Andrea Floyd
ENG 306A
Galbraith
Close Reading of Little Red Riding Hood
Version One: The Story of Grandmother
“The little girl enjoyed herself picking up needles. Meanwhile the bzou arrived at her grandmother's, killed her, put some of her flesh in the pantry and a bottle of her blood on the shelf. The girl arrived and knocked at the door. “
I found the word choice to be very strange. I asked myself why are the two roads distinct between Needles and Pins. I also questioned why the little girl was enjoying picking up needles. Most little girls are terrified of picking up such objects. The author sets up this horrific scene but introduces it in such a casual relaxed tone. It was terrifying to later read on that the girl was consuming her Grandmother’s parts without even knowing it.
Version Two: Little Red Riding Hood
This version of the tale is the closest to the original story. While I was reading this, all of the memories I have of reading this story when I was younger was coming back to me. Although I don’t quite remember Little Red Riding Hood bringing a pot of butter along with the cake. The underlying moral of the story is the greatest of all. Children in general shouldn’t talk to strangers and tell them so much about what they have going on. There are many predators out in the world similar to the Wolf, who prey on innocent children who are just trying to enjoy their childhood.
“The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, "Put the cake and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come get into bed with me."
I found the wolf to be very creepy when telling the girl to come get into bed with him. The oral presentation as the author sets this scene up comes off as a predator. I was thinking to myself what little girl takes her clothes off to get into bed with their Grandmother? The author adds more comments in this story as side notes. They mention how children shouldn’t talk to strangers and how the girl didn’t know that she shouldn’t have talked to the wolf, etc.
Version Three: Little Red Cap
This version had a different twist on it, instead of the girl receiving a hood she received a red velvet cap.
“The three of them were happy. The huntsman took the wolf's pelt. The grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine that Little Red Cap had brought. And Little Red Cap thought to herself, "As long as I live, I will never leave the path and run off into the wo...
