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The Case of Hansel and Gretel
Case Summary:
The Matter of Hansel and Gretel is about a father who has lost the custody of his children because he left them in the woods when he had nothing to feed them. The case brings up questions about parental responsibility, juvenile delinquency, and the impact poverty has on the stability of a household. Like most children, Gretel desperately wants to return to her father's house, in spite of his weakness and neglect. Is that really what's best for her? What about Hansel? In our contemporary retelling, he is angry and dissolute. What is best for him? Even though they both want different things, should the siblings stay together?
Father:
Am I under arrest?
Officer:
No. This is not a criminal matter. Sir, we have eyewitnesses who say your children have been roaming the woods for several weeks, abandoned by their parents.
Father:
What business is it of yours? It's my family
Officer:
Children are not property. You cannot treat them like property. We are taking them into protective custody.
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