Emerging From the Pasr
Women's rights have been an issue and the author Angela Carter is a strong feminist who writes stories that depict feminist point of views. A story she wrote, "The Company of Wolves," was published first in 1977 and represents the change in the roles of women in western society. Through the actions of a grandmother who portrays the traditional ways a woman should act, Red overcomes the customary fears and steps into the more active role of a woman's actions.Grandma represents the old traditional values of women that are phasing out slowly. Traditional values believe that wolves are terrible creatures that are to be feared and hated. Being alone in the woods and straying from the main path is not common for fright of the wolves that may attack careless wanderers. Moreover, if a naked man is spotted alone, they are presumed to be a werewolf and "old wives hereabouts think it some protection to throw a hat or an apron at the werewolf, as if clothes made the man" (Carter 675). These old wives tales were followed carefully by many including the grandmother who is very superstitious about these creatures. When the man from the woods enters granny's cabin, he strips bare naked in preparation for the meal. The grandmother in response at
Old traditional values look to the 'good book' for help against evil. His birth symbolizes the recreation of a woman's role in society as Red lays quiet and sound in between the wolf's big paws. This story has many hidden meanings, which can be taken from many different points of views. It is not seen as a good thing through traditional eyes, which is why the old wives sayings are in a negative tone. She wears her red shawl tightly and carries a large hunting knife in her basket for protection against wolves. The wolf says they will not need them anymore, which also symbolizes the movement into the new style society is getting accustomed to. Mentioning these last words describes the grim reality that the women's old role in society is dead. At this point she converts from the old traditional state of mind into the new role women are taking, a more active and firm role. It was apparent that granny read the bible quite often, however when Red enters the cabin, "for the first time she'd seen it so, the Bible lay closed on the table" (Carter 678). Angela Carter uses many of these symbols to represent how women's roles in western society are changing. Red obviously showed many signs of old traditional values, however later on she confronts the wolf in her grandmother's cottage and realizes "since her fear did her no good, she ceased to be afraid" (Carter 679). The story suggests this through an old wives tale saying "if you burn his human clothing you condemn him to wolfishness for the rest of his life" (Carter 675). By burning her and his clothes in the fire, Red is releasing the 'wolfishness' in them. Throughout the story, Red emerges from the once believed way of living into a new position that describes Carter's view on women's roles.
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