In fairy tales portals are used to transcend a child living a normal, everyday life into a secret and unfamiliar world. This world is full of magic, mystery, and often times danger. There are many types of portals. One is a rabbit hole.
Another is a bean stalk.

In the Wizard of Oz Dorothy is taken from her mundane life in a tornado to the land of Oz. Although she must go through many trials and tribulations while in Oz, in the end of the story she would not trade her experience for anything.

In the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a closet acts as a portal.

All literature is displaced myth. In one way or another portals come into a fairy tale. Children are little creatures of repetition so they are thrilled when they see a similar theme come into a different stories again and again. Fairy tales become canonized by using a similar equation that is easy to follow. There is usually a moral and a little bit of magic. Realism doesn't have any place in fairy tales. After all, why would someone want to read a dry story when they could my magnetized by adventure and lore that is impossible in everyday life?

Fairy tales are responsible for shaping lives. By hearing these canonized stories again and again in childhood, we cannot help but remember these make believe masterpieces in our adult lives. Even if one's mind flashes back subconsciously when they hear any type of reference to a Red cape or a glass slipper, fairy tales are still very prevalent and will be for years and years to come.