Snow White Disney v.s Grimm

Disney based most of their original movies on fairy tales written by the Grimm brothers. Movies like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and even Snow White. Between the Disney movie and the original fairy tale there are some key differences. The first is a more technical difference in which Disney had to turn a fairy tale into an hour and a half film. This meant that they had to add characters and such. This came in the form of personification of the different woodland animals, as well as giving certain characteristics to the dwarfs. Both things the fairy tale did not do, there was no distinction between the dwarfs, and the only animals mention are the owl, the raven, and the dove that attend Snow White’s funeral. Disney also deviates in how Snow White wakes up, in the story a prince happens to travel by the mountain and decides he wants to take the glass coffin back with him. The dwarfs eventually allow him to take snow white but while his servants are carrying the coffin one of them stumbles and dislodges the piece of apple she swallowed. In the Disney version the prince kisses her awake. The story has more of a coincidence than the movie in which they use the “magic” of true loves kiss. Disney portrayed the end this way to show that even the most difficult situations can be overcome with true love. Disney had to portray this message because in the 1930’s the Great Depression was ruining people's lives and everyone was struggling to get back on their feet. The movie with a happy end was very uplifting for many people in that era.