Examining Littile Snow-White Through a Post-colonial perspective (1)
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Apr 3, 2024
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Examining Littile Snow-White Through a Post-colonial perspective
When examining "Snow White" from a post-colonial perspective, it becomes clear that the story is a
representation of the power relations of colonization, along with resistance to such power. The relations between
Snow White, the Queen, and the dwarfs give an indication of the relationship that exists between the colonized and
colonial powers and the mediators who ruled these relations. This helps understand the fairy tale and how many
colonial narratives are part of what seems to be a simple fairy tale.
The character of Snow White herself might be seen as the land or people of a colony who are most often, if
not always, idealized by the light of innocence and natural beauty. The Queen's demand to bring her "a child as
white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood in this frame" (Grimm 1) is a clear sign of her idolization.
That reflects the colonial need for the "Other" to create and transform the "Other" into a beautiful thing by their
standards. The later life of Snow White in the forest with the dwarfs could be looked at as a metaphor for the
mistreatment of the colonized lands and people. It is that the dwarfs do symbolize the local elites or intermediaries.
Snow White possibly symbolizes the effort and presence they get from her while she is secured from power (the
Queen). The dwarfs in this picture symbolize the local elites or middlemen. Perhaps Snow White symbolizes the
effort and presence they receive from her while she is secured from power (the Queen).
Thus, the Queen's obsession with being the "fairest of all" and her attempt to kill Snow White can both be
read as metaphors for the ultimately self-destructive character of the colonial desire to be superior and in control.
The magic mirror, which functions in the Queen's service by reporting to and presenting the Queen with images of
her power, might easily be read to symbolize something that would justify colonial domination; in this case, the
colonizing human is naturally superior to the other. The Queen's trick of transforming herself to get into the dwarfs'
house and being able to harm Snow White is the perfect reproduction of what colonial powers do in dominating
and integrating colonized people.
The role of the dwarfs within the story highlights the importance of the go-betweens or subaltern groups,
those who are pressed by colonial pressures of power. Their first embrace of Snow White and attempts to safeguard
her from the Queen could be seen as resistance to the harmful influences of the colonizer. However, the very fact of
not being able to save Snow White until the prince arrived can still be criticized, not only in its comparison with
subaltern resistance but also in suggesting that there is still a need for a power to challenge the colonial authority.
From a post-colonial perspective, reading "Snow White" gives the surface story of colonial desire,
domination, and resistance. This story brings the characters of Snow White, the Queen, and the dwarfs together to
illustrate the dynamics of colonial power relations and how the struggle of the colonized could proceed towards the
achievement of their independent and free status. Therefore, we are better placed to understand how colonial
narratives persist in such cultural texts while at the same time providing potential space for contestation and
reinterpretation. The above analysis not only deepens our understanding of "Snow White" but also illustrates the
importance of employing critical theories in bringing forth the complex meanings hidden in stories.
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