Thesis Title
Different Shades of Red: From Prostitution to Purity, the Evolution of Little Red Riding Hood
Graduation Year
2023
Document Type
Senior Thesis
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Primary Major
Literary and Intercultural Studies
Thesis Advisor
Catherine Borg
Abstract
The Little Red Riding Hood tale is one of the most popular, beloved, and recounted fairytales ever. It is rare to find someone unfamiliar with the little girl in the woods, meeting the “Big Bad Wolf,” and their subsequent encounter. This comparative essay will analyze the sexuality or innocence in the versions of Little Red Riding Hood through the antagonist, the wolf, sensuality, and symbolism. The three oldest versions of Little Red Riding Hood, the oral tale, “The Story of Grandmother,” Charles Perrault’s “Little Red Riding Hood,” and Jacob and Wilhelm Grimms' “Little Red Cap” will be analyzed. Each story offers unique characteristics and portrays Little Red Riding Hood differently. In “The Story of Grandmother, “she can be seen as a prostitute; in Perrault’s “Little Red Riding Hood,” she is raped, and in the Brothers Grimms’ “Little Red Cap,” she is an innocent child. No matter which version is studied, Little Red Riding Hood faces the challenge of escaping from the wolf.