Company of Wolves

The author of "The Company of Wolves" displays her feminist point of view by comparing men to beasts who crave sexual encounter and by explaining women's role in society. The author points out that the women in her story are stereotypical; the young girl is pretty, the mother is a housewife who cooks and cleans. Another issue, which Carter expresses, is discrimination. Women are discriminated against because of their sex and because of their looks every day in America.

In the beginning of the story, Carter introduces the half-wolf-half-human creatures by describing their evil and dangerous deeds. Carter emphasizes these creatures' inability to suppress their desires and sexual appetite. The author also mentions how "the wolves have ways of arriving at your own hearthside. We try and try but sometimes we cannot keep them out". Furthermore, the fact that these creatures become naked before turning into wolves supports the sexual image of these werewolves and adds to their deceptive nature. Carter also describes the wolves as pitiless creatures that readily prey on weak and servile individuals who are meek and vulnerable to danger, such as the servile woman and the pious old man who humbles himself lower to serve God. The first example of a victim is a woman who was making macaroni when she was bitten by the wolf. The second victim, a lonely old man who used to "sing to Jesus all day," demonstrates the inability of Christian faith to protect a human being from these evil creatures.

From the beginning, Carter sends a message to her readers that the only way to fight these evil creatures is not to be the perfect image that society tells us to be, but to be strong and selfish. Then Carter moves on to the story of Little Red and of her visit to her grandmother. In the beginning, this girl is a figure and a symbol of purity and innocence with her blond hair and her young beauty. The author also mentions her commencing sexual maturity, which tells the readers that she is at the uncertain stage of her life during which a girl becomes a woman. Unlike the girl, the grandmother is a figure of an old traditional woman who holds the typical qualities that make her a pious servant of God and an example of a figure who conforms to the expectations of the society. The girl proves to have a different mindset than her grandmother when approached by the wolf. She is introduced to werewolf not as a horrible beast, but as a dashing young man who makes a bet with her that he can reach grandmother's house faster than her with his compass. His winning prize is a kiss from her, and the girl, secretly wanting him to win, takes her time. When the girl reaches the grandmother's house, she immediately senses a difference in the atmosphere – the pillow is perfectly propped up without a hint of indention and the bible is lying closed on the table. She realizes that something is wrong, but she refuses to let her fear get the better of her. It seems she is succumbing to the wolf by taking off her own clothes, but her boldness in approaching the wolf, taking off his clothing for him, and then giving him the kiss is rather surprising. By this point, Angela Carter conveys to the readers that women should not view sexuality as an entirely evil thing that should be hidden under the covers, but something that women should value and use carefully to empower their femininity.

Through this story, readers can see Carter's strong belief in women voicing their desires and beliefs by taking action. The fact that Carter states in the end that "It is Christmas Day, the werewolves' birthday" reveals her view that women should accept the fact that in every man and woman lives a beast.