Snow White

A Biblical Allusion: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is known as Walt Disney’s first animated princess. (1937) But, is there a deeper meaning behind it? (Warning Spoiler Alert)

The story of Snow White is one that is very well known. Being one of the oldest Disney characters, she is a household name. But, just in case you are not familiar, here is a quick brief: Snow White is a fourteen year old girl who is basically orphaned. Her father remarried and then passed away. Snow White is stuck with her stepmother, who is evil and then Snow White runs way, lives with seven men, gets tricked into eating a poison apple, dies, and is brought back to life by a true love kiss. Wow, crazy story, right? But, Disney and The Grimm Fairy tales are not solely responsible for this production. The Bible plays a huge role in the making of this film.



How could the Bible possibly influence a Disney Master piece?

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6

Snow White can be seen as Eve, the evil queen as Satan, the forbidden fruit as an apple, The Seven Dwarfs as clergymen and Prince Charming as Jesus.



Snow White and Eve do share some common characteristics. Snow White is a young naive girl. Even though we are not sure of the exact age of Eve, we can see that she is also naive. They are both easily gullible. Eve knew better than to take the fruit from the serpent, but she did anyway. I guess that is what started the “no talking to strangers rule”. By taking the fruit, she changed the world she lived in as she knew it. Snow White on the other hand, does an act in the movie by Walt Disney. Snow White takes the cursed fruit from a very suspicious, and ugly, witch. Knowing it was against her better judgment, she bit into it and her world changed. They both let their carelessness get the best of them. The act that they did cost them their lives in one way or another.




The evil queen, who does not have a name, can be seen as Satan/serpent. We know from reading Genesis that Satan is jealous and conniving. He will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants. Satan is the antagonist of all antagonists. If you see a villain, he will more than likely have a Satan quality. Well, Disney wanted to make sure that they put in as many hidden qualities as possible. The evil queen, who is also known as Snow White’s stepmother, carries many Satan like qualities. She is evil (obviously), vain, and persistent. The evil queen has a mirror that feeds her vanity. The Mirror tells her religiously that she is “the fairest of them all”. Until Snow White, that is. Satan is banished from Heaven for a few of the qualities the queen has. We know Satan sees himself as the mightiest of them all, but if he is so confident, then why did he feel so inferior? The same question can apply to the queen. They both present a naive girl a piece of poisoned fruit. Even though their overall motives may vary, they still have some similar qualities.

The symbol of the “forbidden fruit” has adapted the look of an apple, so it is no secret why Disney chose an apple to kill Snow White. The apple is symbolic in itself. It is almost engraved in our minds that Satan gave Eve an apple. This piece of "fruit" caused a dramatic change. In the Garden of Eden, it brought sin to man. In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, it brought death. They both bring a form of evil that can only be saved by a higher power. The destruction that the fruit brings is unlike any other. How can something so small bring such destruction? Eve and Snow White do not help the female race out in trying to defend themselves. If anything, they make women look dumb. But, that's alright, we learn a great moral lesson out of this story, right?…



The Seven Dwarfs, Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey can be seen as Snow White's  confused clergymen. Even though this is not a direct reference to Genesis like the other comparisons, it is still feasible. Also, I do not think it is a coincidence that there are seven of them. The number seven is all throughout the Bible. The dwarfs help Snow White in any way that they can. They try to save her and keep her as safe as possible. They play the role of what Christians believe their pastors play.

Last, but not least, Snow White’s Prince Charming can be seen as Jesus. The Prince is her overall Savior from the wickedness of the queen. Jesus is the overall Savior of Eve, even though she committed a sin. Prince Charming brings Snow White back to life by a kiss and Eve is brought  “back to life” (by that I mean, given another chance when He could have left her for dead) by forgiveness (with some consequences involved). Both Snow White and Eve needed a Savior to reverse the damage caused by their foolish behavior.

There are many references to Genesis in today’s society. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a very close re-creation of the oldest story of all time. Even though they do not follow along the same plot, you see a lot of similar characteristics present in both. They have a great moral meaning behind them for any religion or race. The allusion Walt Disney gives to the Bible in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is excellent and presented to the audience very well, as a modern day Eve, without the snake.

Biblical Allusion

Who are the characters in this story and what do they represent?

Eve is an Adamite (a snow white woman) - the name Adam means ruddy complexion or show blood in the face, i.e. to blush. Only light-skinned people can show blood in the face.

The evil stepmother represents Satan, the snake in the grass, who tricked Eve into disobeying God's command to not partake of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Up until that fateful event, Adam and Eve were as innocent as babes. However, this event was not an accident or beyond God's control. In fact, He orchestrated the whole thing.

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. ~Isaiah 45:7

The Seven Dwarfs represent organized religion. Try as it might, organized religion can only feed the flock. It cannot save anyone, or give anyone eternal life. Only the Prince, the son of God, has that power. Organized religions are "dwarfs" compared to the power of God's written and spoken word.

What did Eve do that caused her "death"? She believed a lie and was poisoned by sin (the wages of sin is death). The Snake told Eve she "would not surely die" as God had said. Instead, her eyes would be opened and she would become wise and be like a god. 

The poisoned "apple" represents the false doctrines of organized religion and the traditions of men. Mankind was not created corrupt, but has been corrupted. That's why man needs a Savior, someone with the power to open their eyes to the Truth and resurrect them to eternal life. Churchanity has put the congregation to sleep with their fables.

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ~2 Timothy 4:4

What about Snow White's father remarrying and then passing away? What does the Bible say about Eve's father? Well, we know that Adam was a son of God and Eve was part of Adam, flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone. God did not "pass away", but He did divorce his first wife and left His children orphaned for a while. Shocking? Read Jeremiah 3:8

And I (God) saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I (God) had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

That's right, God divorced His wife because she went whoring after other gods (husbands) and gave herself over to false saviors. The only reason God did not divorce Judah for playing the harlot was to fulfill scripture that Messiah would be birthed out of the tribe of Judah.

Jesus said He came to seek the "lost sheep of the house (family) of Israel" MT. 15:24. Snow White represents the descendants of Jacob/Israel, the Israelite people that were "scattered abroad". ~James 1:1

Under the Old Covenant they were known by many names... Adamites, Isaac's Sons (or Saxons), Hebrews, Israelites, Caucasians. Where are the Israelites today? Hiding in plain sight in Christian Churches all around the world. Under the New Covenant they are simply... Christians of every nation. ~Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 10:34-36, Revelation 14:6

How did the Grimm brothers get the story of Snow White? It was told to them by the "scattered" people who only had the hand-me-down fairy tales of their elders. In all their travels the Israelites had lost their identity, but retained the essence of their ancestry.

It wasn't until the Bible was printed for the masses that some Christians began to recognize the truth and re-discovered the true Israel of the Bible. For more information read, Who Is Israel? Who Is The Church?

 

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