Question

What compelled the Grimms to concentrate on old German epics, tales, and literature was a belief that the most natural and pure forms of culture, those which held the community together, were linguistic and based on history. According to them, modern literature, even though it might be remarkably rich, was artificial and thus could not express the genuine essence of volk culture that emanated naturally from experience and bound the people together. Therefore, all their efforts went toward uncovering stories from the past. "How the Grimm Brothers Saved the Fairy Tale," Jack Zipes. What is the author's purpose for writing the essay "How the Grimm Brothers Saved the Fairy Tale"? A) To entertain children with details from the Grimms' tales. B) To persuade adults to read and enjoy fairy tales more often. C) To inform scholars of the ways modern literature can be artificial. D) To inform readers of the reasons why the Grimms collected their tales.

Answer 1

The author's purpose for writing 'How the Grimm Brothers Saved the Fairy Tale' is d) to inform readers about the Grimm brothers' reasons for collecting German folk tales. It emphasizes the Grimms' belief in the importance of preserving cultural history and the 'German spirit' found in traditional stories against modern influences.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author Jack Zipes aims to provide readers with an understanding of the Grimms brothers' motivations behind collecting German folk tales. His purpose is reflected in the extensive work the brothers did in philology and their pursuit of capturing the essence of the German spirit, which they believed was encapsulated in the traditional stories and the language of the past. Taking into consideration the context provided about the Romantic nationalists and their efforts to preserve cultural artifacts from being 'corrupted' by modernity, it’s clear that the author's primary objective in the essay 'How the Grimm Brothers Saved the Fairy Tale' is to shed light on the historical and cultural significance of the Grimms' work.

The answer to the question based on the excerpt provided is D) To inform readers of the reasons why the Grimms collected their tales. The Grimms were intent on conserving the 'pure' elements of culture that they felt were intertwined with the German language and historical narratives. Their labor in saving fairy tales from the past was driven by their aspiration to maintain and strengthen the communal bonds that these stories fostered among the people, which, according to them, could not be achieved through the artificiality of contemporary literature.