Little Red Riding Hood 'And The Company Of Wolves'

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There is a danger that accompanies innocence that Philip Pullman, in the work “Little Red Riding Hood”, and Angela Carter, in “The Company of Wolves”, portray through their different takes on the same classic, Little Red Riding Hood.
In Pullman’s telling of “Little Red Riding Hood” the story begins as usual with Little Red Riding Hood going out to bring her grandmother some things to help make her feel better. She sets out to Granny’s house and it is here that she encounters the wolf for the first time. “She didn’t know what a wicked animal he was, so she wasn’t afraid of him.” (Page 137) Little Red Riding Hood was still naive to the dangers of this stranger she has come across and so does not hesitate to continue walking along the path to …show more content…

Wolves are described right from the introduction as beasts that are universally feared. The tone is much more sophisticated insert with what tone of other story is). Even so, Little Red Riding Hood begins and it is stated, "Children do not stay young for long in the savage country," (Page 215) depicting the overall maturity of the children in the area. Due to the dangers that are constantly present, there is not as much child's play or the like in order to prepare them for the real world as quickly as possible. In this version of Little Red Riding Hood, she is described as a, "strong-minded child" (Page 215), showing that she, too, has been subject to this hastened maturity process. She knows of the hazards in the world around her and, unlike in Pullman's rendition, L.R.R.H insists upon being allowed to make the journey to Grandmother's house, rather than being told she must go. Even when referencing the basket of goods to be taken to Grandmother, the mood becomes darker and less child-like. "The girl will take these delicious gifts to a reclusive grandmother so old the burden of her years is crushing her to death." (Page 215) There is no longer the illusion that these goods will make the grandmother better, rather, there is the truth that she is slowly dying and the basket of sweets is to make the process a little less …show more content…

The main character is afraid, and falls victim to the wolf, becoming prey to her own naivety. Opposing this, Carter shows the readers a character who is wise beyond her years. This quality alone brings the audience to a much different outcome where not only does L.R.R.H. manage to avoid being consumed by the wolf, but she also appears to have tamed him, revealed from the nature of them lying in bed after the wolf's reveal. The innocence of L.R.R.H in the first story results in her being placed in a dangerous scenario, while the second story supports the dangers that are granted by this innocence with the contrasting ending shown by

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