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Little Red Riding Hood Research Paper

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Most people are familiar with the story of Little Red Riding Hood. There are many different adaptations of the tale, all with different interpretations. As times changed, so did the story. Two adaptations that demonstrate the changing perspectives over time are “Little Red Cap” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and “Company of Wolves” by Angela Carter. Although both stories have similar characters and themes, the plot contrasts and different character descriptions demonstrate how society’s views have evolved. “Little Red Cap” reflects traditional views on gender roles and women’s sexuality, while “Company of Wolves” offers a modern perspective on women’s independence and sexual curiosity. For the most part, “Little Red Cap” and “Company of Wolves” have similar characters. The grandmother, wolf, and Little Red are present in both stories and overall play the same role. The descriptions of the characters, however, vary greatly. The main difference is how Little Red is described in the two stories. In “Little Red Cap”, …show more content…

Both stories have a theme of sexuality and womanhood, though it is more obvious in “Company of Wolves.” In “Little Red Cap,” the sexual themes are used subtly. For example, the red cap can be argued to represent menstruation blood. The act of Little Red entering the forest in both stories could represent that she is entering into womanhood. Meanwhile, the wolf could represent the threat to young girl’s virginity. Although the wolf does not do any sexual acts in “Little Red Cap,” the way he is described to devour both Little Red Cap and the grandmother could be symbolic of sex or even rape. In “Company of Wolves,” readers explicitly see the sexual themes present in the story. In this story, however, Little Red is not saved and instead allows herself to be taken over by the wolf. The way the sexual themes are delivered in the stories changes the overall

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