The Big Bad Wolf: A Short Treatise

So why the wolf? Why should the aspect of the wolf so dominate our folklore, literature, art, and dreams? Well, of all the wild and predatory beasts, the wolf is the most likely to come into contact with the average person, in Europe anyway. Since the wolf has been known to claim the easy prey that is domesticated livestock, man has come to be at odds with the creature. As such, the wolf represents avarice, impulse, wildness, ferocity, and mystique. The wolf possesses a noble - if wild - beauty, so themes of seduction and sensuality also may apply to the wolf.

No figure in society represents the Jungian archetype of this creature more fittingly than the Big Bad Wolf. A staple of the fairy tale, the wolf embodies the wildness in nature and, therefore, the darker half of ourselves.

Early use of the wolf archetype was used primarily for morality tales. The boy who cried wolf illustrates the dangers of lying. He alerts the village to the presence of a wolf so that the townsfolk run out of doors in a panic. A cheap laugh to say the least. However, the prank wears thin. When an actual wolf slinks into the town, the boy cries, "Wolf!" Yet no one comes out of doors. The wolf promptly eats him.

The Three Little Pigs is another morality tale, this time focusing on the importance of industry. The brother pigs decide to build homes for themselves. The first pig is the most lazy He builds his home of straw. The second brother is not quite as lazy. He builds his of clay. The final pig is the most industrious. He builds his of stone and mortar. A wolf comes to the first brother, demanding to be let in. The pig refuses. So, the wolf takes in a deep breath and blows down the house of straw. The pig escapes to the house of clay. Again, the wolf demands to be let in. The two pigs refuse. Again, the wolf blows the house down. The two brothers escape to the house of stone. Here the wolf comes to an impasse. No matter how hard he bellows, the house stands. Exhausted, the wolf is easily defeated.

Early stories of Little Red Riding Hood instruct young women to beware of strangers. In traveling to her grandmother's house, the young lady encounters a wolf. He is charming and polite, asking to have what is inside the young miss's basket. She refuses, claiming that the baked goods are for her grandmother. The wolf, now made aware of the maiden's destination. makes haste to the grandmother's house. There, he eats the grandmother, dresses in her clothing, and waits. When Little Red Riding Hood arrives, the wolf masquerades as the grandmother and consumes our poor heroine. In the early tale no woodsman comes to her rescue. Even then the world was a dangerous place for young ladies. Parents made them aware of the dangers of speaking to strangers.

However, there are several sides to Little Red Riding Hood. The latent sexuality of the faery tale is well-nigh blatant according to modern sensibilities. The red hood has several intonations. For one, the hood represents the maidenhead. An intact hymen is a symbol of virginity. The red color signifies blood. The hymen has been torn. Conversely, a red hood was the choice article of clothing for prostitutes in France. So, the character of Little Red Riding Hood represents a sexualized, or soon to be, woman. The wolf, on the other hand, represents the male, sexual predator. He is charming and sly. He is persistent, appearing to the girl several times along her way, each time trying to persuade her. At the end, he takes drastic measures and meets her at her destination. There, he assault her. He ravishes her. He 'sinks his fangs' into her.

There are less sexual themes. One interpretation is that Red's encounter with the wolf and later consumption and restoration is a symbolic representation of puberty. The wolf represents the change. Not only is he furry, but he is a natural phenomenon and is linked with the moon. The red hood, then, could very well refer to menstruation.

Whatever ones take on the faery tale, and no matter how innocent our interpretation of it, Little Red Riding Hood remains a compelling story and a stone in the firmament of folklore. Its influence is widespread. The story has seen many retellings and re-imaginings. From Perrault to Angela Carter, from cartoons to pornography, the key points of the story are left unaltered. A young woman encounters a creature that dupes her into giving up something precious, possibly her life.

Red has been represented as an innocent young lady to Tex Avery's animated showgirl. The wolves in the latter could be seen hanging around the corner of Hollywood and Vine. Clearly this modern reference captures the sexual and predatory nature of men. The Big Bad Wolf has gone on to inspire many werewolf and related stories. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekkyl and Mr. Hyde is an example of the wildness of the wolf internalized rather than externalized.

Although the wolf is in itself a noble and majestic creature, the image of the Big Bad Wolf is a part of our cultural history. Wolves will continue to be regarded as dangerous, and their images and aspects represented as such in many tales to come.