There are various versions of “Little Red Riding Hood ”, all with similar storylines. However, Charles Perrault takes a distinct approach by clearly stating the moral of the fairy tale.
Summary[]
“Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault revolves around a beloved,
young girl from a village. One day her mother asked Little Red Riding Hood to deliver cake and butter to her ill grandmother. During her journey through the woods, Little Red Riding Hood encounters a wolf that asks where she is
going. After giving a location, the wolf said he too would visit her
grandmother. While the wolf ran quickly, Little Red Riding Hood entertained herself by chasing butterflies, picking flowers, and gathering nuts. In this time, the wolf arrives at the grandmother’s house, impersonates Little Red Riding Hood’s granddaughter, and instantly consumes the elder woman. When Little Red Riding Hood finally arrives, the wolf disguises himself as the grandmother, and tells Little Red Riding Hood to get into bed with him. While Little Red Riding Hood is skeptical, and comments on the abnormalities of the grandmother, the wolf eventually eats her too.
Moral[]
At the end of the short fairytale, Charles Perrault provides a moral for the story that warns young girls to be aware of strangers. Aside from the literal statement that cautions the avoidance of wolves, Charles Perrault uses wolves to symbolize male urges. Despite the level of charm, politeness, or sweetness the “wolves” have, they are still dangerous.
“Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault clearly demonstrates the moral of the French fairy tale. Using Little Red Riding Hood to symbolize a beautiful and young girl, and a wolf to symbolize a stranger, the author develops a story that ultimately ends in misfortune. The ending of the fairy tale is the domino effect of Little Red Riding Hood’s initial interaction with the wolf.
References []
Perrault, Charles. "Little Red Riding Hood." Little Red Riding Hood. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
Schneller, Christian. "Little Red Hat." Little Red Riding Hood. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.