Theme

I never thought about the possibility of theme hindering what the text might mean to the reader. The way my brain works, I realize that this may be one of the reasons I struggle with interpreting texts. Usually when I read a piece, the first thing I do is search for a theme, and since my mind is slightly one track, once I have a meaning and or theme stuck in my head it is hard for me to expand to what else it could mean. I keep trying to expand on that one idea instead of what else could be an interpretation. I am a literal person so I often get stuck in the interpreting literally.

For example : My mind on "Little Red Riding Hood." When I think of that story I think 'don't talk to strangers' and that's about it. After reading the homework, I see that even the simplest story or pieces can have more than one meaning. I never knew that the intended moral of that store was for young women to watch out for the flattery of charming men. Kinda lost me with the talking wolf playing the charming man part. But it could also mean a million different other things. I think it could be a parental lesson. My mom would have never let me walk in the woods, by myself, carrying food, all the way to grandma's house. That just spells stupid. So moral of the story: Don't let your children walk in the woods alone for long distances, they, and their grandma, will get eaten by talking wolves in nightcaps.

I really liked the other two pieces we read for homework that kind of made fun of "Little Red Riding Hood." Even though it is a childrens story, it is slightly ridiculous. At least I think so. But I guess that is why most versions add the lumberjack killing the wolf at the end instead of it eating her. I never thought of this story so much before. Sort of enlightening.