Blog Entry 5

There are a number of key differences and similarities between the original tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves by the brothers Grimm, and the Disney version of the story. In the brothers Grimm version of the story, Snow White does not meet the prince until the end of the story, when she is woken from her coma by coincidence. In contrast, Snow White meets the prince within the first five minutes of the Disney film. Another key difference between the two versions of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is shown when the huntsman takes Snow White into the forest and attempts to kill her. In the brothers Grimm version of the story, when Snow White realizes that the huntsman is about to kill her, she tries to convince him not to, while in the Disney version, she is passive. This difference is a strong indication of Walt Disney’s conservative values, as passivity is a characteristic that has been forced upon women in many cultures throughout history, including our own. In addition to the differences in plot between the two versions of this story, the importance of characters changes. The animals in the Disney version play a much larger role than in the Grimm version, as they show Snow White where the dwarves live. In the Grimm version of the story, Snow White happens to find the dwarves’ home by coincidence. Disney’s decision to have the animals help Snow White out of the forest demonstrates the belief that women can not survive in the wilderness alone, and is another indication of Walt Disney’s conservative values. 
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