Faith & Film

Easter Sunday (ABC)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1939)

The story of Snow White imitates Jesus’s resurrection

Easter Sunday (ABC)

At first glance, one might think that the fairy tale of Snow White has little to do with the story of Jesus’ resurrection. However, upon closer examination, it is possible to draw parallels that shed light on both stories.

Birth Comparisons

The story of Snow White begins with her birth, which was announced by a flurry of snowflakes falling from the sky. This event sets the stage for her divine origins, which later become a central element of the tale. In the same way, the birth of Jesus is announced by angels, heralding his divine nature.

Like Snow White, Jesus’s birth is surrounded by danger. King Herod, fearing the prophecy that a new king would be born, orders the slaughter of all male infants in Bethlehem. Similarly, Snow White’s stepmother, jealous of her beauty and fearful of the prophecy that Snow White would surpass her in beauty, plots to have her killed. Both Jesus and Snow White must flee for their lives, seeking refuge away from their oppressors.

Resurrection Comparisons

But it is the resurrection which stands at the heart of both stories. When Snow White takes a bite of the poisoned apple, she falls into a deep sleep, to all appearances dead. Later, her true love, the prince, discovers her and revives her with a kiss, just as Jesus is resurrected by God.

This turning point in the story of Snow White imitates Jesus’s resurrection. Through the power of God’s love, Jesus is raised from the dead, his body healed and whole again. His triumph over death is a central element of Christian theology, signaling to believers the power of faith over even the gravest of challenges.

Similarly, the resurrection of Snow White demonstrates the triumph of love over violence and hate. Her death could not defeat the power of true love, which revived her and allowed her to go on to live a happy life with her prince.

In both stories, this resurrection represents a kind of second birth, a profound rebirth that allows for a miraculous renewal of life. Snow White, once again alive and well, is reunited with her prince and able to live out the rest of her life in happiness, while Jesus’s resurrection opens up the possibility of eternal life for all believers. The idea of rebirth is a central one in both tales, and represents the triumph of hope over despair.

Forgiveness Motif

Additionally, both stories feature an emphasis on forgiveness. In the tale of Snow White, her stepmother is not punished for her cruel acts, but rather simply disappears from the story. This echoes Jesus’s own emphasis on forgiveness, and the idea that even the most heinous of sins can be forgiven in the eyes of God.