Discussion 2

  The whole theory which Zohar Shavit presented in The Concept of Childhood and Children’s Folktales hinged on the time periods in which two versions of Little Red Riding Hood are written. These versions are by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm and present Little Red Riding Hood quite differently. The idea by Shavit is that since Perrault wrote at a time when the separation in society between man and child was not as defined, the story differs in the audience in which it was meant. He states that we would also have to take into consideration that the concept of childhood had changed between the versions of the stories as well (Shavit 326-327). Shavit presented his evidence by pointing out several key areas. Some of these sections include the ending, dialogue, learning vs. tragic events, and even erotic elements in one version, but not the other (Shavit 317-332).

  If I were to use the model which Shavit presents I would have to put The Werewolf by Angela Carter in the category which appeals to the purely child audience. There are certain elements which an adult would find appealing. However, I think that this story is as Shavit stated in his review one that people of “high society could enjoy…. vicariously through children” (323). There is a lesson to be learned in Angela Carter’s The Werewolf, and this is indicative with post education system children’s stories as pointed out by Shavit. In the story, the girl was told to stay on the path because of “bears, the wild boar, the starving wolves” (Carter). This is similar to the Brothers Grimm portrayal of Little Red Cap where the girl was told not to stray from the path, or she may break the glass which carries grandmother’s milk. The level of tragedy for the little girl in Little Red Cap and The Werewolf are similar as well. In the end, everything ends happily in both stories, at least for everyone involved besides the wolf or werewolf respectively. In The Werewolf the girl actually “prospered” from her grandmother’s demise (Carter). Another example of similarity to the Shavit model of analyses is the expression of deep love for grandmother in Little Red Cap and The Werewolf. According to Shavit in the Grimm version grandmother fabricated a cap for Little Red Cap and Little Red Cap knows grandmother’s condition and sickness very well (330). This indicated some degree of intimacy between them. We could say the same about the little girl in The Werewolf, who after seeing grandma’s severed hand recognized who it belongs to immediately. I find Shavit’s review fascinating and informative. I think it is intriguing that these versions of Little Red Riding Hood are different because of the time they were written. Historically it makes sense that the versions of these stories would adapt to a changing audience as the focus and reason why they were written shifted.

 

Works Cited

Carter, Angela. “The Werewolf.” latech.edu, http://moodle.latech.edu/pluginfile.php/1463456.

Zohar, Shavit. “The Concept of Childhood and Children’s Folktales: Test Case ‘Little Red Riding Hood’.” latech.edu, http://moodle.latech.edu/pluginfile.php/1462598.