company of wolves

Angela Carters In the Company of Wolves transforms the familiar fairy tale into a dark allegory of human nature, where the werewolf becomes a symbol of illnessboth mental and physical. In Carters world, the wolf is not simply a predator; he represents the uncontrollable body, the alienating stigma of disease, and the fear of the other. The storys repeated emphasis on hunger, transformation, and isolation echoes the experience of illness: a condition that is involuntary, stigmatized, and socially excluded. The werewolfs existence is not merely supernatural, but also deeply human, reflecting how disease can turn the self into something frightening and unfamiliar. Carter writes that the wolf is carnivore incarnate and as cunning as he is ferocious, showing that the disease is not only physical but also psychological, capable of changing behavior and identity [p. __]. The wolfs life is therefore a metaphor for illness, exposing the way society treats the sick as monstrous and dangerous.

The first major way the wolf symbolizes illness is through uncontrolled transformation, which mirrors the sudden and unpredictable onset of physical disease. Carter describes the wolf as grey as famine and as unkind as plague, linking the creature directly to sickness and scarcity [p. __]. This comparison suggests that the wolf is not simply a predator but a walking symptom of disease. The transformation is not a choice, and it is often triggered by external conditionshunger, cold, and deprivation. In the story, wolves are described as starving during winter, their ribs visible and their bodies so little flesh on them [p. __]. This imagery resembles the experience of chronic illness, where the body becomes weak and fragile, and the sufferer feels consumed by their condition. Just as the wolf cannot control his hunger, the sick person cannot control their symptoms, making the werewolf a powerful metaphor for the helplessness of illness.

In addition, the wolf embodies mental illness, especially the experience of a split identity and uncontrollable impulses. Carter writes that the wolf is half-man, half-beast, emphasizing a dual nature that cannot be reconciled [p. __]. This division mirrors the psychological conflict experienced by those with severe mental disorders, who may feel alienated from their own thoughts or actions. The story also emphasizes that the wolfs eyes remain phosphorescent and unchanged even when he transforms [p. __], suggesting that the human self remains trapped within the illness. The wolfs uncontrollable desire is described as a murdering, implying a violent internal force that overrides reason [p. __]. This is similar to how mental illness can lead to impulses and behaviors that feel foreign to the self. Thus, the wolf becomes a symbol of the mind that loses control, turning the self into something feared and misunderstood.

Carter also uses the wolf to symbolize socially stigmatized diseases, especially those associated with sexuality. The wolfs hunger is closely linked to sexual desire, and his bite resembles infection. The narrator warns that the wolf may be more than he seems, hinting at hidden disease or moral corruption [p. __]. The wolfs bite, which can turn a person into a werewolf, resembles the spread of contagious disease. Carter also describes the wolfs howl as an aria of fear made audible, suggesting that the illness is not only physical but also a public spectacle of shame [p. __]. In this way, the werewolf becomes a symbol for sexually transmitted disease, which has historically been associated with shame and punishment. The wolfs presence in the home, biting a woman in her own kitchen, highlights how disease can invade the safest spaces and disrupt domestic life [p. __]. Thus, the wolf reflects societys fear of contamination and moral decay.

The wolfs lifestyle also reflects the isolation and exile that illness creates. Carter notes that the wolf is feared even by the grave-eyed children, who carry knives to protect themselves [p. __]. This illustrates how illness is treated as a threat that must be defended against. The wolf is forced to live outside the village, in the forest, which becomes a symbol of exile. Carter writes that no people are in the forest, and that the trees seem to conspire with the wolves [p. __]. This environment mirrors the loneliness of illness, where the sick are often pushed to the margins of society. The wolfs existence is one of constant danger and fear, reflecting how disease can turn life into a constant struggle for survival. Therefore, the werewolf becomes a symbol of the social isolation imposed on those who are sick.

Finally, Carter portrays the wolf as an unredeemable creature, reflecting the despair often associated with chronic illness. The story suggests that the wolves are trapped in their condition and cannot change it: that ghastly sadness… can never move the heart for not one phrase in it hints at the possibility of redemption [p. __]. This bleak perspective mirrors the experience of chronic or terminal illness, where hope may feel distant or impossible. Even when the wolf seems to accept his fate, Carter notes that his sadness cannot bring grace [p. __]. The wolfs condition is not only physical but spiritual, representing the way illness can strip the self of hope and meaning. Thus, Carters werewolves symbolize the harsh reality of diseasean existence marked by pain, stigma, and the absence of redemption.