Snow White

It was interesting to read the differing versions of this classic tale. Having only been exposed to the Disney version of the tale, it was surprising to learn just how malicious and gruesome the wicked stepmother actually was. I can somewhat agree with Bettelheim’s theory of permitting “anger at this bad ‘stepmother’ without endangering the goodwill of the true mother”. I think this helps to somewhat preserve the image of the mother-child relationship, as making the biological mother turn against her own child may be too much for some readers to handle. I do, however, disagree with Bettelheim’s theory that “the malice of the stepmother is . . . nothing more than a projection of the heroine’s imagination.” That woman is unmistakably evil!

I can understand why Gilbert and Guber suggest that the story be renamed “Snow White and Her Wicked Stepmother,” as this “rivalry” (as critics deem it) between Snow White and her stepmother dominates the story. There is, however, no solid evidence that they are competing for the love, attention, and approval of the father, as he is practically non-existent, particularly in the Grimm’s version.

While I believe that critics read far too much into the underlying meanings/messages of the story, I think Gilbert and Guber have enough evidence upon which to base their arguments. The fact that Snow White is the ideal women, in the eyes of the patriarchy, may be true, but in reality, that should be no surprise, considering the time during which the story was written, as well as when the motion picture was released. Granted, Snow White was naïve, passive, docile, and innocent, needing protection and shelter from others (i.e. the huntsman, the dwarfs, the prince). After all, she was just a child. The queen, on the other hand, did exert herself as an independent, domineering woman. I don’t believe that she had to be “shut down” by the patriarchy because of that, per se. She was consumed and driven by her extreme insecurity and fear, disguised as narcissism and envy, and she was relentless in her plot to kill young, innocent Snow White. Consequently, she needed to be brought down because she was the epitome of evil.

Walt Disney was not wrong for saying, “We just try to make a good picture.” Not only was it about entertaining a widespread audience, particularly children and their parents, but it was also a business venture. Granted, it does seem as if the wicked queen brings the energy, intrigue, and drama to the story, while Snow White just kind of seems to allow life to happen to her. As Gilbert and Guber point out, she almost needs the seven dwarfs as her supporting cast. Bottom line, what tends to keep a story going and keeps readers/viewers interested is the conflict between protagonist and antagonist, between good and evil. However, in the Disney version, the individualization of the dwarfs adds to the entertainment factor, particularly for child audiences. Children need to see more than just evil or discord in entertainment.