Essay Questions

The two wolves that Red Riding Hood confronts differ substantially from one another, but both come to the same end. How does the new ending align perfectly with the original sources?

In the redo of their own story, the wolf is appropriately clever in his predatory pursuits. Imagery—both visually illustrated and in the text—are highly suggestive in their implication that this wolf has relied on being clever to attack his prey because he isn’t quite physically capable of inspiring fear. And, of course, it is precisely his use of guile rather than ferocious force which puts him in such a submissive position that Red can quite easily use ferocious force against him. In stark contrast, the wolf in “The Three Little Pigs” uses his intimidating appearance to get the job done: blazing eyes, sharp teeth, foaming at the mouth and obviously impressive lung capacity. This wolf isn’t clever; he’s a bully plain and simple. That being the case, Red could likely easily outwit him, but it seems to be an authentic truth that bullies don’t change and only react to greater force against them.

What usually unspoken societal truth in the final couplet of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” presents children with a rather dark moral?

“Snow White” and “Jack and the Beanstalk” are really the only two fairy tales that end with a clear and direct moral; the rest offer life lessons that are fuzzy at best. While the lesson Jack learns about taking baths is definitely kid-appropriate, the moral contained in the final two lines of “Snow White” is perhaps less so, but certainly no less true:

“Which shows that gambling’s not a sin

Provided that you always win.”

The inescapable reality of Gamblers Anonymous is that it overflows with people who have lost money. Rarely do those blessed by Lady Luck who somehow manage to never lose big and for whom gambling really isn’t much of gamble ever look at themselves as being afflicted by a disease of which they need to be cured. It’s a harshly authentic lesson for kids to learn early—and admittedly somewhat cynical—but neither of those aspects makes it any less true.

What imagery does Dahl use to subtly imply that the reason Goldilocks became a fairy tale heroine for breaking the law instead of the villain of the story?

Although he does not come right out and proclaim it as such, the inference is that Goldilocks owes her popularity and good luck to her looks. At the end of the poem, children supporting her characterize her as “Poor darling Goldilocks.” Even her name suggests that the kind of attractive qualities that have long allowed good-looking people to get away with things that ugly people could not. And so Dahl takes it as his mission to push this theory by using imagery through out that attempts to change the perspective of the events by reliving Goldilocks of her privilege:

“She begins to swear” including one bad word too "disgusting" to print.

She is referred to as a “little toad,” “nosy thief” and “little louse.”

She’s not just a “delinquent little tot” but a “freak.”

She’s a “skunk” in “filthy shoes” too self-centered to even notice she's got doggie doo on the heels.