A fairy tale, in the simplest terms, is a story that conveys a moral or lesson, typically to children. Most have historical connections to folklore and oral tales; they are about magic and magical creatures and feature houses made of gingerbread, godmothers with magic wands, and animals that talk and wear human clothing. Many traditional fairy tales, such as “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” and “Sleeping Beauty” feature princesses in peril and princes saving the day. However, modern tales, such as Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, offer a critique of society (in Atwood’s novel, it’s a feminist critique), and sometimes a dystopian view of the future.

As a child, you probably read or saw film versions of traditional fairy tales, and learned social lessons from them. “Hansel and Gretel” and “Little Red Riding Hood” warn children of the dangers of going into the dark woods without a grown-up and reinforce the rule “don’t talk to strangers.” “The Three Little Pigs” enforces the idea that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right.

As an adult—and as a reader and writer—you most likely encounter fairy tales from a different, more analytic angle. Use the guidelines that follow to read fairy tales and related genres critically. Understanding their conventions and rhetorical contexts are key to composing in them.