Bear Witness

Sometimes a work lands in the middle. In between interpretations. In between certainty of which way it might lean.

I shared my painting, “Code Red,” to a friend to look at it. She teaches Feminist Literature. “These Red Riding Hoods aren’t afraid anymore!” she said. But then the wolf looked petrified and worried. Surprised even. Sixteen red riding hoods surround him. Film him. Report him.

She could feel for the wolf too. The “red hoods” seem aggressive. Or are they just empowered? We felt like this picture might be a Rorschach test for gender studies. I can see how the woods aren’t safe for a wolf any more. I can also see that any girl can walk her path without fear. She said, “or are they ignoring a danger? Are they underestimating? Are they too cozy?”

Is the wolf performing for the camera? Why are two of the Red Hoods looking unhappy? Has the wolf done anything?

We didn’t know. I didn’t know.

“The artist is supposed to know,” she said.

No, I laughed. I only knew this was the painting I wanted to paint. Even painting it, I wasn’t sure if I was on the RRHs side or the wolf’s. The painting could go either way. It was more interesting to hear what others gathered from it. The discussion was fascinating. Especially when the meaning wasn’t supplied.

What does the title mean? Who are the wolves? What is a wolf? Is a wolf an animal that is menacing? Dangerous?

***

I’ve always loved the tale of “Little Red Riding Hood.” I made it the subject of my BA thesis, “Wolves in the Woods,” examining the history of the tale to learn how the wolf had been altered in the story to fit a different time or culture.

In the earliest versions, Red gets away by tricking the wolf. Her grandmother isn’t so lucky. In the Perrault version, she’s eaten by the wolf. The end. He wrote it as a cautionary tale about sexual predators. The German version has a Teacher Wolf, one who persuades Red to stop and smell the flowers, get off the path, live a little, break a few silly rules. He’s downright Life Coachy. I liked him.

But the German tale has him eat Red and Grandma. Then a burly hunter comes and slices the wolf open while he sleeps and drops some stones in his belly instead. When the wolf awakes he falls into a well.

Later versions have the wolf scared off, slapped on the hand, or befriended. I wondered what the tale might look like in the age of multiverses, AI, quantum theory. What stories do we tell of the Wolf and Little Red? How has the wolf changed? Is he victim yet? Would he ever be a victim? Is it possible to make a story where the wolf is the victim without being ironic? (I have seen a wonderful children’s book about the Wolf in the tale of the Three Pigs, Jon Scieszka’s The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (1989), and he is “definitely the victim” there. )

***

The first time I read Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, I was fascinated by his ability to make Dorothy the problem. The last problem of the troubled life of animal rights activist Elphaba. Elphaba was a victim. Dorothy the antagonist; the Wizard the antagonist. Such a good book. Such a clever reworking. I never thought I would root for the witch. All of us who have seen the musical Wicked know we root for the witch because she is the outcast. She wants to protect those who have no protection. So yeah, it can be done. (I’m looking forward to the movie version, this Thanksgiving!)

Anyway, I’m not saying the wolf is the victim here. We just don’t know what led up to these events.

What do you see?