conversation of Black Ariel about better representation in an original story since he feels it shows how people of color have their own great stories. Brooke Newman uses the conversation of Black Ariel to showcase that race change has political implications, had a strong impact in the 2020 election, and was used by Trump to spread the idea of white people being erased in the media. The purpose for the Final Cutback can be seen to be more focused on showing proper representation in his article, while Brooke Newman uses her article to showcase the political impact the race swap had and why those who are against are doing it for th […] “Ariel’s tail splits into two opinions”

Akraz Khan (he/him) wrote a new post on the site Website for akraz writing 1 hour, 38 minutes ago

Research Critical Analysis Akraz KhanProfessor OrwigFIQWS 10105,November 26, 2024RCA Final DraftIn fairy tale literature, we often see a gender role dynamic that displays heroics andbravery for male characters and passiveness and helplessness for female characters. These rolesare based on perceived gender roles for males and females. Fairy tales often enforce thesepatriarchal gender roles as the standard, which reinforces the idea that men are leaders whilewomen wait to be saved. This dynamic has influenced generations of readers, who internalizethese standards for male and female behavior without realizing it. These portrayals shapesociety’s general expectations, impacting how people think men and women should behave inreal life. The pattern repeats in many well-known tales, where female characters are eitherconfined to waiting for help or need rescuing from the male hero. But in more recent times, thesetraditional gender roles are challenged in modern fairy tale literature.Fairy tales show a straightforward role for men and women, often sticking to inflexibleroles that the character of the respective gender must follow throughout the story. These strictroles limit character development and only showcase narrow portrayals of masculinity andfemininity. Many traditional tales don’t allow characters to grow or change beyond these setgender-based expectations. However, contemporary fairy tales and retellings have researchsuggesting that they can influence cultural attitudes toward gender (Attebery). Fairy tales notonly reflect gender roles but also reinforce them in subtle ways. Many readers grow up exposedto these narratives, making it easy for them to accept these roles as “normal.” Because theseideas are presented in an entertaining format, they can seem harmless but actually carrypowerful, lasting messages about gender. This shows their potential impact on social beliefs,especially in young readers who may learn to see these roles as typical for their gender.We can see how fixed gender roles were in fairy tales by reviewing classic works andtheir reinterpretations. Sun, Moon, and Talia, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, shows how genderroles shape story progression. The narrative emphasizes the importance of male protection overfemale self-governing, creating a clear contrast between genders. Additionally, the malecharacters are depicted as being entitled to make decisions on behalf of Talia without her input orconsent. Talia is passive throughout the story, dependent on men like her father and the king.Even when her life is in danger, she never plays an active role, reinforcing the stereotype ofwomen as passive and docile, while men are active and in control. The story states, “So saying,he [the king] commanded that the queen should be cast into the fire which she had prepared forTalia” (Basile), showing the king’s power to act on her behalf. This approach keeps Talia undermale authority, suggesting that female characters must accept protection, even if they’re harmedin the process. Such messages not only reduce female autonomy but also set a precedent wheremale authority is unquestioned and absolute. These actions continue the idea that women arehelpless while men are the ones who make all the decisions and protect others.Although classic tales rely on traditional gender role stereotypes, contemporary retellingschallenge and change the roles of women to fit modern expectations. For instance, Sisters Red, aretelling of Little Red Riding Hood, makes women the main characters who take on rolestraditionally assigned to men. The sisters’ active roles highlight a clear shift from passivity toempowerment, reflecting modern values. They embody courage and self-reliance, which aretraits often refused to female characters in older tales. In this version, sisters Scarlett and RosieMarch fight against werewolves to save young girls from the group known as Fenris. By actingas hunters and protectors, Scarlett and Rosie break free from the passive female roles common inclassic fairy tales. These characters also take charge of their fate, showing a stark contrast tofemale characters, who usually rely on others. Their bravery and actions show that heroic deedsare not limited to a certain gender or age, reflecting a change in how society views femalestrength. Through these shifts, modern retellings advocate for equal capabilities in both genders,expanding what women can represent in literature. As D’Amore argues, these revisions allowwomen to reclaim power, offering a new model for feminist storytelling (D’Amore 388).Gender roles are a concept that can change depending on location and over time.Cinderella, a classic fairy tale, has contemporary retellings that alter the character to be moreactive in her actions. Newer versions show her taking charge of her life, challenging the notionthat women must wait for others to achieve happiness. This transformation in her role allows herto be a role model of resilience and independence and not reliant and incapable. By representingnew versions, it allows for much broader views on gender roles. As Crowley and Penningtonargue in their article “Reworking the Classic: Cinderella in Modern Retellings,” these modernretellings of Cinderella shift the character from a passive figure to one who challenges traditionalgender norms (Crowley and Pennington 297). It’s done so by how much change is applied to thecharacter in contemporary remakes, which puts characters like Cinderella in a new light. Thesechanges challenge patriarchal views by putting women in a position of power. This shift isimportant as it allows for a new way of thinking about how women and men are represented inliterature. As more fairy tales adopt this modern lens, they contribute to a society that values bothgenders’ abilities to shape their own futures.Another classic fairy tale that reinforces traditional gender roles is Snow White. Khanexplains that stories like Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty show males as brave andpowerful while females are passive and wait for men to save them (Khan 145). Snow White’ sstory positions her as fragile and entirely dependent, shaping the reader’s perception of feminineweakness. This perception of weakness is often linked to a woman’s supposed emotionalfragility, which makes her unable to act or protect herself. Snow White’s helplessness in waitingfor the prince to rescue her reinforces the idea that women are not only passive but alsoincapable of shaping their own destinies. This makes young readers see passiveness as a typicaltrait for female characters, while heroism is mostly for males. This portrayal encourages childrento think of gender in a limiting way, showing girls as dependent and boys as protectors. Bymaking these characters passive, these stories give the message that women don’t need to act,that their role is simply to wait to be saved. In the long term, these ideas can shape attitudes andeven influence real-life expectations for both genders. This mindset contributes to shaping howchildren view their own roles in society, continuing to enforce limiting gender norms.Rettl’s article, “Fairy Tales Revisited: Gender Concepts in Traditional and Feminist FairyTales,” argues that fairy tales continue spreading these ideas, keeping male characters in activeroles and female characters in need of rescue (Rettl 181). Rettl explains that these stories havesuch a strong influence that they shape how people view gender. Even though the fairy tales arefictional, their influence carries over into how readers think about real gender dynamics. Many ofthese messages can remain with readers subconsciously, affecting their perceptions of genderroles in relationships and society. Many fairy tales still follow this same pattern, even thoughsociety now promotes equality. This means that traditional views on gender stay alive in popularstories, with the hero always a man and the one needing help always a woman. This repeatednarrative creates the expectation that women should be passive while men are expected to act.Even as society changes, the influence of these stories continues, showing that changing gendernorms in fairy tales can help challenge and possibly shift these old expectations. Through morediverse portrayals, fairy tales have the potential to influence how people think about andchallenge outdated views on gender.Works CitedAttebery, Brian. “Reinventing Masculinity in Fairy Tales by Men.” Marvels & Tales, vol. 32, no.2, 2018, pp. 314–37, https://doi.org/10.13110/marvelstales.32.2.0314.Basile, Giambattista. Il Pentamerone; or, The Tale of Tales, translated by Richard F. Burton, vol.2 (London: Henry and Company, 1893).https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/type0410.html#basileCrowley, Karlyn, and John Pennington. “Feminist Frauds on the Fairies? Didacticism andLiberation in Recent Retellings of ‘Cinderella.’” Marvels & Tales, vol. 24, no. 2,2010, pp. 297–313. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41388957. Accessed 24Oct. 2024.D’Amore, Laura Mattoon. “Vigilante Feminism: Revising Trauma, Abduction, and Assault inAmerican Fairy-Tale Revisions.” Marvels & Tales, vol. 31 no. 2, 2017, p.386-405. Project MUSE, https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/mat.2017.a680313.Khan, Munejah. “The Politics of Children’s Literature: Constructing Gender Identities throughFairytales.” Language in India, vol. 19, no. 3, 2019, pp. 145-.Rettl, Lisa. “Fairy Tales Re-Visited Gender Concepts in Traditional and Feminist Fairy Tales.”AAA: Arbeiten Aus Anglistik Und Amerikanistik, vol. 26, no. 2, 2001, pp. 181–98.JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43025615. Accessed 20 O […] “Research Critical Analysis”

Mehrnaz Moghaddam (she/her) edited the blog post Building Solidarity in Academia: Tales of Humanity and Action – Panel Discussion Recap in the group CUNY Humanities Alliance: 1 hour, 50 minutes ago

Building Solidarity in Academia: Tales of Humanity and Action – Panel Discussion RecapOn November 6, 2024, scholars, students, and activists gathered for a powerful roundtable discussion, Building Solidarity in Academia: Tales of Humanity and Action. The event explored how academia can bridge the gap between