Likely due to the fact that I grew up at the beach, my favorite story when I was little was The Little Mermaid. I adored the Disney movie and the associated Disney picture books, but was horrified when a relative gifted me a picture book version of the original Hans Christian Andersen tale. To say that the original tale is beyond creepy is an understatement.

 

For my project, I’d like to retell the original Little Mermaid tale. I’m not yet sure how I want to handle the creepy elements, but I do know that I want to give the Little Mermaid more agency and that I want her to be motivated by something more compelling than a desire to win the affection of a man she has never met. Like Kiersten with Little Dead Riding Hood, I want to reframe the story's key question in a way that lends the female protagonist more power. 

 

Next up: Filling out my original story breakdown!