For your consideration (and your blog posting!)
** Little Red Riding Hood is a folk tale, which has been passed down from generation to generation. Most folk tales of this type are some type of cautionary tale, which encourages a certain type of behaviour, usually in children. With that in mind, consider what 1) The wolf represents; 2) What Little Red Riding Hood's RIDING HOOD represents; 3) What the dark wood represents.
Consider that this tale would have been passed down from mother to daughter. What type of dangers might the mother be warning the daughter of?
** What is the significance of the wolf? Why is he a wolf and not a bear? Why does Little Red Riding Hood wear a hood, specifically, and why is it red?
** How do the two traditional versions differ? (We'll deal with the Angela Carter version in another post)
Get started with these. Please write a short paragraph or several paragraphs to "unpack" these. I want to see you THINK. I won't be "grading" grammar, syntax, etc.
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23 comments:
I would say that the wolf represents a physco kidnapper or child molester,I would say that Little Red Riding Hood represents a small innocent child, (male or female) and The dark woods may represent being violated or being taken to the dark side.
Considering that this tale had been past down form generation to generation from mother to daughter, I think the mother would be warning her daughter not to be nieve. Not to talk to strangers even of they seem nice.
It just seems like wolfs are usually portrayed as this sneaky manipulative characters but they usually have a smooth easy going personality, I think the wolf is signifigant because thats is the kind of person a mother would warn her daughter about, somone who seems smooth and easy going but they are realy manipulative and tricky. Its not a bear because bears are nice. I think the hood helps portray her as a sweet innocent little child and i think its red because it stands out as a loud pretty color that little girl would wear.
The tradtional versons are pretty much the same except in the one by Charles Perrault the wolf eats the grand-mother/daughter and the story is over. In the versoin by Angela carter a man comes out of the woods and cuts the grand-mother/daughter out of the sleeping wolf's stomach.
February 13, 2008 11:11 AM
I agree with mike i believe that the wolf represents some one that is a threat to society, some one that will hurt another innocent person for their own pleasure and not think twice about their deeds. Little Red Riding Hood's Ridding hood represents the pretection that we have from the big bad wolves out there, the protection that we have like the police and laws that are a sheild that protects us, if this hood would not be there; there would be nothing holding the wolves back. The dark woods represent the places that people go to not knowing the bad side effects that those places have.
Considering this tale being passed from mother to daughter, the mother is actually warning the daughter of the society that surrounds her. She is warning the daughter about how dangerous strangers can be and how people can disguise as being her dear ones but then turning out to be something else (wolf disguised as the grandmother).
The significance of the wolf is that in fairy tales the wolf is a character that is evil but yet is so slick and charming that the innocent character falls for the evil tricks of the wolf, just like how a daughter can fall for the wrong guy. The use of the wolf instead of a bear is that wolves are cunning animals but bears are considered nice. Little Red Ridding Hood wears a hood because it is a representation of a childs innocence that shelters him/her and it is red because red is a color that represents danger and love, something that is always surrounding not only a child but everyone.
The two traditional versions are very different because not only are the endings very different but some of the props used are also different: like in the Grimm's version Little Red Cap is used instead of the red hood. In the Perrault's version she takes cake and butter not cake and wine like the Grimm's version. I believe that the Grimm's version is more modern than the Perrault's version just by the different takes on the same story and how different the characters actions are. And one ends in a tragedy(Perrault) and the other is a happily every after ending(Grimm's).
The Wolf:
Because the wolf is male, it is easy to interpret his significance as being a representation of males in general, and how some males have the tendency to be "wolfish" in nature. Wolves are commonly thought of as strong, aggressive, intelligent leader-types, which is the same stereotype that is placed on men. The fact that when it comes down to it, a wolf is simply just another carnivore, is significant in that it implies that no matter how charming, handsome, intelligent, or capable a man may seem, he still has the potential to be dangerous.
As to why the wolf is not a bear, the only explanation that I can come up with is that bears do not have the same sense of underlying danger that wolves possess, possibly because throughout literature they are not represented as dangerous. For example, in the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, it is the bears that are taken advantage of by a greedy little girl. Their reaction to her breaking and entering and thievery is considered justified. Often, children take comfort in a teddy bear. Smokey the Bear is a symbol of conservation of national forests. Bears are just simply not as mistrusted as wolves are.
The Red Riding Hood/Cap
Both the cap and the hood were gifts given to the girl by integral women in her life. That the adornments were red is symbolic: red is generally a color associated with danger. Red is also the color of passion, associated with sexual desire. The cloak and cap singled the girl out, made her unique, made her noticeable.
The Dark Wood:
The Dark Wood represents the world outside the safety of home and hearth. There are beautiful things (flowers, butterflies, etc.), but there are dangerous things as well. Straying from a path of moral living leads to danger.
That the story was passed from mother to daughter makes sense -- the tale is a warning about wandering from a path of morality and dutiful living.
Perrault's version of the tale is based on traditional folk tales. It contains highly sexual symbolism, and an ending generally deemed too gruesome for a children's tale. It is generally thought to be a tale told among adults. Grimm's version has more of an instructional tone, and has a happily-ever-after ending, with the child learning her lesson (to be more obedient and to be wary of strangers).
I could go further with all this, but it's pretty long as it is, and your parameters were to keep it "brief." I hope you're having fun in New York! :]
~Ashley
First, I think the reason for the wolf instead of the bear is because a wolf is known to be sly and cunning. Also, even though wolves are known to be dangerous, they are less obvious than a bear, and have a better chance of tricking someone. The dark woods represents the world outside the safety of one’s parents or guardian. She could walk through the woods with her parents and they won’t seem as dangerous, but on her own they are very dangerous because she is more vulnerable. This is the same as the world, when a girl is with her parents it is less likely for her to be worried about being taken. This is definitely a story told to warn young girls of the dangers outside their home and to warn them to keep their distance from strangers. The wolf represents people out there who prey on young girls and will do anything (including eat the grandmother) to satisfy their desires. It has the moral at the end of one of the stories that says it. It also warns them because it says that even the most attractive stranger can be the most dangerous. This could be another reason why they chose a wolf because, personally I think wolves are pretty, but they are also the one of the most dangerous out there. So don’t judge them based on their outer appearance, because they can be very deceptive. One of the main differences is that the Grimm’s brothers’ story had a happy ending compared to the other one where she was eaten up (and stayed eaten up).
I think that everyone is dancing around the answers to these questions, and what has been said has elements of truth, but why don't we lay it out in simple terms:
Wolf
Male sexuality. Deviant, sly, only after one thing.
The Red Riding Hood
Female virginity. More specifically, I believe the riding hood is a direct representation of the young girl's maidenhead, or hymen. While there may not be much value attached to it in modern American culture, traditionally (and in many other cultures today) preservation of this symbol of virginity is extremely important. Red is symbolic of menstruation, at which time she has become a woman and attracts the attention of the wolf.
The Dark Wood
This is the least obvious to me, but I think that it probably is a general representation of imagination run wild, unpure thoughts, etc. Basically "straying off the path" of righteousness is what makes the young girl vulnerable to the wolf.
I think the fact that the encounter between Red and the Wolf occurs in bed seals the deal on the sexual metaphor.
The tale of Little Red Riding Hood is basically a summation of fears a mother naturally has towards a naive daughter. The girl herself represents innocence while the red coat she wears represents vulnerability to that innocence. The color red is eye catching, and to a wolf, or a predator, it’s something that they attack. The dark forest she travels though represents the unsafe nature of the world and all it contains.
The “wolf” can be used to infer to a variety of things. It can relate to any number of men that are dishonorable, foul, immoral, et cetera. The image of a wolf is seen in cartoons when a character sees a really attractive woman and howls at the attractive figure. Bears represent something different. This may not be the best example, but you don’t see Disney or anyone else writing out tales of Winnie the Wolf instead of Winnie the Bear. Wolf’s are predatory while bears, although just as predatory or violent animals, are larger animals. It’s hard to explain but “wolf” clicks more in at least my mind as something predatory or mean, versus a bear. When I think of a bear, I think I’d have to REALLY go out in the the woods, kick a bear cub in the face, and stand and wait for Mama Bear to come along. I’d have to provoke a bear whereas a wolf
Why should the girl be saved at the end?
The Grimm Bros. version of the story at least gives a sense of comfort that even though a mistake was made by the innocent, there’s a second chance whereas Perrault offers the “Game Over” “Post Apocalyptic moral telling conclusion that echoes “If you screw up the first time, you’re as good as dead!”. Bad guy wins, lesson learned for the rest of you idiots that want to stroll through the forest for the sake of checking on grandma.
What the wolf represents is, to me, the most obvious thing in this tale. I strongly believe that the wolf represents a man, who especially has a lot of interest in women. This, I think, is the reason he’s represented as a wolf rather than a bear. Traditionally, a bear is considered as a dull or somewhat silly character in fairy tales. I’m not sure about other country’s fairy tales, but it’s definitely the case in Korean fairy tales which I grew up with. In contrast, a wolf is whole another creature which can play tricks on a prey and toy with it. Men can be very deceptive sometimes, and some men can be very untrustworthy when it comes to the matter of women. So I think a wolf suits better than a bear when describing a man.
I think the dark wood represents an adult side world that children are not allowed to enter, but as we all know children are creatures of curiosity, which guarantees that they will enter it eventually even if they were told not to do so, and it’s exactly what the Little Red Riding Hood does in Grimm brother’s version.
The Red Riding Hood represents vulnerable and attractive characteristics of any women as the color red represents danger and love. Though I’m not too sure why Little Red Riding Hood always wears a hood, I think it’s because young women are especially vulnerable and attractive in the eyes of men.
If this tale would have been passed down from mother to daughter, it can only be a cautionary tale that teaches young ladies to be careful when they meet a stranger, especially a wolf like man. The two versions differ from each other by the ending, which the Little Red Riding Hood and her granny are saved by a hunter in Grimm brothers’ version and not so in other version. In addition, the wolf in Grimm brother’s version persuades the Little Red Riding Hood to wander around the wood and it definitely shows what a cunning wolf he is.
To me it seems as if the wolf represents some kind of danger, especially in people. More specifically, it would that the wolf represents a danger in men, since only women are the victims in both of these stories. He is a wolf and not a bear because wolves are more cunning and sly then bears are. They are quieter and when they want something, they seem to make it a point to get it. Bears, on the other hand, are big, almost awkward creatures and there is no mistake of it when one is around. Wolves do a better job of staying quiet and in the shadows and the also work together, which is something that bears really don’t do. The wolf represents the evils of this world, while Red Riding Hood’s riding hood represents the innocence that the child had. The riding hood was made by someone whom she loved, her grandmother, and this piece of clothing served as her safety net or maybe even some kind of security blanket. My thought is that if someone cared enough for this little girl to make her something and to give her something, then she must have had some kind of innocence and naïveté attached to her. The dark wood represents the dark world this little girl was a part of. The dark wood also represents the evil and dangers lurking all around her.
While thinking of all of this, I have decided to take a turn and I have decided that the story of Little Red Riding Hood could be compared to the Christianity story of Jesus Christ. Red Riding Hood is the Jesus figure, who goes into the dark world (the dark forest) and is stopped and tempted by the devil (the wolf). Her riding hood could almost represent the cross because it is something that she bares and the color of the hood represents the blood that is shed. I understand that the one important element missing from this is the fact that no one is really saved. In Perrault’s version, Red Riding Hood is eaten and unsaved, but that is okay because some forms of Judaism believe that Jesus was not the Messiah and he died, but was never resurrected. In the Grimm Brother’s version, Red dies, is saved from the hunter (so that is like her resurrection), and then the Wolf is killed which signifies what will happen according to the Christian Bible at end times, where Satan will be destroyed. While this might be stretching it a little too far, I think it is something interesting to look into.
Moving on, types of dangers that the mother might be warning the daughter of are the dangers of the world around the girl. She is loved by everyone and has a great support group in her family, so this all goes back to the thought that she probably possesses some kind of innocence in her. Another danger might have been men. The mother really could have been warning her daughter about the threat that some men have and that her daughter needed to stay away from these men as much as possible.
The two traditional versions differ because in Perrault’s version, both Red Riding Hood and her grandmother are eaten and are unsaved. In the Grimm Brother’s version, both Red Riding Hood and her grandmother are eaten, but they are saved by a nearby woodcutter, which could show that not all men are as bad as they are made out to be. Also in this version, the wolf is killed, but there are two different versions to this, with one being that stones are sewed up in the Wolf’s belly, which causes him to die and the other being the Wolf is tricked into falling off a roof, which kills him. Another difference in these two versions is that in one Perrault’s version, Red Riding Hood does not wear a hood, but wears a red cap instead, which makes her known as Red Riding Cap. In the Grimm Brother’s version, Red Riding Hood wears her hood, allowing her to keep her name. A final difference in these versions is the way that the Wolf tricks Red into taking more time to get to her grandmother’s house than necessary. In Perrault’s version, the Wolf convinces Red to go one way on a path while he goes the other and it becomes a foot race to see who gets there first. In the Grimm Brother’s version, the Wolf points out the world around Red that she has had her eyes metaphorically closed to and shows her all the beauty of the world, which includes flowers that Red ends up getting distracted with and picking, which gives Wolf plenty of time to get to Grandmother’s house.
The wolf to me represents someone who is deceptive, cunning, with a bit of charm. The riding hood to me represents protection because she is fully covered, and because her mother was fond of her it's probably red for love. The dark woods represents danger, a place where you can easily get attacked.
The dangers that the mother would have passed down to the daughter would be of course don't talk to strangers. Also, to be careful of your surroundings. Never let anyone distract you from your direction and path in life always stay focused.
Wolves are inwardly ravenous. This means they are self-serving, interested primarily in what they can get rather than what they can give. Wolves are carnivores and bears are ominivores so it just wouldn't fit the story line of grandma being eaten. Bears are also seen as cute, cuddly, friendly in stories; like Yogi, Winnie the Pooh, and Smokey the bear,etc. Like I said earlier I think that the hood represents a sense of protection and red for the love her mother had for her. I also, think that red is for her to stand out(to be light in darkness). It's always said that when you're walking in the dark to wear bright colors so that you can be seen easily.
The wolf represents certain (dominant, aggressive, assertive) men in society who preys on the innocent (Little Red Riding Hood).
The dark woods represents absence of comfort or safety. Kind of like when parents tuck their little kids in bed at night. Everything is fine and dandy while the lights are on and mommy is reading you a bedtime story, but the moment the lights are out the boogy man begins to crawl from underneath your bed.
These stories may have been told to warn little girls about the true safety (or lack there of) of the outside world. Not everyone is mommy and daddy and not everyone can or should be trusted.
I cant speak for anyone else but when someone mentions a bear my thoughts go directly to teddy bears (soft, cuddly, and warm) but when one mentions a wolf I think crafty, deceitful and sneaky.
I see the color red as being associated with two different things in these stories. (1) the color red is often used to evoke sexuality. So as the predator (the wolf) may have been “turn on” by little red riding hoods “sexy” attire. (2) red also is a cautionary color meaning that by wearing the color red, the author could be warning the reader or the listener that she is in some sort of trouble.
I think everyone pretty much covered that the wolf symbolizes cunningness, deceptiveness, etc... The wolf symbolizes "danger" that is in the world. He brings the corrupt and impure element of this world.
The "hood" is anything that is innocent, naive, and sheltered in this world. The hood provide protection from the "wolves" that are out there. However, that "sheltered" can be exposed when we ourselves are being lured into dangerous situation.
A general meaning of the woods, could be represent the society and the path that we chose to go in life. The wrong path will lead to a bad or wrong life. While, the obedient path could lead to success. It could also symbolizes life itself, and how mysterious and surprising life is.
In all of the stories, the wolf all represent that "danger" people should watch out for and not trust anything or anyone randomly. The hoods/cap, in the the stories portray hat pure and innocent of human beings. The woods, is the place where you come face to face with the danger and temptation that is out there.
Hey...it's Matt O. Sorry I'm a little late to the e-blog i-party.
So...what can I say that hasn't been said yet...(maybe all of this was said, I haven't read all of the responses)
I agree that the wolf represents fiendishness, cleverness, carnality and the like. The wolf seems to embody all the traits that "ye olde fables" usually attribute to foxes (I could be way off, but foxes are usually said to be smart, cunning, sly, etc. Right?)
A fox cannot however, swallow TWO whole people in a few minutes time, which is why the viciousness of a wolf is needed (even if it is greatly exaggerated).
The riding hood seemed to me to be a symbol of the protection that our family equips us with in our youth. Most of us our instilled with a bit of common sense, knowledge of the dangers around us, and a somewhat accurate (and relative) moral compass. All these things guide and protect us, but they can only go so far. These devices can fail us at times, when temptations are too great.
The dark wood seems to represent life, temptation...blah blah blah.
It's logical that this kind of tale would be passed down from mother to daughter. The father is absent in the story, and the only male presence is a decidedly negative one. Seems to be a pretty apt tale to tell to a girl who is reaching the age where she is going to have to deal with a lot of male pressure.
Bears seem too lumbering and oafish to me. Wolves seem much more sleek, speedy, and intimidating.
The Perrault version was decidedly darker. No redemption, just a bunch of corpses. The Grimm version was more of a looney toons-esque parable.
My apologies if any of this contradicted the authoritative "truth" that brett so benevolently laid out earlier...
Stories are something that connects all humans, and though details may change over time or through cultural divides, it is the essence of the stories which endure. Fairy tales are one of the most prolific examples of stories. Their lack of a theological connection have helped them avoid cultural barriers. The universal messages imbedded in fairy tales offer assistance in coping with human civilization, teaching lessons that might be difficult to learn otherwise, such as cautionary tales with moral lessons, a respect for the natural world or the power of words.
In the Brothers Grimm version, after the wolf devours Red his snoring attracts the attention of the woodsman. The woodman cuts both Red and Grandmother from the wolf’s belly, this event equates with a rebirth. Once the ordeal is over, Red promises to remain on the path in the future. The lessons Red teaches is that young girls should always be mindful of what their mothers say and also should remain on the path which society lies before them.
In Perrault’s version, the sexual undertone is obvious, especially when the wolf invites Red to join him in bed. She complies, comments on his features and is eaten. No woodsman comes to her rescue in Perrault’s version and Red also fails to save herself. This version adds more to the lessons of the Brothers Grimm version; girls should be trusting of no one, because even the most charming and tame can too be dangerous. The wolf represents a deviation from social norms, also a physical, psychological and sexual threat. The hood is meant to shield the girl from the dangers of the forest, however the vibrant red color advertises her blossoming sexuality.
The wolf signifies individuals, situations or things that are harmful. A girl could ruin her reputation as well as her family's name by falling prey to an unscrupulous rogue. Due to the lack of understanding regarding wolves and its physical appearance,(yellow eyes, sharp canine teeth, & varying colors of its coat) they were viewed as a threat especially because they would seemingly materialize out of the shadows. Bears on the other hand was often viewed as harmless and cute. The hood could represent a girl's virtue, wholesomeness, etc. The hood also could serve as a protection of sorts. If she remains a virgin until her marriage then she will have the protection of her husband but if she falls prey to the "wolf" then the girl is alone, ostracized. The dark wood represents all of the bad, evil things in the world.
Wolf
Shrouded in mystery. Cunning. Werewolves are scary. Wolves can appear to be good (i.e. wolf in sheep's clothing). Deceptive. Wolves are the image of intelligence and beauty, but are still carnivores. They will kill you. Uncontrolled sexual appetite.
Little Red Riding Hood's riding hood
It's red. Red stands for danger and sexuality. Little Red Riding Hood has reached the age of development and the wolf is into her.
The Dark Wood
Danger. The road that people warn you to stay off of. Walking down this road leads to trouble.
In my opinion the wolf in the story represents a stranger, a bad person. The dark wood represents an unknown place. The significance of the wolf is that it’s meant to be a scary and bad person who leads the little girl. He is not a bear because bears are considered to be friendly with children, especially with little girls as they grow up with teddy bears. Thus, to really signify the importance of the role, a wolf was an appropriate choice. Little Red Riding hood could be wearing red to attract the wolf.
I agree that Little Red Riding Hood is a folk tale that has been around for a long time. I also agree that, like most other folk tales, its main purpose is to encourage a certain behavior as well as portraying consequences which could ensue by straying from this behavior, in a manner that the child would understand. However, I see no evidence that would incline me to believe that this particular fairy tale would be passed down mainly by a mother to a daughter. This tale is and can be told by anyone. I have yet to see any evidence that it is more frequently passed down from a mother than a father, grandmother, teacher, or any other family member for that matter.
Fairy tales are simply tools used to portray a desired behavior to the listener. It is the story teller’s job to convey the story in a manner that grasps the listener’s attention and yet clearly portrays the intended “lesson”. It would defeat the entire purpose of fairy tales to explain the moral the tale was intended to portray after every telling, much like telling a joke and explaining it immediately after.
Fairy tales are merely a tool and have no set rules. This tale, like many, can serve numerous purposes and teach many different lessons all depending on the circumstances. The teller determines the point that they are trying to get across and only the listener can determine what he or she will take away from the tale all together. For example, my grandmother could spin this story to where the lesson would be that granddaughters should visit their poor old grandmothers often or they could get eaten up by a wolf… and THEN HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?
This being said, I cannot tell you what the wolf represents to others. I can only tell what the wolf represented to me when I first heard the tale… from a teacher… in grade school. To me, the little girl was raised by caring parents who kept her clothed and fed. One day the little girl disobeyed her mother and trouble ensued. By the little girls disobedience, she not only put herself in jeopardy, but also put her grandmother in jeopardy. I am not saying that this story made me obey my parents any more, I did, however, fully understand the point that was being made.
The type of warning I think the mother may warn her daughter of by telling this tale is safety and to be wary of strangers. Perhaps it was an abstinence tale back in the day but I always thought it was about the consequences of trusting strangers too quickly before seeing their intentions.
Symbolism: I think the wolf represents cunning deception. A wolf is used because a wolf is known to be intelligent yet savage and that would add to the idea that strangers can be dangerously sly. However with Angela Carter's version, a wolf can be seen as an animal with sexual appetite and feed to the idea that this tale was meant for young girls to keep their legs together. I think
Little Red Riding Hood's hood represents temptation while the dark woods represent fear of the unknown.
The two versions were pretty similar for the most part yet Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s version is much more sugar coated with a happy ending where the wolf gets what he deserves. It also has a valiant huntsman which Charles Perrault’s version did not include any sort of superhero or happy ending.
I feel like the wolf represents sneaky, deviant men that look out for only themselves and their loins. Little Red's RIDING HOOD was symbolic of her virginity once she had become a young woman (you know, hit the crimson tide). When it comes to the dark woods, I saw that as youthful curiosity. At the age Little Red was, she more than likely was beginning to have thoughts about boys and the dark woods were full of all the possibilities; good and bad. This may be a stretch but that is how I see the "dark woods". Things can go well walking through the darkness but more than likely something bad is bound to happen and the only option is to learn from it.
When it comes to the mother daughter correlation, mommy is trying to keep daughter from making some or all (depending on the mother) the mistakes that she made. She wants to keep her daughters innocence as long as possible and most of all she doesn't want grand babies before she's even ready to have them.
The wolfs significance comes from the cunningness and slyness to get it's way around and to things. The wolf in popular culture represents a man who is very loose and animalistic when it comes to women. These "wolfs" lack control when it comes to their "meat".
Little Red's is wearing her hood because it is a cloak of her innocence and it's red because she is of age to bear children (once again, she's hit the crimson tide).
The two versions differ because the one by Parrault seems more like a tale of caution for children to not talk to strangers while the Brother's Grimm version goes more along with the ideas of the wolf (loose men & avoiding sex) and to wait for the strong hunter (true love & husband) to rescue you.
the wolf represents older men who are either sexual predators or violent predators or both. the riding hood represents innocence and the woods represent the bad part of town.
The mothers would be warning the daughters to be cautious of older men. Wolfs have a sexual connection to them. Perhaps the hood is sometime of symbol for virginity like a maidens head.
One story has a moral and the other does not
To me the wolf represents the wild side of life. The wolf is something that we are always told to be afraid of. By utilizing this tool parents can keep their kids in line without having to really come down hard on them. Red's hood to me represents innocents or the shroud we cover our eyes with. It is almost a way to shelter her from the rest of the world. Red is commonly used to refer to innocence or childhood in fairy tales and that is how it is used here.
The dark woods to me represents going into the heart of evil. Her mother warns her not to stray from the path. To me this is because to do so her heart could be consumed by darkness.
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