Little Red Riding Hood 'And The Company Of Wolves'

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

Granny’s with him. She describes her plans to bring Granny these good things to make her better, entertaining the childlike notion that, of course these sweets will make her better, and old age would not soon lay her grandmother victim. They continue down the route and it takes the wolf mere moments to convince Little Red Riding Hood to stray from the path to explore the flowers. “She saw the sunbeams dancing here and there between the trees, and how beautiful flowers grew everywhere-” (Page 139) Again, the innocence of Little Red Riding Hood is given away. Though the story is told from a third person point of view, the diction choice is light and airy, as though Little Red Riding Hood herself was describing the unraveling events. The story progresses and due to her naivety towards the situation as a whole, Little Red Riding Hood continues to Granny’s, unaware of what possible danger could be ahead. The tragedy ensues and results in Granny and Little Red Riding Hood stuck in the stomach of the wolf until the huntsman comes along and frees them both. With all that has transpired her only words were, “Oh, that was terrible.” (Page 140)

"The Company of Wolves" by Carter is the ultimate contradiction to Pullman's tale.

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

terrible.

As this story progresses, L.R.R.H comes across a handsome man and they agree to take different paths to grandmother's house. Even though he walks away with her knife, she is not afraid. She even allows for him to reach grandmother's house first, so as to reward him with a kiss. The wolf consumes L.R.R.H's grandmother, as in the first story, but she is not afraid. She faces the wolf and begins to remove her clothing, tossing her cloak into the fire, signifying the final transition of herself, from child to adult.
Pullman's story, with the innocence it bestows upon L.R.R.H, maintains a frightening air despite the light and simple language.

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

Carter.