The Wolf Among Us: Parallels Between Fiction And Reality

Many have questioned whether art mimics life or if life mimics art. Parallels between fiction and reality continue to perpetuate this debate. In the video game, The Wolf Among Us, life is breathed into familiar fairy tale characters, and as the player interacts with them, the fables are given this added aspect of realism. Fabletown and its citizens reflect the harsh truth that prejudice still exists, similar to real life. Unfortunately, society continues to face discrimination against minority groups, especially against those of certain ethnicities and sexual orientation. The Wolf Among Us adapts magic and fairy tales to expose oppression and bigotry within famous tales and the real world, creating a category of “othered” characters as

As mentioned previously, those who could not maintain a humanlike appearance would be sent to the farm. The separation of characters in the Farm versus those in Fabletown veers into the lane of segregation. Similarly, the use of animal characters alludes to the reality of racial discrimination. While race is never directly mentioned, it is important to note that “...race need not be figured as an explicit theme, character, or idiom to exert a profound, even fundamental, influence…” (Lau 143). As with many other forms of literature, racial and ethnic influence can still be present without being explicitly mentioned. This can especially be seen with characters like Colin, Toad, and TJ. All three characters in The Wolf Among Us fall into the animal category, an entirely different species than humans. Consequently, they face more hardships and prejudice in comparison to other Fables, much like racial minority groups in real life. Colin is explicitly told by Snow that “you’re not even supposed to be here right now” (Episode 4). It is extremely reminiscent of segregation in America. African-Americans were not allowed to use certain bathrooms or sit in certain places, and it was all because of the color of their skin. Similarly, animal Fables are not allowed to be in Fabletown without a glamour, simply because of their natural appearance. In addition, the “Book of Fables” notes that “It doesn’t help that while Fables who appear human do not have to worry about being sent to the Farm, they always seem to fill the leadership roles there” (Telltale). There seems to be a common theme in The Wolf Among Us: the human Fables reign supreme while everyone else lies at their feet. The Farm life illustrates an ongoing battle against systemic racism for minority representation that otherwise keeps them