Narrativas imaginativas: os contos de fadas e a subjetividade infantil

Abstract

This study examines how fairy tales can serve as a lens to apprehend aspects of children’s subjectivity, integrating theoretical perspectives from Psychoanalysis and Anthroposophy. Drawing on the works of Freud, Winnicott, Piera Aulagnier, Rudolf Steiner, Benjamin, Bettelheim and Coelho, it explores how children’s literature — particularly fairy tales — nurtures symbolic, creative, and subjective processes, fostering emotional, social, and cognitive development. The research was conducted in an early childhood education institution in Goiânia, Brazil, whose pedagogical approach is grounded in Anthroposophy. Three children, all aged six, participated in individual workshops where they listened to the orally narrated tale The Princess of the Castle in Flames and subsequently produced imaginative retellings, documented through drawings and later analyzed. The methodological framework followed Robert K. Yin’s (2001) case study approach, structuring each narrative in two stages: presentation of the production context and analysis of the narrated and observed elements. A climate of attentive listening and a welcoming environment encouraged the children’s free expression, enabling the identification of processes such as identification, sublimation, and daydreaming, along with references to their school and family experiences. Findings indicate that the narrative re-elaborations provided significant insights into the children’s inner world, highlighting the potential of fairy tales as both pedagogical and clinical tools. When presented with sensitivity and respect for the child’s inner time, these narratives foster the symbolic elaboration of experiences, support conflict mediation, and strengthen socio-emotional skills. In this context, children’s literature emerges as a powerful mediator between imagination and reality, offering pathways for holistic development and for a deeper understanding of children’s subjectivity.