Bring Back Prince Charming
I’m a big fan of fairy tales, but modern movies have revamped the storybook princesses and, in the process, suppressed the purpose of these stories. One of my first blog posts, Damsels in Distress, discusses how Disney princesses have become too independent and how an actual princess humbly relies on God’s strength, not her own.
After listening to podcaster Jonathan Pageau, who speaks on symbolism and religion, describe the purpose of fairy tales, it re-kindled the urge to fight for the original intent of these stories. Princess stories are about finding happily-ever-after but also are coming-of-age tales to help young girls on the cusp of womanhood navigate the strange new world of adulthood.
Take the Brother Grimms tale of Snow White. According to Pageau, Snow White represents an innocent girl, who’s reached maturity, becoming a young woman. Her beauty stirs the jealousy of other women, such as the Queen, who seeks a mirror’s advice for affirmation and validation. When the mirror says Snow White is more beautiful than she, the Queen sends a man to take something precious from Snow White—her heart (or it could be referencing her virginity). Escaping the huntsman, Snow White is now lost and alone. She stumbles upon a bunch of little boys, or dwarves, and although she wants to befriend them, they now seem silly, goofy, and irresponsible, so she takes on a mothering role.
While the dwarves are off working and playing, the Queen dresses in disguise as a peddler and temps Snow white to purchase items to falsely enhance her beauty: a corset’s laces and a comb. When Snow White uses them, she (or her innocence) almost dies, but the dwarves return and save her. The Queen then returns again in disguise with a poisonous apple.
It’s hard not to associate this apple with the one Eve ate in the Garden of Eden that brought sin and death to mankind. Snow White takes a bite of the apple and experiences the sleep of death (representing childish self). The dwarves cannot revive her this time, so they build a glass coffin where her beauty is preserved.
A prince happens by, falls in love with Snow White, and promises the dwarves that if they give her to him, he will care for her above anything in the world. The dwarves agree, and as the prince’s men carry the coffin on their shoulders, the piece of apple falls out of Snow White’s mouth. She revives, and the prince marries her at his father’s castle.
Although a grim tale (pun intended), the story teaches young women about what beauty is for and what the Bible states in the Song of Solomon 8:4: do not awaken love before its proper time. If you were misled or your innocence was taken, God can restore all things for His good. He can bring love back to life. But the safest and least painful route is to wait on Prince Charming for God’s best for your life.