“THE LITTLE RED CAP”

The little red-cap,In this passage from “Little Red-Cap” by Brothers Grimm,Little Red-Cap’s can
be seen as both an empowered child and a vulnerable one,depending on the interpretation.
Exposition – There was a good little girl who was loved by everyone. Her grandmother
especially doted on her and made her a little red velvet cap, which she wore so much that
everyone called her Little Red Cap.

Author of the story-Brother Grimm

Source- The Grimms' source for the first variant (the main story) was Jeanette Hassenpflug
(1791-1860). Marie Hassenpflug (1788-1856) provided them with the second variant (the
concluding episode, introduced with the sentence "They also tell how Little Red Cap was taking
some baked things to her grandmother another time.

BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHOR

"Little Red Cap" is a well-known fairy tale that has been adapted by various authors throughout
history. The most famous version is attributed to Charles Perrault, a French writer who lived in
the 17th century. Perrault is often considered one of the founders of the fairy tale genre. He
published "Little Red Riding Hood" in 1697 as part of his collection of fairy tales titled "Tales of
Mother Goose" ("Histoires ou contes du temps passé, avec des moralités"). Charles Perrault was
born on January 12, 1628, in Paris, France, and he was a member of the French Academy. In
addition to "Little Red Riding Hood," Perrault is also known for other classic fairy tales such as
"Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," and "Bluebeard." His fairy tales were initially intended for an
adult audience but later became popular children's literature. Perrault's contributions to the fairy
tale genre have had a lasting impact, influencing subsequent writers and adaptations of these
timeless stories.

STORY BOOK WRITER

"Little Red Cap," also known as "Little Red Riding Hood," has been adapted and retold by
various authors over the years. However, the most famous version is often attributed to Charles
Perrault, a French writer who published the story in 1697 as part of his collection "Tales of
Mother Goose." Perrault's rendition of the tale is one of the earliest written versions and has
significantly influenced the popular understanding of the story. It's worth noting that the story
has also been adapted by the Brothers Grimm in their collection of fairy tales, titled "Grimm's
Fairy Tales" ("Grimm's Märchen"). Their version, titled "Rotkäppchen" in German, is another
well-known iteration of the classic tale.

Characters of the authors

Little Red Riding Hood: The protagonist, a young girl who wears a red hooded cape. The Wolf:
The antagonist, who deceives Little Red Riding Hood by pretending to be her grandmother.
Grandmother:
Little Red Riding Hood's elderly relative, who the wolf impersonates
.Mother: Little Red Riding Hood's mother, often cautioning her about the dangers of the woods.

Summary

At the poem's opening, the speaker (a version of Little Red Riding Hood) has recently left
childhood and has found herself in an unpleasant and disorienting adolescence, depicted through
a desolate, industrial setting. The speaker discovers a wolf in a clearing. He is reading his own
poetry and holding a book. He is enormous and has red wine stains on his beard. The teenage
speaker seeks out his attention, especially taken with his connection to poetry. The wolf buys the
speaker her first drink and then guides her back to his lair in the woods. On the journey, the
speaker's clothes become tattered and she loses her shoes. However, she eventually finds herself
in the lair. There, they have sex. Though the wolf calls this a "love poem," the speaker is more
excited by the books on the wolf's shelf, which she reads after he falls asleep. She also seeks out
a dove, which the wolf eats. For ten years, the speaker remains with the wolf. As she grows up,
she learns to contextualize her situation. She compares the wolf to a mushroom growing in a
corpse's mouth, suggesting that he has hushed her own voice. She also implies that his poetry is
repetitive and uninteresting, and ultimately that he is not the sophisticated and intriguing poet she
found him to be as a child. Realizing she wants to escape, the speaker cuts the wolf open with an
axe. Inside him she finds her own grandmother's digested bones. She fills the wolf's stomach
with stones before leaving the woods. She then emerges, holding flowers and singing.

Her life takes an unexpected twist one day when she is sent on what would seem a rather benign
task. Her mother says, “Come, Little Red-Cap, here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine; take
them to your grandmother. She is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets
hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path…” Little Red
Cap’s story unfolds from there. Her challenge is to stay on the path and complete her errand
safel.

Rising Action – The Build-up Along the way, she meets a sly wolf who pretends to be good. He
tricks Little Red Cap into straying from the path to pick wild flowers so that he can run ahead to
Grandmother’s cottage. Once there, the wolf knocks on the door and pretends to be Little Red
Cap. Grandmother is deceived and invites him to “lift the latch” and enter her cottage. The wolf
then goes to her bedroom and swallows her whole. He wastes no time disguising himself as
Grandmother and lays in wait for Little Red Cap, whom he intends to eat next.

Climax – When Little Red Cap arrives, she senses that something is not right, but she still walks
into the back bedroom expecting to find Grandmother. Thus ensues the famous “Grandmother,
Grandmother…” lines wherein Little Red Cap notes how different the wolf’s ears, eyes, hands,
and mouth look than those of her real grandmother. No sooner does she realize that it’s the wolf,
then he goggles her.

Falling Action – The Unraveling Luckily, the wolf is so full from his two-course meal that he
falls asleep in Grandmother’s bed and begins snoring loudly. A nearby huntsman hears the loud
snoring and decides to check on Grandmother, thinking she may be ill. When he goes inside, he
sees the wolf and shouts, “So here I find you, you old sinner.” He gets ready to shoot the wolf
but thinks better of it and decides to cut his stomach open instead.

Resolution – Lesson Learned Out pops Little Red Cap and Grandmother. Though they’re both a
little worse for the wear, they eat the basket of goodies and feel much better.
Themes and Lesson

Themes- The Little Red Cap" explores themes of innocence, vulnerability, coming of age,
deception, danger, female empowerment, morality, and consequences. It serves as a cautionary
tale that teaches valuable lessons about the complexities of the world and the need to navigate it
wisely.
Lesson-The primary lesson from "Little Red Cap" is to be cautious, follow instructions, and not
be deceived by appearances. It teaches the importance of awareness and the consequences that
may arise from disobedience. The story serves as a cautionary tale aimed at imparting wisdom to
those navigating through a world that may pose both enchanting and perilous encounters.

"Wisdom in Innocence, Strength in Adversity"