The character in the Brothers Grim version
concentrates on the family ties between Little Red and the Grandmother,
creating an illustration of womanhood as loyal and loving, and always there for
each other. On the other side in Perrault’s version the women do not seem to be
bonded by family ties nor unconditional love for each other, both women are
seen as individuals with their own goals. Childhood for girls is represented in
multitude of ways if you combine these two versions. One can be individual or
one can be seen as extension of a family. “In Perrault’s version, the girl
picks flowers for her own enjoyment alone, while in the Grimm version she picks
them to bring as a gift to her grandmother.” (Shavit 331)
Another way these two authors portray
Little Red in different light is the way they portray her sexuality or the lack
of it. The hood assumes the role of this particular symbol. “For Perrault it
symbolizes the girl’s eroticism, whereas for the Brothers Grimm it is an
expression of the grandmother’s deep love.” (Shavit 330) How this portrays her
to the children who read these stories affects the view of women, the way
sexuality and family love is expressed. The Grimm’s version depicts her as
good, respectful, vulnerable girl but by Perrault she gains new qualities as a
women with a power of on scene in the story; the one where she climbs to bed
with her grandmother. Which one of these stories would one consider more
appropriate for children, or is the way of describing the erotic undertone in
Perrault’s version just an adult readers set of mind playing tricks. The point
being, these are two different views of Little Red Riding Hood for the reader’s
amusement.
