For
all those interested in myth and storytelling as a way to understand ourselves
and our universe, this interpretation by South African philosopher Johan Degenaar
will make fascinating viewing.A & P Productions
For
all those interested in myth and storytelling as a way to understand ourselves
and our universe, this interpretation by South African philosopher Johan Degenaar
will make fascinating viewing.
In this film, Degenaar shows three interpretations of the story of Little Red Riding Hood. In what he calls the cosmological interpretation, Little Red Riding Hood is the sun, swallowed by night and resurrected. All cultures have resurrection myths to explain the dawning of each new day. The psychological interpretation put forth by Bruno Bettelheim is that the story is a symbolic rendering of crucial life experiences. In the Grimm brother's version of the tale it is a warning not to disobey authorities The sexual interpretation is that the wolf is the girl's awakening libido. The hunter saves her from her unconscious sexuality.
Perhaps more than the specific interpretations, it is Degenaar's enthusiasm for the use of metaphorical thinking, creative imagination, and artistic expression to bring the unconscious to consciousness. He quotes the curious words of Jesus "If you bring forth what is in you, it will save you. If you do not bring forth what is in you, it will destroy you."
26 min. Video or DVD. Sale $195. Video rental $55.
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