Intuitively we understand children need both good and evil represented in stories because, what better way is there to learn these concepts but in contrast? And by showing them that good prevails over evil, we are reinforcing this important message. But to what extent do we need to punish evil characters in fairy tales? Does the message have to be so graphic to get the point across? According to some theories, only fairy tales in all their crudeness will make a positive contribution to children’s development. Any other story will only serve as amusement.
