Today we discussed various fairy tales and their modern counterparts. The edification narrative is common and often directed at females (don't stray from the path, etc.).

Although we did not discuss it in depth, consider "A White Heron." Sylvia (of the woods) rejects the woodsman (unlike Cinderella and Little Red Cap) in favor of the bird (nature? virginity?--think about the end of the story; the white heron is unmarked, but many other colorful birds are bloodied and dead in the wood. Are they really birds...?). The females in all of our stories all have the power to make choices (otherwise, they wouldn't "need" edification narratives).

Also, consider the grandmother in the film The Company of Wolves (some discussed her as symbolic of an institution, a tradition, anti-change, all excellent analyses). The wolves come from the woods, so wolves are "nature-al" beings. What does that make "little red cap?" Why is it un-natural for a girl to "give in" to nature, etc.? All stirring questions.

Now that we've explored a bit of a feminist slant, we are going to be exploring "manhood" in the coming classes. Consider what constitutes manhood, heroism, six-pack abs, etc. for our next class as you move through your readings.