WHAT MAKES A REPULSIVE FROG SO APPEALING?

BY: JACK ZIPES

Presentation by:

Katrina Markowicz

Aurora Stoica

Lauren O’Neill

THESIS

It is important to explore why tales from oral tradition have been transformed throughout the years and why they stick with us as memes. Accomplish this using theories from the various

sciences, such as social sciences, evolutionary psychology, and cultural anthropology.

Meme: “Cultural artifact that acts as a cultural replicator or cultural adaptor that manages to inhabit our brains (essentially becomes memorable).”

CLAIM #1TALES STICK AROUND

Tales stick around because they are revealing of certain aspects of both our social lives and human behavior; this makes them memetic. Almost everyone knows the story of the Frog

King even if they don’t know how it has transformed into a literary version, but the story sticks with us and the appeal transforms it into different avenues.

Particularly, “The Frog Prince”, gives insight into mating and courting behaviors that can be traced back hundreds to thousands of years.

CLAIM #2MEMORABLE MEMES

The versions of the “Frog King” by the Grimm Brothers are “artistically shaped, prepared, and stabilized” to make it so memorable that we, as a culture, talk about it and pass it on to others. This version is memetic according to Zipes

because it is relevant to culture and provides information important in demonstrating how to act in society, specifically “sexual selection, reproduction, and evolution as culture.” (Zipes, 111)

CLAIM #3IRON HEINRICH IMPORTANCE

The tale “The Frog Prince; or Iron Heinrich” provides an example of how tales can be revealing of human nature. It provides important information on the process of mate selection, reproduction, and in general, the evolution of culture.

CLAIM #4SCIENCE/NATURAL SCIENCE THEORIES The propagation of a meme within

society can largely be compared to the propagation of particular genes within a population.

Theories about the brain and evolutionary psychology help explain how fairy tale memes change. Dawkins Genes

Humanities and natural sciences help explain how culture evolves and how folk and fairy tales support this cultural evolution. Wilson and Sperber

CLAIM #5SHIFT IN FAIRYTALE TRADITION Fairytales will only be viewed as a meme if

it is preserved and replicated using a socio-historical lens to incorporate the purpose of the relevant topic (sexual selection) The Grimm’s “The Frog Prince” is guaranteed to be

preserved and replicated because: 1) The 1857 version (the most told/well known version) is

not forgotten because of retellings.2) Variations of the story are generated in terms of specific

cultural discourses to communicate information of alterations of the original message.

The kiss replaces the wall slam and sleeping in the same bed in some versions. Major shift in “Frog Prince” tradition Implies changing viewpoint in mate selection Feminist movement of 1960s – Self Help books

contributes to this

CLAIM #5 CONTADAPTATIONS Children/early teens’ books

sexual elements in a comical fashion or eliminated; questions mating rules. Jackie Mims Hopkins’ The Horned Toad Prince (2000):

Prince leaves, beauty isn’t enough to stay Novels for young readers

show a gender switch focus is less on mating; more on finding one’s own

identity (both still present) E. D. Baker’s The Frog Princess (2002): self-reflection

mate selection Adult literature

focus on mating process, false promises, and marriage. Nancy Springer’s Fair Peril (1996): illusion; stand on her

own feet Zipes concludes that all of these variations

contribute to the “Frog Prince’s” ability to continue to be a meme playing a role in mating norms.

OTHER SCHOLARSHIP

Haase Purposeful deviations in story that destroys

message Zipes: culture causes the deviation to fit norms

Talairach-Vielmas Gender roles change with time cultural shift of

tale Zipes’ argument is similar, but focuses on mate

selection changes

Hearne Fairy tales undergo changes and adaptations

because of cultural changes Zipes would agree, but adds that adaption occurs

because of the memetic ability of the tale

ARGUMENT

Strong argument? Yes. Uses examples from various other scholars and

professionals Haig, Sforza, Dawkins, Wilson and Sperber

Applies theories from various disciplines such as science, the social sciences, evolutionary psychology, and cultural anthropology

Uses many examples of adaptations of the Frog Prince to demonstrate his thesis helps solidify the idea that tales become altered and

adapted Shows how fairytales stay relevant to current society

CONCLUSION

The memetic significance of a fairy tale has been integrated into society and passed down through tradition so much that it is seen through mass communication avenues. This becomes even more integrated into society that it is transformed throughout history to change the oral tradition that people believe originated with their ancestors.