The Symbolic World 419 - Trick or Treat: Halloween Symbolism in Little Red Riding Hood
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Oct 31, 2025 Diving into Halloween's spooky traditions, the discussion reveals trick-or-treating as a way to appease mythical monsters. The parallels between Little Red Riding Hood and Halloween rituals unfold, highlighting how wolves in disguise reflect hidden dangers. The podcast explores the house as a symbol of identity and safety, juxtaposed with the risks of embracing strangers. Sexual undertones and the role of monsters in reflecting societal fears of identity loss are examined, making it a fascinating take on folklore and modern cultural warnings.
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Use Rituals To Manage Threats
- Do treat Halloween as a ritual that practices dealing with monsters by giving a small offering to keep them calm.
- Jonathan Pageau says this propitiation is a recurring social technique, not mere pagan whimsy.
Same Symbols, Different Order
- Notice how Little Red Riding Hood reverses Halloween: the wolf wears the child's disguise to gain entry and then devours.
- Jonathan Pageau highlights the same symbolic elements appearing in different orders across traditions.
Home, Strangers, And Predatory Threat
- See the home as the center of identity and strangers as threats with varying distances and intentions.
- Jonathan Pageau links monsters to strangers who don't share your good and may treat you as food or territory.
