Perspectives

Literary period

The fairy tale “Petronella” by Jay Williams was originally published in 1973 and is a postmodernist text. The story is postmodernist because it challenges the traditional fairy-tale tropes (stylistic elements). Postmodernism is a literary movement that challenges modernist and conventional styles and devices used in literature. For example, "Petronella" introduces atypical heroes and villains, who act in a non-conventional way. Another postmodernist feature of the text is the use of humour and irony.

 You should also consider that the story still respects some of the tropes of the fairy tale genre. The events are set in a typical princess and princesses setting and the story includes magical numbers, beings, and objects. The story also has a happy ending.

Works in the same genre

If you want to further explore the fairy-tale genre, you can consider some of the following stories.

Works with the same theme

The theme of appearances is also explored in other short s...