Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale

1. Purpose. Charles Perrault, in his telling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” seeks to entertain and provide a lesson—in fact, he states the official moral at the end of the story. However, what other interpretations could be reached about the main character, the story, and the story’s lessons? And which details support these alternative interpretations?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Purpose. Charles Perrault, in his telling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” seeks to entertain and provide a lesson—in fact, he states the official moral at the end of the story. However, what other interpretations could be reached about the main character, the story, and the story’s lessons? And which details support these alternative interpretations?
2. Audience. To what degree does Perrault gear his version of the tale toward children—and to what degree toward adults? What makes you think so? What are the ages of the children who are the primary targets of this tale, and how do you know? Which details or aspects of the story would appeal to different age groups?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Audience. To what degree does Perrault gear his version of the tale toward children—and to what degree toward adults? What makes you think so? What are the ages of the children who are the primary targets of this tale, and how do you know? Which details or aspects of the story would appeal to different age groups?
3. Rhetorical appeals. Little Red Riding Hood seems to be an extremely naïve character, not quite recognizing that the creature in her grandmother’s bed is not her grandmother. How does Little Red’s naïveté function in the tale in terms of ethos, pathos, and logos?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Rhetorical appeals. Little Red Riding Hood seems to be an extremely naïve character, not quite recognizing that the creature in her grandmother’s bed is not her grandmother. How does Little Red’s naïveté function in the tale in terms of ethos, pathos, and logos?
4. Rhetorical appeals. How would the ethos of the tale be affected if, instead of beginning with “Once upon a time,” it opened with a specific time and place, such as “Stockholm, Sweden; January 12, 1960”?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Rhetorical appeals. How would the ethos of the tale be affected if, instead of beginning with “Once upon a time,” it opened with a specific time and place, such as “Stockholm, Sweden; January 12, 1960”?
5. Modes & media. If you were to adapt “Little Red Riding Hood” for a digital format, what changes would you make? What might you hyperlink? Why?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Modes & media. If you were to adapt “Little Red Riding Hood” for a digital format, what changes would you make? What might you hyperlink? Why?
6. Elements of the genre. Why is a wolf a fitting animal to play the role of the villain in this story? What other animals might adequately fulfill the role?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Elements of the genre. Why is a wolf a fitting animal to play the role of the villain in this story? What other animals might adequately fulfill the role?
7. Elements of the genre. What is the significance of Little Red Riding Hood’s red cape? What abstract or symbolic meaning might it have? Why do you think so?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Elements of the genre. What is the significance of Little Red Riding Hood’s red cape? What abstract or symbolic meaning might it have? Why do you think so?
8. Style. Sometimes the moral in a fairy tale is made explicit, as in this tale, and other times it’s implied but not explicitly stated. What is the effect of the author stating the moral explicitly? And why does Perrault say that gentle wolves are the most dangerous?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Style. Sometimes the moral in a fairy tale is made explicit, as in this tale, and other times it’s implied but not explicitly stated. What is the effect of the author stating the moral explicitly? And why does Perrault say that gentle wolves are the most dangerous?
9. Style. Identify the details of the story that convey the setting. To what extent do they contribute to your visualization of the story? To what extent do they add to the story’s universality?

   Question

   uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

   Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Style. Identify the details of the story that convey the setting. To what extent do they contribute to your visualization of the story? To what extent do they add to the story’s universality?
10. Design. How does Gustave Doré’s woodblock illustration included with the text influence your reading of the story?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Design. How does Gustave Doré’s woodblock illustration included with the text influence your reading of the story?
11. Sources. It’s possible that oral stories served as inspiration for Perrault’s tale and other similar tales. Can you think of more modern stories or films that may use this story as a source?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7

    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Perrault’s fairy tale: Sources. It’s possible that oral stories served as inspiration for Perrault’s tale and other similar tales. Can you think of more modern stories or films that may use this story as a source?