Would you like to be in the company of wolves? Cute, furry animals that can also be vicious killers when hungry or threatened. Or what about men who are labeled after the vicious side of a wolf. Cunning, clever, beastly men who would love to take advantage of a pretty girl in her red hood. The excerpt from The Company of Wolves by Angela Carter subverts the usual female roles by letting the heroine take charge of her future. She does not act timid and let the male character determine what happens. By carrying her own knife and not being afraid of anything, this little red riding hood is an independent woman who takes care of herself. Even when the cannibal, nude man with lice threatens to eat little red, she laughs in his face as though it was the most ridiculous thing she ever heard. She makes the decision to kiss him and takes care of his creepy crawly bug problems. The story ends with her sleeping soundly in this man's arms. This is different from other tales where she is scared and does what he asks; or the wolf kills little red riding hood. Carter's little red riding hood subverts from the usual female depictions by doing things on her own and deciding what will happen next, which results in her not getting raped or eaten.
