The Brothers Grimm version of “Hansel and Gretel” certainly offers strong commentary on greed, adulthood, and a good family. Let's explore each of these a bit to help you answer this question.

In terms of greed, think first about the stepmother. She puts herself first before the welfare of everyone else in the family. She cares nothing for the children and would rather get rid of them to have more food for herself. She also cares nothing for her husband, for she badgers him into sacrificing his children for her selfish desires. You could talk about the witch as example of greed, too. After all, she wants Hansel nice and fat so that she can fully enjoy her meal of him.

The adults in this story do not show well. We have already talked about the stepmother and her wicked plans, but the father is not really a good man either. He is weak and unable to stand up for what he knows is right. It is easier to go along with evil than to do what is good. The witch, of course, is just plain evil.

Finally, we can think about what it means to have a good family. Clearly, there is not a good family at the beginning of the tale. The father claims to love his children, yet he refuses to defend them. The stepmother wants to leave Hansel and Gretel to a horrible death. The brother and sister, though, are devoted to one another and willing to sacrifice themselves to help and guide each other. This is what family should look like, and we can hope that the father learns that lesson from his children now that the stepmother is gone at the end of the story.