Storytelling for Social Coherence and Social Change

Fairy tales and children's stories are excellent connective tissue--they offer an immediate point of connection between and among students. Even adults who were not readers have memories of being read to, or of encountering children's stories and/or fairy tales in other formats (video, music, etc.) We will spend time exploring our shared experiences as we also delve into our significant differences. Both courses are discussion-based, requiring that students see themselves as part of a community of scholars that is inclusive and diverse, connecting to both their own traditions and those of their classmates and peers. 

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  • Coursework Overview

    The coursework for this Endeavor community involves taking a one-unit course in the fall semester and a half-unit course in the spring semester, both taught by Dr. Elisabeth Gruner.

    Fall 2026 Semester

    Spring 2027 Semester

    FYS 100: The Literary Lives of Fairy Tales (1 unit)

    ENGL 203: Children’s Literature (1 unit)

    FYS 100 satisfies a Web of Inquiry Engagement Learning Area; students are required to take one first-year (FYS) during their first semester at Richmond.

    ENGL 203 satisfies a Web of Inquiry Literary and Textual Area of Inquiry as well as a Written Communication Integrated Focus Area.  This course can be applied toward an English major or minor.

  • Specific Course Information

    FYS 100: The Literary Lives of Fairy Tales

    Fairy tales are among the most popular, and least understood, literature and entertainment we provide to children. But did you know that most fairy tales were not originally intended for children? That they contain stories of violence, adultery, cannibalism, and more? How did these become nursery fare? Do those origins still leave their traces in the children’s movies and books that we know and love? And why do we keep telling them over and over again? In this first-year seminar course we will delve into fairy tales, fairy tale revisions, adaptations, and reworkings, in order to explore the relevance of fairy tales for and beyond childhood and for and beyond entertainment. Questions we’ll consider include:  

    • do fairy tales express universal truths or culturally-specific values or both? 
    • what makes a story a fairy tale?
    • who are fairy tales for? 
    • what does it mean to revise and/or rework a fairy tale?

    ENGL 203: Children’s Literature

    This course offers a survey of selected literature for children. It emphasizes the literary quality rather than the pedagogical value of literature for children, though both will come up during our conversations. During the course of the semester, we will focus on finding the cultural, historical, and literary contexts for the literature of childhood, exploring the relationship between what we know and what we think we know about children and their literature, and understanding a body of literature that is widely enjoyed but rarely respected. In this class we will also focus on the enduring qualities of stories--what are the building blocks of story that recur? Who are they for and what do they do?

  • Faculty Information

    Dr. Elisabeth Gruner is a Professor of English and serves as the Director of First Year Seminar (FYS) and Writing Across the Curriculum.

  • Endeavor Short Course Information

    As part of the Endeavor program, you will participate in the popular Endeavor Pre-Orientation program, where you will take a short course led by Dr. Elisabeth Gruner.

    Short Course Description: Little Red Comes to College

    In this short course we will read three versions of the classic fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood,” exploring some of the many meanings that the tale has taken on over the years. Students will come away from the course with a renewed appreciation of the value and meaning of fairy tales, as well as some tools for reading and writing about them critically.