ANGELA CARTER'S "THE COMPANY OF WOLVES" VS. GRIMM'S "LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD"
             Angela Carter's feminist revisions of classic fairy tales often seem to bear no relation to their original counterparts. However, a closer look reveals the often over-looked connections and parallels between the two. Her revisions are not so much feminist revisions as some would suggest, but more of an update on the stories in question, done to accommodate the views and thinking of today's society on matters such as female behaviour and gender-roles. In comparing and contrasting Grimm's "Little Red Riding Hood" and Angela Carter's "The Company of Wolves", we shall see just how her updated version affects gender roles, why it affects gender roles and the effect that the reversal of gender roles has on the story itself. We will also delve into the meanings and significance of the story, as well as the author's intentions in rewriting this classic tale.
             In the Grimm's version, Little Red Riding Hood is portrayed as a "sweet little maid" (Grimm 149), an innocent young girl oblivious to the dangers of the world around her. The first thing we note in Angela Carter's version is how the gender roles have changed. In this tale, Little Red Riding Hood is portrayed as a "strong-minded child"(Carter 215) who knows no fear and won't be denied. These traits are generally considered to be masculine attributes. The reason for this switch has much to do with Carter's own female empowerment views as it does with the changing social views of the time. In the olden days women were expected to stay at home and take care of the kids, as well as be responsible for the household duties like cooking and cleaning. They had no place else in society and any female caught doing otherwise was looked down on by society. This was a point in time when it was generally agreed that people should be punishe...