The fairy tale is accused of giving children a false…
““The fairy tale is accused of giving children a false impression of the world they live in. But I think no literature that children could read gives them less of a false impression. I think what profess to be realistic stories for children are far more likely to deceive them. I never expected the real world to be like the fairy tales. I think that I did expect school to be like the school stories. The fantasies did not deceive me: the school stories did. All stories in which children have adventures and successes which are possible, in the sense that they do not break the laws of nature, but almost infinitely improbable, are in more danger than the fairy tales of raising false expectations… This distinction holds for adult reading too. The dangerous fantasy is always superficially realistic. The real victim of wishful reverie does not batten on the Odyssey, The Tempest, or The Worm Ouroboros: he (or she) prefers stories about millionaires, irresistible beauties, posh hotels, palm beaches and bedroom scenes—things that really might happen, that ought to happen, that would have happened if the reader had had a fair chance. For, as I say, there are two kinds of longing. The one is an askesis, a spiritual exercise, and the other is a disease.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Lewis argues that stories appearing realistic yet highly improbable mislead children more than fantastical tales, because they set false expectations about ordinary life.
In simple terms: Realistic‑looking fantasies can be more harmful than obvious fairy tales.
Key Takeaway
Beware of narratives that promise improbable success in everyday settings.
Themes
literature
childhood
expectations
illusion
Mood
thoughtful
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- reading to children
- educational curricula
- media criticism
- parental guidance
Key Concepts
realism
probability
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you distinguish healthy imagination from deceptive realism?
- What role should adults play in guiding children's reading choices?
A Different Perspective
Even fairy tales can teach resilience if interpreted wisely.