Rewriting of fairy tales as a means of teaching empathy. An analysis of "How to Be Eaten: A Novel" by Maria Adelmann

Fairy tales have been part of our lives ever since childhood. They have been our companions throughout life and now, just as ourselves, they have changed: they have been written, rewritten and retold countless of times. This thesis intends to understand how fairy tales rewritten through a feminist lens deal with important themes of our modern times when the audience they cater for are adults. This research aims to answer three main questions, those are: “Where is headed the evolution of fairy- tale retellings?”, “How can issues be addressed when feminism and empathy are featured?”, and “Can fairy tale retellings help teach empathy? If so, how?” This thesis aspires to promote the importance of fairy-tale retellings in the twenty-first century and the manner in which their employment can bring valuable aid to spread unheard voices and important teachings, such as empathy. The questions will be answered by analysing the novel How To Be Eaten: A Novel by Maria Aldemann, which is a retelling of five fairy tales. By using feminist and empathic frameworks, this thesis will provide a narrative analysis of the novel, intending to disclose the author's choices and her choice of portraying various social issues, the entanglement of media when dealing with trauma being under the spotlight.