Creative Imagination and Fairy Tales

The link between creative imagination and fairy tales is far stronger than many people realize. Fairy tales are much more than entertaining stories for children. There is often a hidden meaning. In many ways a fairy tale is similar to a secret code that can only be broken by a careful examination and detailed analysis of every feature

An in-depth analysis of incidents in a fairy tale can prove to be an enlightening and productive exercise. Not only will the process enable you to discover the hidden meaning of the fairy tale, your efforts will be rewarded by a remarkable improvement in your ability to think more creatively.

You’ll also develop the capacity to view situations from a completely different, far more imaginative perspective and find innovative solutions for problems.

These are definite benefits I experience after I have completed a detailed, painstaking examination of every incident in a fairy tale, no matter how trivial or inconsequential it may seem.

This unusual technique I devised, of analyzing fairy tales in order to enhance creative power, owes it’s origin to theories developed by Jung and Freud. Both psychologists explored the subject of fairy tales and myths in great depth. Jung made special reference to Fairy Tales as an indication of man’s creative potential.

You could find this technique as rewarding as I do in enhancing your creative power. It is well worth your while experimenting with this unusual technique.
Let me show you how I proceed with this detailed “Fairy Analysis process”.

I found “Rumpelstilskin”, the story of a strange little man with an odd sounding name who had the magical ability to spin straw into gold, a very suitable fairy tale to analyze in depth. For this reason I have called the technique I developed, ” The Rumpelstilskin Process”. But the identical process can be used with most fairy tales.

For example, you can follow the identical procedure with “Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves”. You will find the results just as effective. When you come to think about it, what else is the Genie released from the bottle supposed to represent other than creative power?

The Rumpelstilskin Fairy tale.

If you have forgotten the details of this delightful fairy tale, you’ll find it well worth your while to read it once again.

When you examine incidents in the story in detail, you’ll realize Rumpelstilskin’s ability to spin a worthless substance like straw into gold is not a supernatural power. It is not meant to signify magical ability. It is a symbol of exceptional skill combined with the power of creativity.

Open any book of popular fairy tales and read this fairy tale you enjoyed as child once again. This time do so very carefully. Examine every incident and detail as you would when reading a detective story. Look for hidden clues.

After you have read the “Rumpelstilskin” fairy tale carefully, focus on certain incidents in the story and ask yourself the following questions:

How was it possible for a person like a common miller

to speak to someone as important as the King?

What was the miller’s motive in approaching the King?

Why was he so anxious to impress the King?

Why did he make such an extravagant claim about his daughter’s

ability to spin straw into gold?

What prompted the king to test her skill?

What was the significance of the sudden appearance of

the strange little dwarf, “Rumpelstilskin”?

Why was it necessary for the miller’s daughter to make a number

of sacrifices”

What was the importance of the child to “Rumpestilskin”?

Why would he choose the child rather than so many riches?

What was the significance of the strange name “Rumpelstilskin”?

Apart from the mental exercise of examining every aspect of this fairy tale from all angles, there are important lessons to be learned. Situations have to be viewed from a completely different perspective in order to understand their true meaning.

Only then will you be able to arrive at the most appropriate solution to a problem. You will know the most suitable path to take.

There are important lessons to be learned from the symbolism in the “Rumpelstilskin fairy tale”.

This fairy tale highlights the fact that most difficult situations, no matter how serious, can be resolved. Obstacles can be overcome by the use of four vital strategies.

Strategy number one: Develop specialized skills, exceptional talents, technical expertise or contingency plans. This will make you capable of dealing with any problems that could arise.

Strategy Number two. Be aware that it will be necessary for you to make certain sacrifices to deal with the problem at hand. Decide what sacrifices you are prepared to make.

Strategy Number three. Use your imagination to formulate creative solutions. These solutions must form part of the concessions and sacrifices you are prepared to make.

Strategy Number four: Don’t hesitate to make use of expert, professional advisors
whenever you consider it necessary.

In this story, the miller’s daughter made use of these four strategies in order to solve her problem.

Firstly, she experimented with different techniques until she was able to arrive at an effective method of transforming the “straw” into “gold”.

Secondly, she realized she would have to make sacrifices. It would be necessary to give up something more and more precious on each occasion.

Thirdly, when the sacrifice demanded of her – having to give up her child – was too drastic to consider, she had to use her imagination to find a creative solution. This involved using the secret name “Rumpelstilskin” to neutralize his power.

Finally, this vital information was provided by her professional advisors, her Couriers, whose help she enlisted.

There is a clear message in the fairy tale. Every problem, every obstacle, every unpleasant situation you are obliged to face in life will require some form of response from you.

In the course of life one is called upon to face many unpleasant incidents

It is not the nature of the incident – however serious it may appear to be – but your response that will determine whether or not you have been successful in dealing with the problem.

This question of response is the most important factor in dealing with every adverse situation in life. This is an important lesson to be learned from an examination of the “Rumpelstilkin fairy tale”.

In spite of the fact that the problems faced by the miller’s daughter appeared to be insurmountable, she was able to solve them by responding to them creatively. The small gifts of pieces of jewelry, she gave to “Rumpestilskin” represented concessions.
They have important symbolic significance.

The importance of concessions or “sacrifices”.

You have the capacity, the potential and the ability to achieve whatever goals you have set yourself in life. But one thing is certain. In order to achieve these goals
it will be necessary for you to give up something in return.

The “sacrifice” you will have to make may be your time; your energy; certain pleasures and amusements; favorite recreations; personal indulgences; even relationships.

You will have to make a personal assessment how much you are willing to give up. It may be necessary for you to re-arrange your life to accommodate your goal.

Everything you acquire in life involves an exchange in some form or another. This is an immutable law of nature. There are no free lunches!

To find the most suitable solution to any difficult situation and respond effectively, it is necessary to approach the problem from a different perspective.

You will find the process of examining every incident in the “Rumpelstilskin” fairy tale

– the “Rumpelstilskin Process” – a valuable mental exercise in developing your creative powers.

Examine incidents in other fairy tales in the same probing fashion. After you have done this don’t confine your efforts to fairy tales. Start looking at a variety of different situations in life from a completely different perspective.

Even if the conclusions you have drawn are far-fetched, impractical and completely unrealistic, this exercise will help you develop the ability to examine situations in a way you had never thought of previously. You will start to think more creatively.

Faced with problems you may previously have found insurmountable, you will discover you are now able to deal with difficult situations with ingenious and innovative techniques.

You will be able to draw on the most powerful resources at your disposal – your creative imagination!

© Copyright Dennis Fisher.