Granted

Fairy-like magical creatures have existed in mythology and folk tales since ancient times. These include the nymphs of Greek mythology—creatures like fairies who have a strong connection to nature. There are also the djinns of Middle Eastern literature who have the power to grant wishes; the most famous of these appears in the story “Aladdin” from the work One Thousand and One Nights. The term “fairy” likely came about in Europe in the Middle Ages, signifying a magical creature that looked like a human and had a penchant for mischief. Folktales about fairies became popular during this time.

During England’s Renaissance, fairies made their way into literature. In 1596, Edmund Spenser wrote his famous epic poem The Faerie Queen, in which the fairy of the title represented Queen Elizabeth. At around this time, Shakespeare also wrote the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which featured fairies as important characters. The popularity of fairies in literature of the period shows that they ignited the imaginations of the public then, and they are still popular to this day. Fairies have a long history compared to other fantasy creatures in English literature.

The author of Granted, John David Anderson, uses some traditional characteristics about fairies for his characters, though he changes a few. For example, in many old fairy stories, fairies are born from blossoming flowers; this a common idea that shows up even in Disney’s Fantasia. Anderson, too, uses this traditional fairy characteristic in Granted, even going so far as to have the fairy characters named after the plant they came from. Also, a lot of fairy stories say that fairies live in an alternate world separated from humans, only accessible through special means. However, in Granted, any human can access Haven, the fairies’ home, as long as they can resist the magic that makes them stay away. While this detail is a variation on traditional fairy stories, Anderson still maintains that fairies and humans must stay in separate worlds.

When most people think of fairies, they usually picture small, winged human-like creatures, and this is exactly how Ophelia and Charlie are described. However, the term “fairy” actually includes many other different creatures, many of whom do not have wings. Elves, dwarves, gnomes, leprechauns, brownies, sprites, and pixies are all considered “fay,” which is another term for fairies. Anderson mentions these different types of fairies when Ophelia rides on Sam. In the fairy world of Granted, North American fairies have wings while others do not. They ride on bats, doves, and hawks, and Ophelia jokes about legends of giant fairies riding horses. All of these examples of different types of fairies have a place in traditional literature.

Another common characteristic about fairies is that they have the power to grant wishes, and often, in traditional literature, this wish granting comes with rules or with a price. Often, characters are warned against dealing with fairies because they are known for making unfair agreements. Traditionally, fairies only grant wishes after getting something in return; for instance, in many versions of Cinderella, the fairy godmother helps Cinderella because Cinderella was once kind to her. In other stories, mischievous fairies balance their good deeds with an equal amount of naughty ones, while other fairies only help if threatened. Sometimes, fairies are depicted as kind creatures who do grant wishes, but only after directly interacting with humans. Anderson changes this tradition in Granted by following the example of The Shoemaker and the Elves. In that story, kind elves help a shoemaker by making beautiful shoes for him to sell though he never meets them. This story is unique among traditional fairy tales, which are often full of warnings about never to trust fairies and never eat their food, cautioning characters to leave small offerings to keep them happy. In some folk tales, fairies are even seen as a significant danger to humans, stealing children and leading people to their deaths. However, in Granted, things are turned around. Humans are a danger to fairies and are best avoided.

Since fairies have been a significant part of Western literature for so long, they are portrayed with a lot of regional and character variation. Anderson uses many older stories to guide Granted, but he also intentionally alters some traditional beliefs about fairies. For example, in the novel, fairies live alongside humans rather than existing in an entirely different world. The book highlights the diversity among fairies, including descriptions of different creatures and how they live. Granted also presents a unique view of fairies and humans, challenging the usual ideas about these fantastical beings and their connection to the human world.