Stereotypes in the little red riding hood
Stereotypes in „The Little Red Riding Hood“
“Happily ever after” – a saying that might be familiar to almost every person as it is one of the most common endings of fairytales. Especially for children fairytales are a highly influential text type. When reading a fairytale children usually identify some role model and moreover they first come across stereotypes. Every fairytale contains “widely held but fixed and oversimplified image[s] or idea[s] of a particular type of person or thing” (Oxford
Dictonary). Taking a look at the fairytale “The Little Red Riding Hood” it becomes apparent that this fairytale especially teaches girls bout being a woman and with that, about gender roles. Having a look at the story, the first stereotypical element appears right in the first scene when it is being said that Little Red Riding Hood’s mother has baked a cake. For numerous centuries it has been part of mostly every culture that women need to be housewives, be in the kitchen and do the cooking. Moreover, as far as women are concerned in “The Little Red
Riding Hood” most of the girls will find themselves identifying mainly with the female protagonist , being described as the sweet little girl, that everybody who saw her likes. What becomes apparent here is the fact, that little girls are always associated with being sweet and naïve and beautiful, so there is no way for people to not like them. However, what the story teaches us during its course is that Little Red’s innocence will lead her into a very dangerous situation. Both, her grandmother and herself will be eaten up by the wolf, showing that women if not being cautious can easily be taken advantage of or getting hurt.
Little Red Riding Hood displays many elements of a stereotypical fairytale heroine especially the typical naivety and her trusting nature .The fixed image of women being “vulnerable “ and having to been looked after becomes very clear.
On the other side, having a look at the men in the
“Happily ever after” – a saying that might be familiar to almost every person as it is one of the most common endings of fairytales. Especially for children fairytales are a highly influential text type. When reading a fairytale children usually identify some role model and moreover they first come across stereotypes. Every fairytale contains “widely held but fixed and oversimplified image[s] or idea[s] of a particular type of person or thing” (Oxford
Dictonary). Taking a look at the fairytale “The Little Red Riding Hood” it becomes apparent that this fairytale especially teaches girls bout being a woman and with that, about gender roles. Having a look at the story, the first stereotypical element appears right in the first scene when it is being said that Little Red Riding Hood’s mother has baked a cake. For numerous centuries it has been part of mostly every culture that women need to be housewives, be in the kitchen and do the cooking. Moreover, as far as women are concerned in “The Little Red
Riding Hood” most of the girls will find themselves identifying mainly with the female protagonist , being described as the sweet little girl, that everybody who saw her likes. What becomes apparent here is the fact, that little girls are always associated with being sweet and naïve and beautiful, so there is no way for people to not like them. However, what the story teaches us during its course is that Little Red’s innocence will lead her into a very dangerous situation. Both, her grandmother and herself will be eaten up by the wolf, showing that women if not being cautious can easily be taken advantage of or getting hurt.
Little Red Riding Hood displays many elements of a stereotypical fairytale heroine especially the typical naivety and her trusting nature .The fixed image of women being “vulnerable “ and having to been looked after becomes very clear.
On the other side, having a look at the men in the