Storytime for Grownups: Summer Session — The Deep Dark Woods

Release Date: June 30, 2025

Hosts: Faith Moore and Sam

Introduction to Summer Session

Time Stamp: [00:00] – [01:30]

Faith Moore welcomes listeners to a special "Summer Session" of Storytime for Grownups, a departure from the usual format of reading classic literature chapters with insightful notes. Instead, for the summer months, the podcast adopts a "college class" approach, focusing on the exploration of fairy tales and their connections to previously discussed books and broader storytelling themes.

Faith Moore:
"From now until September, we will be in Summer Session, which is sort of like a college class, only fun."
[00:10]

Listener Engagement and Community Building

Time Stamp: [01:30] – [18:24]

Sam takes over to engage listeners with reminders to subscribe, leave positive reviews, and share the podcast with friends and family. Sam emphasizes the importance of community support in allowing the podcast to continue and expand its offerings.

Sam:
"If you've been enjoying the show, just tap those five stars... it really helps the show to be visible to other people who are looking for new things to listen to."
[01:30]

Faith adds details about additional resources available in the show notes, such as merchandise, community memberships, and opportunities for listener interaction through questions and comments.

Exploring Parental Roles in Fairy Tales

Time Stamp: [18:24] – [08:10]

The discussion transitions to a listener's question regarding the portrayal of Cinderella's father in various versions of the tale. Faith and Sam analyze the implications of having a deceased father in Disney's adaptation versus the active but complicit father in original tales by Basile, Perrault, and Grimm.

Faith Moore:
"We, as the reader or the viewer, assume that had the father been alive, he wouldn't have allowed this to happen."
[05:47]

Sam expands on the significance of the "failed father" trope, relating it to the broader theme of growing up and the necessity for protagonists to navigate challenges independently. This narrative device underscores the transition from childhood dependency to self-sufficiency.

Sam:
"Growing up is a central idea in a lot of these stories, and one thing you have to do when you grow up is separate in some way from your family of origin."
[07:10]

Symbolism of the Deep Dark Woods

Time Stamp: [08:10] – [14:23]

Faith introduces the episode's main theme: the symbolism of the deep dark woods in fairy tales. Drawing on Bruno Bettelheim's "The Uses of Enchantment," they discuss how forests represent places of crisis and transformation, serving as settings where characters confront and overcome significant challenges.

Faith Moore:
"The near impenetrable forest in which we get lost has symbolized the dark, hidden, near impenetrable world of our unconscious." *(Paraphrased)
[13:35]

Sam highlights the dual nature of woods as both places of danger and freedom, essential for character development and the resolution of internal conflicts.

Sam:
"The woods hold the magical or symbolic power to cause change."
[12:28]

Featured Fairy Tales: Hansel and Gretel & Little Red Riding Hood

Time Stamp: [14:23] – [46:38]

Faith and Sam proceed to read and analyze three classic fairy tales: Hansel and Gretel, and two versions of Little Red Riding Hood (Perrault and Grimm). Through these narratives, they exemplify the recurring motifs and symbolic meanings associated with the woods.

Hansel and Gretel

Faith narrates the Brothers Grimm version of Hansel and Gretel, emphasizing themes such as familial neglect, survival, and resourcefulness. The story illustrates the siblings' journey through the woods, encountering the wicked witch, and ultimately overcoming adversity through courage and intelligence.

Faith Moore:
"Gretel ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable and cried, 'Hansel, we are saved.'”
[33:16]

Little Red Riding Hood: Perrault vs. Grimm

Faith reads both the Perrault and Grimm versions of Little Red Riding Hood, highlighting the differing moral lessons each version imparts.

• Perrault's Version: Focuses on the dangers of straying from the path and succumbing to the wolf's deceit, serving as a cautionary tale about the perils of innocence and naivety.

Sam:
"The Perrault version is so clearly about sex and what happens when you give in to a man that you shouldn't give in to that."
[16:21]

• Grimm's Version: Emphasizes obedience and vigilance, portraying a more proactive approach to overcoming evil by relying on external help (the huntsman).

Faith Moore:
"The Grimm version... added in a punishment for the wolf and the lesson learned for Little Red."
[16:53]

Themes and Symbolism Highlighted

Time Stamp: [08:10] – [46:38]

Throughout the readings, Faith and Sam point out how the deep dark woods serve as crucibles for the protagonists' development. They discuss how these environments force characters to confront their fears, make pivotal decisions, and emerge transformed.

Faith Moore:
"What I would like to discuss this time is the idea of the deep, dark woods... they are a huge trope, not just in fairy tales, but in all sorts of literature and other media."
[09:31]

Sam:
"The woods are the place where fairy tale characters go to work things out. It's the place where the danger lies, and it's the place where the danger must be faced."
[12:05]

Conclusion and Listener Interaction

Time Stamp: [46:38] – [48:30]

Faith wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to reflect on the symbolism of the deep dark woods and share their thoughts via the website. She also previews the podcast's return in September with a new book and continues to solicit support through subscriptions, reviews, and donations.

Faith Moore:
"Write to me with your thoughts, because there's lots more to say about the woods in a fairy tale."
[18:24]

Sam:
"I'll see you next week, Sam."
[48:33]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Faith Moore:
  "From now until September, we will be in Summer Session, which is sort of like a college class, only fun."
  [00:10]

• Sam:
  "If you've been enjoying the show, just tap those five stars... it really helps the show to be visible to other people who are looking for new things to listen to."
  [01:30]

• Faith Moore:
  "We, as the reader or the viewer, assume that had the father been alive, he wouldn't have allowed this to happen."
  [05:47]

• Sam:
  "Growing up is a central idea in a lot of these stories, and one thing you have to do when you grow up is separate in some way from your family of origin."
  [07:10]

• Faith Moore:
  "The near impenetrable forest in which we get lost has symbolized the dark, hidden, near impenetrable world of our unconscious."
  [13:35]

• Sam:
  "The Perrault version is so clearly about sex and what happens when you give in to a man that you shouldn't give in to that."
  [16:21]

• Faith Moore:
  "What I would like to discuss this time is the idea of the deep, dark woods... they are a huge trope, not just in fairy tales, but in all sorts of literature and other media."
  [09:31]

Final Thoughts

In this episode of Storytime for Grownups, Faith Moore and Sam delve deep into the rich symbolism of the woods in fairy tales, exploring how these narratives use setting as a catalyst for character development and moral lessons. By analyzing classic stories like Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood, they uncover the timeless themes of survival, obedience, and the journey from innocence to experience. This Summer Session not only provides engaging storytelling but also invites listeners to ponder the deeper meanings behind these beloved tales.