Structure

The short story “The Company of Wolves” by Angela Carter has an unusual structure, which appears to be mostly chronological. The narrative is split into two parts. In the first part, the narrator presents three interconnected short tales about the wolves, which set the tone for the longer second part. In the second part, the narrator tells the story of a girl who decides to visit her grandmother. 

The beginning of the story hooks readers’ attention: “One beast and only one howls in the woods by night” (p. 1, l. 1). The author offers a detailed description of the physical setting (p. 1, ll. 14-26) and highlights the danger and violence of the wolves. A foreshadowing element is introduced when the narrator claims that “the wolf may be more than he seems” (p. 1, l. 34), therefore hinting at the presence of su...