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Snow White is a story about a girl who was made as beautiful and pure as possible, 'with lips red as blood, hair black a coal, skin as white as snow'. The central theme is beauty and jealousy. Snow White's mother dies in childbirth and is replaced by her step-mother who is the most beautiful and powerful sourceress in all the land. Her step mother has a mirror that tells her that she is indeed the most beautiful. The story certalises around the idea that Snow White is more beautiful than the Queen at just 7 years old. She is sent away to be killed but set free. Snow White finds a small village owned by seven dwarves. She is offered a place to stay in return for her skills in cleaning, cooking and washing. Snow White is fooled by the cunning Queen many times and almost dies but is saved by a passing Prince who is so overtaken by her beauty that he mnust have her as his bride. They live happily ever after.
The story of Snow White screams out that men work and women stay home, clean, cook and have children. The women are seen as foolish, pure of heart, materialistic and beautiful. Snow White's troubles all stem from these attributes. Temptation always gets the better of her. The Prince wants Snow White as his wife before he has even spoken a word to her and takes her to his castle for this to happen. She wakes up during the expedition and follows obligingly anyway.
