I chose to read the article, "Dances with Wolves". I found it most interesting and informative." The first published version of the story, in paris in 1967, shows a little girl in her night gown lying in bed beneath a wolf. The girl has been ripped out of her clothing by this "wolf". This particular story ends with the death of her. We can easily come to the conclusion that once she has been seduced by the wolf, she is no longer pure, and thus her faith with finding a mate and creating a family has been emolished. Which is like dying. She speaks of chastity, chastity was the feminine ideal, demanded b the prevailing institution of marriage- not the "fairy tale wedding" of modern fantasy, but the marriage de raison, ochestrated by the parents for social or financial gain. We also learn about Hence, the age of seduction and age of institutionalized chastity. Men and women could be disinherited, baniched and even senteced to death if found guillty of seduction. Once the 20th century arrived "LRRH" was redressed. Advertisements transformed the heroine that was captured in stories as the warning sign, do not talk with strangers, do not walk alone and much more. Is now an ode to Lust. " Riding Hood Red" lipstick would "bring the wolves out" Max factor printed in a poster sized ad appearing in Vogue in 1953. Also, in 1983 they transformed LRRH into a whiskey ad for a commercial. Much information circulates the ancient and controversy tale of the little red hooded girl. But in the end, what kind of mother sends her innnocent daughter all alone into the woods?
In my opinion the internal conflict was "LRRH" deciding wether or not to trust her instinct. She knew something was wrong, yet decided to stay. Thr fisrt time she called for grandma her voice was rough and deep. She figured it was because grandma had a cold which expalined why she sounded different. "Grandmother,what big legs you have!'" All the better to run with,my child." Grandmother was big eyes you have!" "All the better to see with, my child." The external conflict was the wolf realizing thay he could not eat LRRH because of all the woodcutters nearby, they would kill him before he even tried. "he wolf was a smart animal, he knew he didn't stant a chance. " She met with a wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he did not, because of the woodccutters nearby in the forest."
ReplyDeleteJenny,
I'm glad you found the piece interesting. This is a strong reading: "We can easily come to the conclusion that once she has been seduced by the wolf, she is no longer pure, and thus her faith with finding a mate and creating a family has been emolished." I think you mean "abolished", though. (Purity and virginity were synonymous, and virginity was, literally, a woman's calling card, the one thing she held (aside from a good name and/or inheritable property) that she could "gift" to her husband. Very good post.