Reading Response: The Company of Wolves

    After reading “The Company of Wolves” a short story by Angela Carter, I must say that I am once again amazed by the depth within her writing.  Her ability to speak to and communicate with parts of  the reader’s mind, through her writing, is stunning.   Though this story is a re-envisioned adaptation of “Little Red Riding Hood” it truly stands alone from the original tale recorded by Charles Perrault in 1697. 

    Often, in a fairy-tale of this nature, a reader will find the story focused on a single unearthly evil. However, within this tale, many mystical creatures such as witches, ghosts, hobgoblins, and ogres are offered up to the reader by Carter drastically darkening the setting in which this story takes place.  Through Carters intricate descriptions the reader is forced to build the black and unsettling scenery that surrounds the main storyline of this tale.   This is evident, from the very beginning of the tale, by her descriptions of the “grave-eyed children” and the “acrid milk and rank, maggoty cheese” produced by the goats that are tended  by the children.

    Another of the many interesting aspects within this tale are Carter’s bleak descriptions of the “wolves” themselves.  She makes many references to the solitary existence of the “wolf“, which I find comical, as the “wolf” in this tale does not end up alone .  Carter writes of the “wolfsong” and the murderer that it speaks. She also explains that the “wolfsong” carries an “inherent sadness” within it “as if the beasts would love to be less beastly if on they knew how and never cease to mourn their own condition.” Carter is speaking not only of the classical forest dwelling wolves of our world, but of the werewolf as well.  For the purposes of this story her focus seems to be placed more specifically on the twisted existence of the Lycanthrope. 

    Carter takes this myth to a new level by peeling away at the original story to expose many of the hidden sub-textual references in Perrault’s fairy-tale.   I was unable to make the sexual innuendo connections that she so easily points out.  For instance the meaning of the color red, the age of the girl in correlation to coming-of-age,  or that the girl is a virgin.  A woman who was not afraid to write about taboo subjects, Carter, really re-creates this story highlighting many interesting points and changing the outcome in more ways than one.

    Upon reaching the end of this story, I am left with many thoughts and questions.  For one, to me, this story seems to be taken out of context, almost as if it is missing a prelude and an adequate ending.  What happened?  “Little Red” was scared one moment, and the wolf was scared the next.  It ends with them in bed.  Being a lycanthrope, does the werewolf turn her?  Do they live out existence together? Has this all been part of “Little Red’s” plan?  Many questions hidden are created by this amazing tale.  After reading this, I now know, that as long as I continue to read works written by Angela Carter, I will never cease to be stunned, shocked, or amazed.