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Abstract
We live in a world where the word fairy tales immediately makes people think Disney and happy endings. The Disney version of any tale has become the only version known, and changes to any facet creates chaos amongst the public, with groups taking to social media and expounding on how that is not the way it was originally done. By Disney. Forgetting completely the history of the actual story, author, and intent; especially that happy ending. Is the focus on a happy ending clouding, or even removing, the messages of the tales? This paper will examine two major stories and their massively altered Disney versions to determine the impact on the psychological awareness of audiences of constantly having a happy ending. Using a psychoanalysis of both the original tale and the Disney animated film, along with research from noted authorities on folklore, fairy tales, and their psychological role in human development, I will examine how altering these (and other) tales so significantly is affecting readers and viewers alike. While my initial belief is that the adjustments Disney makes to the stories, and specifically to the endings, infects audiences with an overblown sense of optimism that does not allow or assist living with the harsher realities of the real world, I also know that without these films, certain stories, characters, histories, and even authors, might not be as recognizable today, and that these films might also serve as an introduction to the literary world for a number of people.