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Snow White Comparison

If you google Snow White, Disney’s version makes up a majority of the results. It seems that no one minds the original version as much anymore. Within these two stories minor differences occur. Disney seemed to change the fairytale to fit my Prince will come, and he will save me with the power of love outline. In the original fairytale the prince buys her coffin from the dwarfs and has her body carried around the castle and her coffin drops, releasing the apple in her throat. Disney changed this to the prince searching for her and kissing her to wake her up. The Queens within the stories are different as well. The Queen in the original is her mother, but the Queen in Disney’s version is her step mother. This was done because they didn’t want the audience to put the message that real mothers could be this cruel. Another difference to highlight is that the prince searches for the Snow White (after they had already met in the beginning) in the Disney version and he just happens to find her in the dwarf’s cabin in search of a place to stay the night in the original. The prince searching for Snow White in the original leads the audience to believe that he will come if you wait, and girls don’t have to do anything. In contrast to the original, which conveys luck and that he might find you.

Some similarities that take place within the stories are the outline and most of the characters. The plot of the story stays the same. They introduce the main character, her problem arises, her problem tries to get the best of her, she runs away, the problem comes back for vengeance, she comes out on top with little to no action on her part, and she gets the prince. They kept the same characters in the Disney version as the original with the exception of adding in the animals.

Disney changed the story to untwist the tale a little (changing the mother to a step mother), give the audience hope in endings (the prince finding Snow White after traveling many miles), and to get the audience to believe in true love conquering all (the prince waking Snow White from her curse).

Cinderella...rag to riches?

Cinderella

  

http://fearbuster.com/2015/04/10/the-magic-word-to-use-after-a-rejection/

The “rags to riches” motif is something that plays a big part in the lower class’ life. Those that actually understand the rags part of the story hope and believe in these tales. We believe this because we want to think that life will not always be a struggle for scraps—that one day it will all be worth it. I believe it takes many forms, not just money wise but within happiness too. Multiple stories center around the main character starting without whatever they want (sadness/rags) then they end up with either what they want, close enough to want they want that they are content, or they realize that is no longer their dream (happiness/riches). This is why we keep this plot around because it can foster so many themes that it appeals to so many of us. However, could this be a double edge sword? Side a you don’t believe that everything will get better if you work hard and pay your dues, so you begin to not care and you put yourself in this rut. Side b you believe and your hard work doesn’t pay off you don’t know what to do or think. Using Cinderella as an example, if she didn’t listen to her mothers words of being kind to even those who don’t deserve it, and she just gives up. She either runs away or her spirit is broken enough that she stays but doesn’t fight for her rights at all. Well, that takes away from the fairytale completely because even if we stay with this scenario, and she somehow still marries the prince, the reader may question if she really deserves her fortune. On another note, what if she remained hopeful and listened to her mother’s words, but she never marries the prince. Again, is that a fairytale then? She clearly deserves for her life to get better. She has paid her dues and then some—but nothing happens for her. I believe that this motif is just used a little beam of light at the end of the tunnel that you may reach with a combination of multiple factors.

            Cinderella is considered a “rise tale” making the question, “Can it be reached with either marriage or magic?”. Well, Of course riches and success can be given through marriage vows. This is very realistic, it happens everyday. However, does that make the riches and success truly yours? Meaning, are you truly deserving of this outcome, or are you just lucky? Of course, this is very analytical and harsh—some people are very worthy and deserving of a wealthy marriage. This motif makes you question your temperament and wonder if you are fitting of the crown; no matter the outcome. As for magic, I interpret magic in the real world to be the belief that anything could happen for you. I do believe this is realistic because its happened for a lot of people. However, it comes with a price; you must be willing to work for your success and never give up no matter how hard it gets.  

Brothers Grimm

HÄNSEL AND GRETEL

September 12, 2015

MGM vs. Grimm

This is a comparison and contrast of the MGM and Original Brothers Grimm versions of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel.

how are they similar?

The skeleton of the stories is the same in both versions. The children level the house, use bread crumbs to come back, birds eat the bread crumbs, Hansel and Gretel lose their way, find a witch’s house, she plans to cook and eat the children, but they escape, and find their way back to their father. The theme within the story also stays the same. The theme being how far one can be pushed in times of hardship. I’m referring to the mother and the children. The mother (in a broad sense) in both tales has the children leave due to the poverty state the family was in. The children also displayed this theme when the witch had Hansel in the cage and Gretel was forced to take action. It is at this point that she is pushed to the edge and forced to break out of original character.

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How are the different?

The mother in the original tale wanted the children to leave due to the family’s lack of food. (To stop her from starving sooner). In the film, the Mother made the children leave because they had put a donkey in the house that eat the food they had just received, so they were forced to leave to gather berries. They made this change between mothers to stop the Mother from seeming so heartless.  The parents are also more involved in the tale to give better understanding to the children’s want to come home. The missing children mentioned earlier in the move turn out to be the gingerbread men standing outside of her house to give the story a happy ending.