Little Red Riding Hood Analysis

Once upon a time there lived a sweet girl its made clear from the start, Red Riding Hood is a lovely girl, the fact shes too lovely is an issue later whom everyone loved as soon as they saw he, but most of all her grandmother, who was forever trying to find some new present to give her. Once she gave her a little hood of red velvet, a red riding hood often belonged to daughters of wealthy familes. the hood is also symbolic of menstruation and growing up. the colour red is also not only the colour of blood and death, but it's also a sexually suggestive colour, these small symbols set up the story, and connect everything that happens later and as it suited her so well and since she would wear no other, the only name she came to be known by was Little Red Riding Hood.

One day her mother said to her, 'here is a cake and a bottle of wine. I want you to take it to your grandmother, who is weak and poorly. It will make her much better. mother had good intentions Now set out before it gets too warm, and remember what your about, and don't stray from the path.'

Little Red Riding Hood's Grandmother lived some way out in the woods, and as the girl came to the woods, whom shold she meet but the wolf. a wolf is often a metaphor for a sexually predatory man But as she didn't know what a wicked creature he was, she wasn't in the least afraid of him. It is those who are unassuming who pursue young women at home and in the streets. And unfortunately, it is these gentle wolves who are the most dangerous ones of all.

'Good day, Little Red Riding Hood.' he said.
'And a good day to you.'
'Where are you off to so early, Little Red Riding Hood?'
'To Grandmother's.' shows naivity at telling a stranger where she is going
'What are you carrying in your apron?'
'Cake and wine. We did some baking yesterday, and we hope it will do my poor, weak grandmother good.' advertising how ill she is, making her a victim
'Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?'
'A good quarter of an hours walk further into the woods. Her cottage stands under three great oak trees, not far from some bushes which you'l easily recognise.' still much, much more infomation told to the wolf than is safe. she hasn't listened to her mothers moral advice

The wolf was thinking to himself, 'shes a nice tender young thing; she'll make a juicy mouthful, much tastier than the old woman. If I act with cunning, i'll be able to snap them both up.'

She ran off the path, wolf has distracted her by telling her to get flowers, little red riding hood is only too obliging. gradually getting herself into more and more trouble right into the woods and looked about for flowers. But once she had picked one, she thought she could see an even prettier one further away and then an even prettier one still further away. And so she plunged deeper into the woods.

But the wolf kept straight on in the direction of the grandmother's cottage. And when he got there, he knocked at the door.

'Who's there?'
'Little Red Riding Hood. I'm bringing you cake and wine.'

The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and in he went without saying a word to grandmothers bed, and gobbled her up. the eating of the grandmother, and later little red riding hood is seen as a metaphor for rape in the context of the wolf symbolising a sexually predatory man.

Little Red Riding Hood remembered the path back to grandmother's and wondered why the door was wide open.

She called out 'good morning!' But got no reply. So she went up to bed and drew back the curtains. There lay grandmother, her bonnet pulled low over her face, looking very strange indeed.

'Oh grandmother what big ears you have!'
'All the better to hear you with.'
'Oh grandmother what big eyes you have!'
'All the better to see you with.'
'Oh grandmother what big hands you have!'
'All the better to hold you with.' glimpse of the sexual side from the wolf's response 'to hold'
'But what terribly big teeth you have!'
'All the better to eat you with!'

And hardly were these last words out of the wolf's mouth when he sprang out of bed and gobbled up poor Little Red Riding Hood. it is recognised that the tale symbolises death and rebirth. red riding hood symbolises dawn and the wolf night

The wolf lay back once more in bed, fell asleep and started snoring very loudly. A huntsman who happened to be walking past just at that moment thought to himself, 'what a powerful snore that old lady has! I'd better go in and see if anythings wrong.' So he went into the house and as he approached the bed he saw the wolf lieing in it. 'I won't shoot he thought, i'll get a pair of scissors and open the wolf's belly when he is asleep.' And when he had made a few cuts he saw th gleam of Little Red Riding Hood, and after a few more cuts the girl jumped out crying, 'oh dear, how dark it was inside the wolf's belly!' And then the old randmothr stepped out, alive and well, though somewhat breathless.

Grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine that Little Red Riding Hood brought, and soon recovered her strength.

'As long as I live, i'll never again run off the path into the woods, and i'll always listen to what mother tells me.'

Story extracted from The Faber Book of Favourite Fairy Tales, Sara and Stephen Corrin, Faber and Faber, Pages 102-106.

Story analysis research

Important Themes and Symbols

Natural Cycles

-the red hood represents the sun, which is then swallowed by a terrible night (the wolf) once she is cut out of the wolf's belly, it becomes dawn again.

Sexual Awakening

-the red cloak can symbolise Little Red Riding Hood's maturity of becoming a woman from a girl. she goes onto brave the 'dark forest', not only literally but on her journey of growing up.

-the point of being eaten by the wolf symblises being raped

-being cut out the wolf's belly represents the final transformation of Little Red Riding Hood turning into a woman. she has been through the uneasy stage of growing up, and has matured.

Rebirth

-When the huntsman cuts open the wolf, Little Red Riding Hood is reborn. Foolish Little Red Riding Hood who was naive and irresponsible has been reborn as a new person and has now matured both physically and mentally.

The Wolf

'Children, especially attractive, well bred young ladies, should never talk to strangers, for if they should do so, they may well provide dinner for a wolf. I say "wolf," but there are various kinds of wolves. There are also those who are charming, quiet, polite, unassuming, complacent, and sweet, who pursue young women at home and in the streets. And unfortunately, it is these gentle wolves who are the most dangerous ones of all'. Quote

-Using the symbol of a wolf for a man is used in the modern day, and so translates in the story as to being a man on the prowl for a victim to take advantage of.

-At the time the story was written, it is also possible that there were a lot of wolf attacks in real life in the wilderness. So at the same time, they were written as a warning.

Source for Symbols and Themes