As we get older we are opening pandora boxes of these stories seeking the hard cold reality of the world and what the world considers to be a fairytale. Little Red Riding Hood, is one of the countless fairy tales told to children of different ages around the globe. Taking into account the numerous versions that have formed throughout the years. Creating a chain of patterns that have been passed down from generation to generation. Influenced by geography, culture, and possibly religious beliefs ! The Brothers Grimm version known as “Little Red Cap” has been seen as the original story giving straight to the points facts and not a lot of context. Causing, later on, to influence “Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault. Creating more key essential points that played around with the storytelling that kept readers more interested compared to the original version. This is what gravitated to be known as one of the many popular versions of this fairytale story. These two versions are what influenced many other authors’ stories to have a baseline of the story but many had other ideas that accommodated their version or idea of how it should be told. Unknowingly some still centering concepts of the temptation of the unknown are seen within the stories seen mainly with the protagonist. 

Mutually the authors are more alike in Grimm’s “Little Red Cap” and in “Little Red Riding Hood ” by Perrault. As readers will notice, the protagonist’s mother sent little red to her grandmother’s house to give her some food because she is ill. Her mother urges her not to wander off and go right to her grandmother’s house. On her way, the wolf approaches Little Red while she is walking through the forest including both tales and questions about where she is headed. When Little Red responds to the question that she’s on her way to  see her sick grandmother. Her innocence is exploited due to the temptation of the unknown. Little Red is being led without comprehending the wolf’s motives for her. This theme is going on continuously in the fairytale with the wolf. He’s waiting for little red once she reaches the house and pretends to be her elderly grandmother.

In the Grimms brother version, the main character’s name is Little Red Cap. She is to take a bottle of wine and a piece of cake to her grandmother.  She met a wolf, who asked her a question about her grandmother, and she became distracted while gathering flowers. The wolf dashed home to devour her granny. When she realized it was a wolf it was too late, he devoured her. When a hunter approached the house and found what he saw to be suspicious. A man came and cut the wolf’s stomach open. The power of her innocence impacted Karen E. Rowe in feminism and fairytales she emphasizes that “Although man the my readers discount obvious fantasy ele-ments, they may still fall prey to more subtle paradigms through identification with the heroine. Thus, subconsciously women may transfer from fairy tales into real life cultural norms which exalt passivity, dependency, and self-sacrifice as a female’s cardinal virtues. In short, fairy tales perpetuate the patriarchal status quo by making female subordination seem romantically desirabie, indeed an inescapable fate.” ( p 237). We observe how she unknowingly falls for manipulations. Generating the false impression that this will have an impact on the young readers of these stories in particular. Creating a type of problem for women that builds tension. Negatively influencing the way people behave in societal structure. Searching for the kind of behavior you only see in fairy tales. Yearning to be rescued or assuming that you must act innocently to be saved. Making mistakes will benefit you in the long run. 

Often enough we tend to do the things we’re told not to do. Sometimes in these cases, we are not to blame but Little Red Riding Hood is in this case to partially blame. As an innocent young girl, stepping into the outside world all alone, she only has what her mother said to her in the back of her mind. She’s entering a world full of the unimaginable. This unknown world is what causes her to fall into the temptation off the path to talk to the wolf. Even when arriving to She was given directions from her mother, but because she didn’t follow the directions and wanted to disobey.  According to Emanuele Antonelli in Little Red Riding Hood – Victimage in Folktales and Cinema—A Case Study “ she wants to grow and open herself to the pleasures of life; she is driven to follow the wolf and crawl into bed with him by her own desires. She is not innocent, yet still she is in danger; that is why she needs to be told that wolves—and men—are dangerous even if they look attractive” ( p 109). Antonelli explains and questions how vulnerable she truly  was, and how she does these despicable things out of spite and without any reason. It’s  unusual how she does it willingly. Even though she is told at the beginning to not stop for anything this form of desire of the wolf representing the world or men has over little girls. After meeting the Wolf, she ends up leaving to her grandmother’s house at a trick to thinking it is her grandmother, but it’s not. Showing that no matter where you go, you will always be surrounded by these worldly things. her  morality is implied by the story that she was to blame for what she did since attractive females are more likely to submit to temptation from a world that is hidden from her. Grandmother’s gown is being worn by the wolf because he ate her. Unfortunately, no one arrives to save her when she meets a wolf, who consumes her. showcasing that she received the consequences she deserved for her behavior and how not always will someone be there to save you for the mistake you’ve committed.

Both stories present two related viewpoints but distinct messages. Having a fundamental comprehension of how she chooses not to pay attention after being taught a lesson. One of the tales had a happy ending, while the other had a tragic one. In the article “How Fairy Tales Shape Our Lives” by Jonathan Young States that “These tales are psychological mirrors and we become more complex as we mature. The storytellers intentionally loaded the adventures with heavy symbolism to reveal more meanings as we develop a deeper awareness of ourselves” as reading it from different views we become more aware of this. 

To sum it up, parents frequently select books such as Little Red Riding Hood. Captivating  all ages. If one is to think back to a fairytale, would one be able to point out centering on the temptation of the unknown?

  Work Cited 

Antonelli. “Little Red Riding Hood: Victimage in Folktales and Cinema—A Case Study.” Contagion, vol. 22, no. 1, 2015, pp. 107–32, https://doi.org/info:doi/.

Young, Jonathan. “How Fairy Tales Shape Our Lives.” How Fairy Tales Shape Our Lives, 1997, https://www.folkstory.com/articles/onceupon.html. 

  Rowe. “Feminism and Fairy Tales.” Women’s Studies., vol. 6, no. 3, 1979, pp. 237–57, https://doi.org/info:doi/.