White horse princes, wicked witches, glass slippers, silver combs, red cloaks, pure and kind-hearted princesses… In those stories too big to fit into the pocket of our childhood, everything was obvious. The good were pure white, the bad were pitch black like the night. But there was one thing no one told us: No fairy tale exists without a shadow. Behind the sparkling ballroom halls, heroes wearing midnight blue cloaks appeared. But those halls were not only for dancing; secrets moved among the dim lights, suppressed dreams and hidden fears quietly breathed. Fairy tales were magical not only for what they told but also for what they hid. Have you ever wondered: what was the real story of those tales?
Behind the Curtain of Secrets: Fairy Tale Heroes
Snow White’s stepmother… You know, the woman who asked the mirror every day, “Is there anyone more beautiful than me in this world?” and, feeling her beauty threatened, would try to get rid of a child without hesitation… So what was the queen really searching for when she looked in the mirror? Her beauty, or the self she had long lost? The crown placed on a delicately woven ego was fragile enough to be broken with a single smile. These behaviors reflect the core features of narcissistic personality disorder: excessive expectation of admiration, lack of empathy, a sense of superiority, and intolerance of criticism. The queen’s tying her self-worth solely to her appearance and others’ approval is a deep reflection of this disorder.
What about Cinderella? Cinderella was silent. Only the sound of a broom could be heard in her story. But did she never want to scream or rebel inside? She had a quiet, gentle, and obedient attitude; no matter what she experienced, she didn’t speak up or object. She seemed to lack her own will; as if she was waiting for a light in the darkness. This passive stance carries signs of dependent personality disorder. She couldn’t make her own decisions, and despite bad treatment, she couldn’t leave her environment. She sought her salvation not in her own inner strength, but in the “prince” figure who would come from outside.
Pollyanna… The cheerful girl who always tries to find something positive in every situation… But how real is this happiness? In psychology, this is called toxic positivity. Suppressing real feelings and forcing oneself to think only positively damages one’s connection with themselves. Pollyanna’s effort to see “something good” in every negative situation can cause her to ignore both her own and others’ emotional needs. Being optimistic is good, but sometimes it is necessary to be sad too. While embracing life’s joy, we should also embrace our emotions, right?
Sometimes, even the most innocent-looking stories hide dark, complex emotions underneath. That’s why the story of the wolf a child meets while walking in the forest is not just a simple fairy tale. An innocent child walks in the forest and meets a wolf. This story is told like a fairy tale, but its metaphors are full of dark feelings. Little Red Riding Hood being “eaten by the wolf” is, according to some interpretations, a symbol of abuse. From this perspective, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) emerges clearly: distrust, constant alertness, recurring nightmares, and perceiving the world as a threatening place… The tale tells much more than the child’s journey in the forest; it might be the story of a fear that never silences in a child’s mind.
Similarly, there are other fairy tales hiding behind innocence. Pinocchio… A naughty puppet who lies. Pinocchio’s constant lying, breaking rules, and ignoring others’ feelings might seem like childish mischief, but can actually be warning signs of antisocial personality disorder. Disrespect for rules, lack of empathy, and manipulative behavior are the core elements of this disorder. Fortunately, Pinocchio’s transformation process symbolizes that dealing with this disorder is possible.
Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower for years; the outside world is like a dream for her. This life, isolated from social relationships and closed to knowledge, is a vivid example of social isolation and developmental trauma. The years spent in the tower make her fragile and dependent toward the outside world. Her unquestioning attachment to the first person who enters her life is a natural result of her inexperience.
Loneliness, fear, and helplessness make some characters passive, while paradoxically making others dependent on the figures they are attached to. We also see traces of this in the tale of “Beauty and the Beast.” The “Beauty” falls in love with the creature who imprisons her; this bond, which begins with fear, gradually turns into a romantic relationship. In psychology, this is called Stockholm Syndrome; it is one of the unconscious ways a victim develops positive feelings toward the person harming them in order to survive under threat.
The Little Mermaid Ariel gives up her voice to become human. Her voice, her identity, and feelings are silenced. This symbolizes identity conflict, a search for belonging, and the dissolution of boundaries. From the perspective of borderline personality disorder, Ariel’s story is a dramatic reflection of intense emotions, fear of abandonment, identity confusion, and rapid decisions. Ariel is one of the most striking examples of “not belonging anywhere.”
Fairy Tales Are Not Just Fairy Tales!
Fairy tales are always told as a battle between good and evil. But that battle is not outside; it actually happens inside a person. Each character whispers a part of us. We see in the evil queen the jealousy we suppress, in Cinderella the moments we remain silent, in Rapunzel the parts of ourselves trapped inside. In these stories, the winner is not the one who defeats the wolf, but the one who can face it. Fairy tales are not written to help us grow up; they are written to remind us what we lose while growing. We listen as children and pretend to forget as we grow. But fairy tales stay with us somewhere. One morning when looking in the mirror, chasing a dream, or waking up with a fear no one knows… Because fairy tales are not made up. They are the deep and ancient voices of the human soul.
Psychology helps us hear that voice. And then we realize: Although fairy tales are written for children, they are mostly about adults. Because the best way to understand a person is still through fairy tales.