Many are the deceivers

This thesis examines the adaptations and disseminations of ancient and modern dominant Western Parables. It investigates both Biblical myths and fairy tales, as they are used as socializing tools, which set standards in Western culture, and prescribe conventions to our children. Within the thesis, themes from Little Red Riding Hood will be extrapolated, and compared to those found in Old Testament tales such as, The Expulsion from Eden, the Deluge, The Ten Plagues, and Exodus. Throughout the thesis, the history and function of the myth and fairy tale will be defined, and questions will be raised regarding the role of the story and storyteller. An analysis will be made of the Western obsession with using stories as allegorical representations of a culture, and societies need to relate to mythical characters. Specific mythical characters will also be studied for their ubiquitous qualities, their fundamental representations of the human condition, and their incarnations of an iconic individual. Explanations will be given to the artist’s relationship to multiple medias, and her additional role as author and narrator of a new story. The title of the thesis (Many are the Deceivers) will also be explained, as it is a reference to Anne Sexton’s 1971 poem “Red Riding Hood”. The thesis will describe the artist’s artwork as a visual comparison to Sexton’s literary work, and will reinforce the idea that everyone holds the potential to deceive