A Blog About Films: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Eric Smoodin describes Snow White’s character as “under-developed,” “Her songs tell us broadly of her outlook and desires, about whistling while she works and hoping that someday she will find her prince.” P.78. On the surface, this judgment would appear to be apparent and correct. However, to call the entirety of her character “under-developed” would seem limiting as she plays a crucial role in the progression of the story. The plot is triggered by her character, and it would not exist if it were not for her existence. Snow White’s lips are red as the rose, her hair is black as ebony, and her skin is white as snow. The precision of this description accentuates her physical perfection, and it is as though she were not real. However, is beauty her only value? I prefer to place her in a much higher rank than that, and to compare her to an element of divinity.

The dwarfs look up to Snow White as if she were their fairy godmother. Snow White’s kindheartedness and patience teaches them how to take better care of themselves, and how to embrace life. When Snow White is punished by the apple of sin, her presence is resuscitated before she even wakes up from her death: the words that appear on the screen are, “so beautiful even in death, that the dwarfs could not find it in their hearts to bury her.” In other words, Snow White’s beauty persists as if she were immortal, like a goddess. Moreover, she will eventually resuscitate. The next title card says that the dwarfs build her a coffin of glass and gold, “and kept eternal vigil at her side.” The next shot portrays the dwarfs kneeling around her coffin, in prayer, venerating her. They bring her flowers as if they were offerings to a god. The glass and gold coffin accentuates the divinity of the scene. The brightness of Snow White’s skin and clothing brings out the godlike aspect of the image, in contrast to the darker palate of the dwarfs and the landscape blending together.

Another element of Snow White’s sacredness is portrayed by her connection with nature. The forest becomes her home, and although it appears haunting at first, it quickly becomes a place of comfort and protection for her. The animals come to her rescue when she is lost and abandoned. The dwarf’s house appears out of nowhere, between layers of branches, in the depth of the forest as if it were also an element of the forest. The animals work in unison with Snow White. They communicate with her, assist, and guard her at all times. The only times they fail to do so, is when she rejects them for being overprotective. They recognize the queen in disguise and begin to attack her, “Stop that, get away! Go on, Shoo!” says Snow White, taking pity on “poor old Granny.” This will mark the descend towards the denouement of the plot.

The Prince’s presence is somewhat enigmatic in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as if he were also a God or a symbol of the divine Love. Snow White doesn’t see the Prince right away when he appears for the first time at the beginning of the film. She looks down into the well and sings: “I’m wishing for the one I love to find me.” The next shot appears to be a POV shot of the inside of the well. The water is in the foreground and Snow White is in the background of the shot facing the water, therefore directly at the camera. Following this, the Prince appears and concludes her song by singing “Today.” This is the first time that his face is discernable. He appears to be blurry however, due to the water of the well, as if his character were a mirage. The Prince’s surreal appearance causes Snow White to be frightened by him, and she decides to run away and seek refuge in her tower.

The Prince only appears briefly early on in the film, and ceases to appear until the end to conclude the story. His presence marks the beginning of Snow White’s aspirations, and then the fulfillments of her dream, the conclusion of the film. The Prince is not present for any of the events in most of the plot. As the title clearly indicates, the dwarfs are the second main characters of the story. As said before, the Prince acts more as a symbol of Love, and his part is not as active like the dwarfs turn out to be. The story is just as much of a coming of age tale for Snow White as it is for the dwarfs. At first, they benefit from Snow White’s help, but their pursuit to kill the queen shows a vital change in their character. Their determination to kill the queen shows that their confidence has grown.

After such dedication coming from the dwarfs, some may find that the ending is somewhat inappropriate: Snow White leaves them as soon as her prince wakes her with a kiss of true love. Snow White has managed to repair their lives, and now she is leaving to fulfill her greatest wish. The final shot represents Snow White and her prince looking out into the horizon. The dwarfs have disappeared into the past. A castle appears in the clouds ahead, as if the future were a part of the heavens or the land of “Happily Ever After.”