The Gingerbread House
Robert Coover
What are the most striking differences between Coover’s “The Gingerbread House” and Grimm brothers’ “Hansel and Gretel”.
| Hansel and Gretel |
The Gingerbread House |
- There are five characters: the father, the step-mother, the two children and the witch.
|
- There are four characters: the father, the two children and the witch. Stepmother is absent.
|
- The boy and the girl are identified by their names.
|
- They are identified only by the relation, not by names.
|
- This story begins in the house and ends in the house.
|
- This story begins and ends in the jungle.
|
- The main focus is on the course of events.
|
- The main focus is on description and details.
|
- This story ends happily as the children are back home after overcoming difficulties.
|
- This story ends with the mysterious door and the thing beyond it: the witch.
|
- Poverty ends in this story.
|
- Poverty doesn’t end here.
|
- Love between the brother and sister is shown as ideal.
|
- They fight as well as love, which is more realistic.
|
- It is in the past tense, which indicates that the event took place sometime in the past.
|
- It is in the present tense, which indicates that the event is closer to our life.
|
- There are complete and long sentences, a mark of formal written language.
|
- There are short, simple sentences like everyday language.
|
- It is written in conventional prose form.
|
- Written in 42 chapters, it is almost poetic.
|
Post Views: 903
