Surely most parents have wondered on occasion, Why do stories have a happy ending?, many can be the answers, and with some logic, although the best thing to know the correct answer is to ask an expert, in this case Alberto Ruíz, a specialist in children's literature.
Apparently, the main reason is the excessive protection that the elders have for the little ones, this fact has led to our children normally reading stories with happy endings. The expert tells us that this action is called "literary trivialization" and its consequences can be negative for children causing them to be more vulnerable to life. Most parents know how hard life can be and the amount of problems we face each day, in fact, sometimes it gives the impression that the law of the jungle or the strongest prevails, and we intend to delay as much as possible the knowledge of real life our children. According to the expert, it is necessary that children have access to the two approaches of the end of a story, the happy and the fatal, thus becoming more aware that there can be two types of outcome. An example is a suspense, something negative that can seriously traumatize a child and more when he believes that life always gives you a second chance, something that often appears in stories.
Stories like Little Red Riding Hood offered in its original form an unfortunate outcome, over time it has been modified and has offered a very different vision, Professor Alberto Ruíz indicates that many stories have been modified especially in favor of the economic interests of some companies. Today it seems that things change and some publishers return to the original stories with outcomes not so fortunate showing a little more what reality could be.
What do you think? Is it better to offer children stories with happy endings or with uncertain endings? In our opinion, the second option is the best, also, as proof we can provide that children who have lived the reality of life are always more mature and more aware of certain situations.
