An Artful Analysis of Femininity, Not a Bed Time Story
Author: portunhol_26 from United States
2 June 2012
My wife wanted to see it. We saw "John Carter" because I was curious and neither of us really liked that movie. It was my turn. I had wriggled my way out of seeing the other Snow White movie but now I was going to have to bite the bullet. I was pleasantly surprised. The story and special effects, which are very good, are really all just one level of this movie. It's really about different aspects of feminine beauty.
The Evil Queen (played perfectly by Charlize Theron) is very appropriately symbolized by a raven: a carrion bird that feeds off of death for its own benefit. Her beauty is objectified. Instead of allowing herself to be vulnerable she embraces the objectification and uses it to spread death and destruction for her own gain. She is particularly threatened by and benefits the most from the beauty of other women.She also obsesses about youth.
Has anyone else met this woman before because I certainly have! Snow White is the flip side of the same coin. She is beautiful without being objectified. She has no symbol but is almost portrayed as Mother Nature incarnate. She inspires, nurtures and heals. Instead of feeling threatened by the beauty around her she reveals in it. She brings out the best in others. It is clear that she does not need anyone to tell her that she is beautiful in order for her to feel that way.
Modern feminism is often laughable. Women can only be "free" and "empowered" if they act as libertine as the worst male philanderer without being criticized for it any more than their male counter parts. They must be objectified to be powerful. To them sex is power. They are symbolized by the Evil Queen in this movie.This Snow White is refreshing because she is not a sex toy defined by her beauty. Though she is aided by men she is certainly not defined by them or helpless without them. She is also aided by other women for that matter. She knows who she is and struggles to realize her potential as best she can, just like everyone does whether male or female.
Her self-realization does not come at the cost of anyone else's, in fact, as she becomes freer so do all those who surround her. She does not need someone else to feel smaller for her to feel better. It's a wonderful message.No matter how much your little eight-year-old girl begs do not take her to this movie. There was a small child behind me and my wife who often became very frightened by the movie's violence. Take your sixteen-year-old instead. Maybe she will see that there is more for her to be than eye candy.