Undertones in “Little Red Riding Hood”: The Relationship Between Childhood Innocence and Adult Knowledge

The story of Little Red Riding Hood is not just one of a little girl bringing simple biscuits and wine to a sick grandmother. Rather, the tale chronicles a young girl's trip into adulthood, the woods functioning as the hazy middle ground between being an innocent child and a knowing adult. Bruno Bettelheim, in The Uses of Enchantment, examines the story of Red Riding Hood's trip as culminating with her loss of virginity. As Red Riding Hood encounters the wolf in the forest, she is presented with the hurdle of entering adulthood—losing her virginity and reaching sexual maturity. Two of the best-known versions of the story represent Red Riding Hood's entry into adulthood differently. In Charles Perrault's " Little Red Riding Hood, " the line between Red Riding Hood as a child and an adult is clear; as soon as she is consumed by the wolf and loses her virginity, and she is no longer a child. This switch into adulthood comments on the non-negotiable relationship between the world of the adult and the world of the child; the roles of child and adult are clearly defined, unrelated stations in society. However, in the Brothers Grimm's " Little Red Cap, " the transition is not as defined. While Red Riding Hood reaches sexual maturity when the wolf eats her, her transition into adulthood does not end there. She must continue the journey with new experiences and gained knowledge after she is cut out of the wolf's stomach. The Grimms' version portrays childhood and adulthood as somewhat overlapping spheres, merging as the child matures and eventually becomes an adult. Both versions emphasize cultural beliefs about childhood innocence being dependent on sexual