A common theme is the struggle between good and evil within a character. For example, in 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', Dr. Jekyll represents good but has an evil side in Mr. Hyde that he battles with. Another theme is the idea that good ultimately triumphs. In many fairy tales like 'Cinderella', the kind and good - hearted Cinderella overcomes the evil stepmother and stepsisters.
Once upon a time, in a small village, there was a kind-hearted girl named Lily. The evil witch of the nearby forest hated the village's happiness. Lily found the witch was planning to curse the village. So, she bravely entered the forest. With her pure heart, she managed to break the witch's magic tools. The witch, in anger, cast a spell on her, but Lily's goodness protected her. In the end, the witch was defeated by Lily's unwavering kindness and the village was saved.
One famous 'good vs evil' short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. In this story, the narrator's struggle with his own conscience after committing an evil act represents the battle between good and evil within a person. The narrator kills an old man because of his 'evil eye' but then is haunted by the sound of the old man's still - beating heart, which could be seen as his remaining sense of good making him feel guilty.
One common element is the clear distinction between the characters or forces representing good and evil. For example, in 'Snow White', Snow White is clearly the good character with her kindness and beauty, while the Evil Queen is, well, evil with her jealousy and attempts to harm Snow White.
Good vs evil in stories serves as a powerful moral compass. It allows readers to easily distinguish between right and wrong, which is essential for moral development. For example, in fairy tales like 'Snow White', the good Snow White and the evil queen clearly represent two opposing forces. This simple dichotomy helps children understand basic values from a young age.
One good short story with a good vs evil theme is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. In this story, the narrator represents evil as he murders an old man for no justifiable reason, while the concept of justice and the old man's innocence can be seen as the good. The narrator's guilty conscience in the end also shows that evil cannot truly prevail.
Because they are easy to understand. We can clearly tell who is good and who is bad, like in 'Snow White' where Snow White is the good one and the Evil Queen is bad. It gives a sense of justice being served at the end.
One quote could be 'The monster's thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws: He slipped through the door and there in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies, the blood dripping behind him.' This shows the evil of Grendel as he brutally kills the men. It emphasizes the contrast with the good that Beowulf represents when he comes to fight this evil.
In 'The Lord of the Rings', Frodo Baggins is an iconic good character. He is small and unassuming but has a great heart. He undertakes the nearly impossible task of destroying the One Ring to save Middle - earth. As for the evil side, Sauron is the ultimate villain. His dark presence looms over the entire story. Another example is in 'Star Wars'. Luke Skywalker is a well - known good character. He is the hero who battles the evil Empire. Darth Vader, with his black armor and menacing presence, is one of the most iconic villains in movie history.
In 'Harry Potter', Harry, Hermione, and Ron are on the side of good. They fight against Voldemort, the ultimate evil. Voldemort wants to dominate the wizarding world and eliminate all those who oppose him. The whole series is filled with the battles between good and evil, with the good characters constantly trying to uphold justice and protect the innocent.