Written by Kendell Weis
The words “folklore” or “fairy tale” often remind individuals of a seemingly harmless form of media including enchanted forests, talking animals, and fairy godmothers. Although these types of media are seen as an enchanting form of entertainment on the surface, they wield significant influences beyond their common tropes and schemes, contributing to the negative impact beauty standards have on young women. Fairy tale plots are often driven by a young female protagonist with a slim figure, pale skin, and attractive features that ends up marrying an attractive, young prince. The lack of diverse skin tones, body types, and overall appearance will inevitably alter the mind of young children who choose to indulge in fairy tales. The beauty standards emphasized in these tales have the ability to lead young women to an unhealthy place with food and body image as they grow up and mature. Many tales focus on body image and aesthetic appearances throughout the story, but some fairy tales contain underlying messages that depict the harmful impacts beauty standards may have on young women. Instead of depicting, for example, a young beautiful princess in a castle, some fairy tales, like “Little Red Riding Hood” or “The Three Little Pigs” center around vulnerable young children that are manipulated and taken advantage of. These stories indirectly expose the depth and complex impacts beauty standards have on young children and specifically young women. Through the experiences and feelings of the young and vulnerable protagonists, one can identify the strong connection these stories have towards the feelings of an eating disorder. In the fairy tale, “Hansel and Gretel” by Brothers Grimm, the complexities and harsh realities of an eating disorder are displayed through symbolism in moments of psychological and emotional turmoil, environmental influences leading to an unhealthy connection with food, and the manipulative relationship between the evil witch and the protagonist, Gretel.
The feelings of deprivation and intense fear that stem from psychological and emotional turmoil Gretel faces in the beginning of the tale directly relate to the feelings of an eating disorder. Gretel and her family’s relationship with food security is completely unstable, “There was never much to eat in the house, and once, during a time of famine, the woodcutter could no longer put bread on the table”(Grimm 236). The lack of certainty Gretel feels towards her food intake places her body in a “fight or flight” mode. Individuals who struggle with eating disorders often experience this same dilemma when they are faced with extreme deprivation. Their obsessions regarding what they eat and how much they eat dominate and narrow their thoughts to one controllable area: food (Hill 584). Whether a person is deprived of food, people, love etc., they can often turn to the comfort of food as their cure. Restriction can often lead to experiences of emotional and psychological turmoil which can manifest in a binge-restrictive cycle, mood swings, depression etc. Individuals who struggle with restriction run the risk of losing their sense of self and independence as they give up all power to their eating disorder.
Gretel is not just deprived of food, she also faces emotional neglect that contributes to her psychological turmoil. When Gretel overhears her mother speak about how she cannot take care of the children anymore, she faces a lack of familial love. Gretel hears her mother say, “The children have to go. This time we’ll take them deeper into the forest so they won’t be able to find their way back home”(Grimm 238). The mother, wanting to abandon her children without thinking how it may impact those around her, is forcing her daughter to believe that she is not ‘wanted’. Similarly, a victim of an eating disorder chooses to leave their old bodies behind to create a new and improved version of themselves. In their efforts to create a more ‘wanted’ version of themselves, they obsessively control their food, exercise, and other aspects of their life that they are able to control, which leads to an unhealthy and unsustainable lifestyle. The strong tendencies for an external locus of control are related to the fact that the person with eating disorders has little to no sense of self (Hill 584). The constant chase for a ‘better’ version of oneself, stemming from insecurities, can result in the individual losing sight of who they truly are. Gretel and a disordered individual share similar circumstances such as deprivation from food and a weak sense of self, leading to psychological and emotional turmoil they have to carry with them.
The eerie, ominous, and unsafe environment Gretel is subjected to in the story influences her unhealthy relationship with food. Gretel and her brother are left out in the cold dark woods without parental figures which only enhances the neglect she once felt in her own household. These rough and bleak environmental conditions puts Gretel into a position of starvation which will inevitably cause her to feel worn out and weary. The lack of food and energy in the woods is taken to the extreme as she and her brother are using all of their efforts to keep themselves alive. “After a while they were so tired that their legs could no longer carry them, and they lay down under a tree and fell asleep” (Grimm 239). This extreme exhaustion that Gretel and her brother are facing is the reality of many individuals with malnutrition. Exhaustion can show up in various ways in those struggling with food restriction, but a very common type of exhaustion is recovery fatigue. Similar to how Gretel has to continue walking in the woods to find her way home, individuals with an eating disorder have to continue fighting their self-deprecating inner voices to make sure they consume an adequate amount of nutrition. Jenni Schaefer, the author of an eating disorder recovery novel, Life Without Ed, says, “Food is something I am going to have to face at least three times a day for the rest of my life. And I am not perfect. But one really bad day does not mean that I am hopeless and back at square one with my eating” (Schaefer 28). Scheafer perfectly illustrates how recovery or, in Gretel’s situation, a search for a home can be extremely exhausting, but any progress in great progress.
As the siblings’ fatigue and malnutrition becomes overwhelming, Gretel and her brother could not help but eat a house they came upon made of bread, cake, and sugar. After being left in the woods to starve, finding a house made of sweets may have made her feel as if everything was going to be alright- that if they had food, she and her brother would be ok (Madison). Without a second thought, their deprived bodies begin eating the house, unaware of who may be inside. Gretel’s brother exclaims, “…Gretel, and you can try the window. That’s sure to taste sweet” (Grimm 239). Once Gretel and her brother are faced with food, the deprivation subsides as they are overcome with the sweet pleasures of the edible house. Nutrient deprivation and the act of overindulging in food has similar impacts on disordered individuals in the form of a binge-restrict cycle. Dieters and restrained eaters have lost touch with internal hunger and fullness cues that are necessary for normal eating (Matz et al. 7). Certain people with disordered eating may lose all control or even find comfort when faced with food because it may help to cope with certain feelings or emotions. Many people that experience a binge often disassociate and are not aware of their surroundings because of the internal noise that occurs while they are eating. The binge eater experiences overeating as evidence of being out of control, and begins to yell at themself internally by thinking of ways to counteract the overeating, such as tightening food restraints (Matz et al. 6). Although Gretel is not necessarily binging on the candy house, she carries a few of the same traits as a binge eater, such as dissociation and rapid refeeding.
As Gretel and her brother are in an unvigilant state, they are slowly being manipulated by an evil old woman, representing the controlling relationship between an individual with an eating disorder and the voice inside their head. When the old woman in the house starts speaking to the children, they are unfazed and continue eating. The woman calls to them, Grimm writes, “The children replied: “The wind so mild, the heavenly child.” and they continued eating without getting distracted” (Grimm 239). This nonchalant response relates to the manipulative and sneaky side of an eating disorder. Many people fall victim to an eating disorder through a ‘harmless’ diet or clean eating habits that go too far. This is the first instance in the fairy tale when the reader sees how the old woman in the house represents the eating disorder voice. Through the children’s responses and alluring candy house, the old witch is able to grab a hold of the naive children’s attention. The witch deceives young Gretel the moment they meet through kind and enticing tactics. However, Gretel explains, “The old woman had only pretended to be so friendly” (Grimm 240). A seemingly gentle, friendly, and warm old woman does not threaten Gretel, making her feel in control of the relationship she is creating with this strange woman when she in fact is just being manipulated by the witch’s allure. Similarly, when an individual is in the beginning stages of an eating disorder they too feel as though they are ‘in control’, when in reality they are being completely manipulated by their voice inside their head promoting the disordered eating habits.
The feeling of being out of control and living life for the eating disorder’s voice in one’s head is extremely intimidating and terrifying. Gretel, similar to the victim of an eating disorder, is frightened when she discovers the true intentions of the evil witch, similar to the eating disorder voice. When the old witch demands Gretel to cook and feed her brother who was trapped in a cage so he can be eaten, she “…cried bitter tears, but it did no good. She had to do what the wicked witch demanded” (Grimm 240). Gretel has a choice to speak up for herself at this moment, but it is more intimidating than others may think because manipulation can be extremely impactful on such a naive mind. Often, individuals that are controlled by the voice in their head feel as though there is no way to escape besides giving in to what the voice wants them to do. For eating disorder victims this typically revolves around restriction. Forcing oneself to commit to actions that will put their body into an unhealthy and unsustainable state just to please a voice in one’s head or, in this case, an evil witch in a fairy tale, is never worth it. Standing up for oneself is one of the hardest parts of eating disorder recovery, but as Jenni Schaeffer says, “Recovery is about making room for the real me to exist” (Shaeffer 22). Despite the fact that the old witch choses to beguile the young Gretel, the ball still stands in her court; she has the power to choose what is right for her future.
Hansel and Gretel by Blaž Porenta
This painting depicts the fear in Gretel’s eyes when faced with the evil witch. The eye contact she is making with the audience is a powerful stance that illustrates her wise and mature outlook on defeating this evil woman.
Through Gretel’s character growth, she rounds up enough courage to conquer the evil witch which allows her to experience true freedom. Gretel tricks the witch into going into the hot oven, and the success of this plan results in overwhelming amounts of joy from Gretel and her brother. “Gretel ran straight to Hansel, opened the little shed and cried out: “Hansel, we’re free! The old witch is dead.” Hansel hopped out as soon as the door opened, like a bird leaving its cage” (Grimm 241). Gretel’s unwavering confidence in this moment allows her to trust her intuition, ultimately leading to the relief and triumph that came along with the salvation of the threatening intentions of the witch. The transition of fear to confidence when overcoming an obstacle is often seen in eating disorder recovery. The initial fear and anger towards one’s eating disorder during recovery is unbearable, but the thought of disobeying the eating disorder’s voice is still chilling. However, with courage, the victim can decide to actively choose recovery and ‘kill’ the eating disorder voice. The liberation that comes along with this moment is overwhelming and is unparalleled to the short bouts of pleasure when giving into the eating disorder voice. The emotional and physical freedom a victim feels can be the most encouraging part of recovery because the victim is able to see their hard work pay off. When speaking about her recovery journey, Jenni Schaeffer states, “Even one minute of freedom was proof I was getting better” (Schaeffer 55). The bravery Gretel and an eating disorder’s victim carries in this moment of redemption is critical to the arch of positive personal and emotional development.
While the tropes and schemes of “Hansel and Gretel” accurately illustrate the development and overall feelings of an eating disorder, the depiction of Gretel’s fright and loneliness has the ability to touch the reader in a more deep, emotional manner. This story resonates with me because I am able to see myself through Gretel’s character development, resourcefulness, and resilience. As someone who has recovered from a life threatening eating disorder, this story is able to show me how far I have come psychologically and physically. I once was just like young Gretel, lost, overcome with exhaustion, and emotionally manipulated. I deeply feel for her complex conflict with the old witch because I too used to feel manipulated and controlled by the voice inside my head. Having the confidence to break away from a controlling relationship takes a toll on oneself, but, as seen in this story, the freedom and liberation that comes with emotional and physical independence has the potential to change one’s life.
Many young women grow up reading fairy tales that contribute to unrealistic body standards, but “Hansel and Gretel” is a wonderful example of a fairy tale that, when seen through the correct lens, is able to spread a positive message about eating disorder recovery and give individuals courage to recover. Fairy tales offer possible solutions to transitional problems and anxieties by serving as external structures upon which an eating-disordered individual can project their desired identity and draw self-control (Hill 584). Fairy tales can be used for a vision-to-action treatment alternative for mental health issues. Laura Hills, referring to the vision-to-action treatment for young women with eating disorders in the “Journal of Counseling & Development” says, “Often what the client cannot say about herself, she can verbalize about fairy tale characters” (Hill 585). I carry a tremendous amount of empathy for people who have gone through a similar struggle as mine, and I take pride in the passion I have to help people work towards recovery. In this paper, I want to educate readers that both do and do not struggle with eating disorders about the connection they can make with their sense of self, their anxieties, and developmental fears through fairy tales.
The story of the young Gretel in “Hansel and Gretel” by Brothers Grimm, symbolically expresses the complexities and harsh realities of an eating disorder. Gretel’s psychological and emotional turmoil in the beginning of the tale, derived from her history of nutrient deprivation and harsh familial neglect, represents a disordered individual’s restrictive behaviors and weak sense of self. When Gretel travels away from home, the harsh and unsafe environment she is subjected to puts her in a state of exhaustion, similar to the exhaustion many eating disorder victims experience. Exhaustion is present in various parts of an individual’s experience with an eating disorder such as recovery fatigue, a binge-restrict cycle, and even a refeeding stage. Gretel, similar to an eating disorder victim, is emotionally manipulated by the evil old witch in this tale, and is forced to carry out action she does not agree with. However, with determination, she celebrates the fact that she was able to set her and her brother free from this evil control, similar to the freedom a person experiences in eating disorder recovery. The metaphorical and symbolic connection between this fairy tale and the impacts of an eating disorder should not be underestimated. Fairy tales can provide a reader with a sense of relaxation, allowing them to engross themselves into the character’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Tales like “Hansel and Gretel” serve as a reminder that anyone is capable of overcoming obstacles with courage and resilience, even when the intimidating presence of an evil witch stands in their path of true freedom and happiness. Gretel mustered up the courage to break free from the grasp of the manipulative evil witch, illustrating to all readers that an escape from the eating disorder’s evil trap is, in fact, possible.
Works Cited
Porenta , Blaž. Hansel and Gretel. 30 Jan. 2021. Blaž Porenta Portfolio, http://www.blazporenta.com/?attachment_id=496. Accessed 2024.
Grimm, Brothers. “Hansel and Gretel.” The Classic Fairy Tales, edited by Maria Tatar, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1999, pp. 236–241.
Madison. “Eating Disorder.” Twice Upon A Fairy Tale: Adaptations of “Hansel & Gretel,” 1 Apr. 2016, fairytale2016.wordpress.com/tag/eating-disorder/.
Matz, Judith, and Ellen Frankel. Beyond a Shadow of a Diet: The Comprehensive Guide to Treating Binge Eating Disorder, Compulsive Eating, and Emotional Overeating. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2014.
Hill, Laura. “Fairy Tales: Visions for Problem Resolution in Eating Disorders.” Journal of Counseling and Development : JCD 70.5 (1992): 584. ProQuest. Web. 14 Apr. 2024.
Schaefer, Jenni, and Thom Rutledge. Life without Ed. McGraw-Hill Education, 2014.
