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Characterism In Snow White

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In many societies, wealthy people are seen as hardworking, deserving, and above everybody else. However, poor people are portrayed as undeserving, uneducated, and useless. In modern-day America, these characterizations have switched. Gene Simmons once said, “Live and think like a poor man and you’ll always be okay”. In some cases, poor people are the ones that work long, boring day, where rich people are drinking imported wine on a yacht. When reading, Snow White, by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the authors write from a marxist point-of-view. They also use characterization of the evil queen and the dwarfs to describe the socio-economic classes of modern-day society. The authors positively characterize the dwarfs, who represent the lower class. It is known that the lower class is primarily underprivileged. However, this group is seen as innocent, hardworking, kind, and fair-minded. The Grimms use the seven dwarfs to positively portray the lower class. They don’t live in a castle with gold jewels and unlimited meals. In fact, they live in a house where, “everything was small” (Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm). When Snow White, a young girl from the upper class, comes to the house, she is allowed to stay only if she works around the house. In the piece, the dwarfs say, “If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything that you want” (Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm). It can be assumed that these are the common chores around the dwarfs’ house. In contrast to a king or a queen, there are much more tasks that need to be completed. A king or a queen has maids, cooks, and butlers. This proves that the dwarfs’ are very hard working. When Snow White comes along, the dwarfs give some of these jobs to her. While the dwarfs warmly welcome Snow White into their house, they cannot let her presence derail them from their daily, complex lifestyle. Having Snow White move into their house is a big change to them. For some, drastic changes can take a while to mentally process. For the dwarfs, however, they have to continue to work hard in order to survive. According to John Sanders, a fairy tale analyst, “They [the

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