Critical Analysis Of Little Red Cap By Carol Ann Duffy

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Outline

Prescribed question: How does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a particular genre, and for what purpose?

Title for the text for analysis: Little Red Cap

Part of the course to which the task refers: Literature: Text and contact

My critical response will:
Explore the setting of the original tale and the poem and pinpoint the differences and similarities between the two, paying special attention to the forest and path
Comment on how the characterisation of the wolf conforms to the original fairytale in terms of his dominance and cunning nature
Comment on the characterisation of Little Red Cap, focusing on her character development in terms of identity and empowerment
Comment on the implicit moral of the original fairytale and the explicit moral presented in the poem, focusing on how Little Red Cap is able to learn a lesson as a result of her time with the wolf.

Little Red Cap, a poem written by Carol Ann Duffy, allows the reader to gain an insight into Duffy’s perception on the popular fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood. Through altering the setting of the tale, Duffy reflects the conventional fairytale setting, adhering to the traditional tale by creating the concept of a path which Little Red Riding Hood follows and the forest in which she encounters danger. She also retains traits of the Wolf by characterising him as a cunning and dominant figure. She does this while altering the characterisation of Little Red Cap by giving her a sense