Little Red Riding Hood Compare and Contrast Essay:

The timeless tale of Little Red Riding Hood is about a girl

who visits her grandmother’s house to deliver sweets and
treats, unknowingly to find a wolf waiting to eat her. This
essay aims to compare two versions of the story, the
traditional version written by an unknown author and
Roald Dahl’s reimagined version titled Little Red and the
Wolf.

The primary distinction between the two narratives lies in

the plot. The prose version of the story commences with
an exposition, introducing Red Riding Hood, the daughter
of a Woodman. Conversely, the poem version begins with
the inciting incident, where the wolf, driven by hunger,
decides to visit Grandma’s house with the intention of
eating her. Another divergence in the plot is the inciting
moment. In the prose version, it is Little Red Riding Hood's
conversation with the wolf that triggers the rising action.
However, in the poem version, it is the wolf's hunger and
subsequent decision to visit grandma’s house that sets
the plot in motion. Moreover, the falling action in the two
versions also differs. In the prose version, the woodman,
Hugh, rescues Red Riding Hood. On the other hand, in the
poem version, Red Riding Hood saves herself by shooting
the wolf in the head. Despite these differences, there are a
few similarities in the two versions. The most notable
similarity in the plot is the rising action. In both the
traditional/prose and the reimagined versions, the wolf
devours Little Red’s grandma and waits for Little Red
Riding Hood to arrive. Another commonality is the falling
action, where the wolf is killed in both versions.

Another significant difference between the two narratives

is the setting. The primary difference in the setting is the
location of grandma’s house. In the traditional version of
the story, it is explicitly stated that grandma’s house is in
the 'heart of the woods'. However, in the reimagined
version, the location of grandma’s house is not specifically
mentioned. Despite the differences in the setting, there is
a similarity in both versions. The most noticeable
similarity is that both the prose and the reimagined
versions take place in a forest. This shared setting serves
as a common thread that weaves the two narratives
together.

In terms of character similarities, both narratives feature

Red Riding Hood, Grandma, and the Wolf. These
characters serve as the backbone of the story in both the
prose and poem versions. However, there are also notable
differences in the characters. The prose version includes
the character of Woodman Hugh, who is absent in the
poem version. Additionally, the prose version introduces a
Trim, a dog and a mother, characters that are not present
in the poem version.
The character traits of Little Red Riding Hood also differ
between the two versions. In the poem version, Little Red
Riding Hood is portrayed as brave and bold, shooting the
wolf in the head. Whereas, in the prose version, she was
depicted as weak and innocent, requiring rescue from
woodman Hugh, who threw an axe at the wolf.

Moving on to the theme, both the prose and poem versions

of Little Red Riding Hood delve into the themes of danger
and the significance of being cautious, they differ in their
emphasis on certain aspects. In the poem version, there is
a distinct focus on the power of intelligence and
resourcefulness. Transitioning from the traditional tale, the
poem highlights how Little Red Riding Hood's bravery and
quick thinking enable her to outsmart the wolf and protect
herself. On the other hand, the prose version maintains a
more traditional approach, emphasizing the importance of
heeding warnings and relying on the woodman, to
overcome the dangers posed by the wolf.