Little Red Riding Hood Personal Essay

Little Red Riding Hood and Temptation

With various versions of Little Red Riding Hood there has also been changes in plot, theme, and moral. Small changes make considerable differences, likely because the story is so short and simple. In Pullman's version of the Grimm tales, the wolf tempts the girl by suggesting he gets flowers for her grandmother, in order to delay her, and Johnny Depp’s portrayal in "Into the Woods" also endeavors to delay her using multiple strategies. This would suggest that the wolf represents temptation, trying to get Red off course. Other interpretations would say it is a warning against stranger danger. Most versions portray the Wolf as cunning. The girl would seem naive, talking to the wolf, and not recognizing that the wolf is disguised as the grandmother. Thus, the story can be interpreted as a warning of strangers, but I have always thought it represented temptation.

In the later case, the entire narrative becomes allegorical. Others suffer (the grandmother) as do we when we give into temptations that lead us off our rightful path on the way to good deeds. It is always the mother that sends Red on this journey, perhaps used as a figure for Christ given the fact that Grimm tales have religious undertones. In this regard, the Woodsman may also be Christ, the mother and him are present at the beginning and the end of the story, symbolizing perpetuity, and the Woodsman saves her from the Wolf (her temptation), thus symbolizing Christ delivering us from evil. Alternatively, the woodman is just a character inserted into the story to make sure that the ending is happy, but he is not in most versions I've head of. This can also be turned around to say that the story is about greed. The wolf wants to eat both the Grandmother and Red, he would have gotten away if he ate her immediately, but he met the Woodsman because he also went after the Grandmother. Of course, this only works in a version with a woodsman. I am more confident in my identification as the Wolf as temptation.

Temptation has many forms, Carol Ann Duffy’s Little Red Cap is also about a wolf taking advantage of a girl. She falls to sexual temptation. Perrault's version uses this theme as well, the Wolf makes Red undress and tries to get her to come into bed with him. There are also sexual nuances in the "Into the Woods" version, which does a better job of portraying temptation as the wolf employs multiple strategies, telling her to smell the flowers, to not rush, and so on. She tempted by the thought of getting flowers to do something kind for her grandmother, like in Pullman’s version. In this regard, Little Red Riding Hood is more complex than other fairy tales, because the character that does good suffers because of it, and it is therefore a lesson on awareness of deceit, and not all evil manifests as something easily recognizable as evil, the devil is a cunning figure after all. The Wolf in Angela Carter's version is actually a witch that can shape-shift, which makes it more believable that Red did not recognize the antagonist disguised as her Grandmother. I like how Carter's telling does not make events dependent on Red being really gullible and shows that temptation has many forms, if that is what the Witch represents. But Red asking about all of her Grandmother's wolf-like features is the most memorable part of the tale, and therefore it would seem wrong if it was not included. Hence, there are many forms of deceit portrayed throughout the different versions of this tale. It is for this reason that the Wolf has more depth than other fairy tale antagonists, evil has many forms and is not always obvious, it is crafty and uses our good will against us.

In many fairy tales everything works out for people that are beautiful and well-liked. This story has versions where the ending continues this trend, the Woodsman conveniently passes by and frees the Grandmother and Red from the Wolf's stomach. This tale is different in that it suggests that people that are beautiful and well-liked are not immune to danger, and can be deceived. This is a good lesson, but not every version includes this detail about Red's character in the beginning. The movie "Hoodwinked" uses the basic components of the tale but turns it into a mystery and gives everyone more complex back stories and motives. The real culprit is named the Goody Bandit who appears in the character's stories. The Wolf is revealed to be an investigative reporter, the grandmother is actually a competitive skier that the Goody Bandit tried to bump off during the race, and the Woodsman is an aspiring actor. It perhaps over-complicates what was a simple story, but the lesson is to not judge based off of appearances or jump to conclusions. This is consistent with other telling, the Wolf does not seem menacing to Red, and therefore she tells him where Grandmother lives.

The different versions alter events and even the moral, but the Wolf is generally consistent throughout the different telling even if his strategies change. He always tempts Red into leaving the path, or is able to delay her, in order to ensnare her later. The Wolf is perhaps the realest of all fairy tale characters. He pretends to be friendly but has sinister intentions, he is able to use Red's innocence and good-nature against her, and everything he does is working towards a plan to satisfy his hunger. This is simply nature, the wolf must eat. He is not like other fairy tale antagonists that want revenge, or a better life for their daughter. Thus, he is simple in motive, but creative in his malicious design.

The version my grandmother would tell me did not have a woodsman that rescued Red and her Grandmother, like in Pullman’s version. Both are eaten, and that is the end. I prefer this ending because I do not like when everything works for characters just because they are well-liked and pretty. Red may have learned a lesson and had a close call, but in real life our mistakes have consequences and there is not always a happy ending. If I were to write a version, I would follow the dialogue from "Into the Woods" (but no rhyming or singing) where the Wolf tries multiple ways to tempt Red, and I would have him use Red's good intentions against her, taking advantage the way people do in order to get what they want. I would have him stalk her beforehand and lick his lips, then talk with friendly words. I would include sexual nuances, having him complement her, which she would appreciate. Him finding out that she is going to see Grandmother is what makes the Wolf come up with his plan, he realizes that he can get two meals in one day. To the Wolf's credit, he is able to overcome his hunger in the moment for a better reward and quickly comes up with a plan. This shows that while he is temptation, he is driven by greed. I would of course need the memorable exchange between the two while he is dressed as Grandmother, but she would be consumed by the Wolf, using that language to draw parallels between the way we described falling into sin, being "consumed" by our temptation. It is important that the Wolf is cunning and crafty. The different endings change the story significantly, my preference includes elements I like in the various versions. Some would rather a happy ending ending, but to me it is important that it is not so. The Woodsman is too random, and while it is a fairy tale, cutting the Wolf's stomach open and having Red come out alive is too unbelievable.