Since this is the first exploration for this site, I thought I’d do it on the first animated film of all-time, Snow White. What a beautiful film; every frame could be hung on a wall as art. And such a classic tale. Like most Disney films, this doesn’t necessarily follow the original fairytale… but I like this better.
Early in the story we learn that The Evil Queen is vain, and that the princess in rags, Snow White, is the Fairest of Them All. We get the impression that the Queen often asks her mirror the question “Who’s the fairest of them all?”, and until now has always been the most beautiful. When she learns that Snow White has grown more beautiful the Evil Queen becomes jealous, madly jealous to the point of wanting Snow White killed to regain her title: Fairest of Them All.
Satan has been described as beautiful and an angel of light. From what we know about him from Scripture, he’s jealous of both God and mankind. He is so jealous that he wants us dead. As for Snow White, she escapes death temporarily by running off into the wilderness and finding the home of the Seven Dwarfs. Instead of the royal life she was meant to live, she has become the house keeper, cooking and cleaning for the Dwarfs.
Eventually though, the Queen’s passions seek out Snow White, and she gives her a cursed fruit which causes Snow White to fall under the spell of “Sleeping Death”. The Queen had expected her to be buried alive, but instead, the Dwarfs encase her in a glass coffin, so that her beauty will still be visible. There they keep watch over her for some time.
Interestingly enough, Satan’s passions found mankind in the Garden, where he also used a fruit to put humanity into a kind of “sleeping death”. Since the Fall of man, we have been spiritually dead, and yet, our beauty, which comes from God’s image in us, is still visible.
In Snow White’s case, her prince, whom she always knew would come, came. It is by love’s first kiss that she is awakened and, of course, they get married and live happily ever after. Our Prince, Jesus, came and awoke us from death with His love, love so great that He would lay down His life for His friends, us! And, of course, we look forward to the day when we will live happily ever after with Him.
Discussion Questions:
- Did you know that Satan (the Devil) is jealous of people to the point that he wants us to die, just like the Evil Queen wanted to kill Snow White. Why is he jealous of us? (Isaiah 14)
- Just like Snow White’s story doesn’t end in death, our story doesn’t either. Who is the Prince that came to save us from death? (John 10:7-10)
- Snow White’s prince carries her away to be with him in his castle. One day Jesus will return to Earth and take us away to be with him forever. Where will He take us? (Revelation 21)