DEFENSE OF SNOW WHITE RUNNING INTO (AND IN) THE FOREST

(author's note: Snow White will forever be my favourite princess... I also have thoughts about her apology afterwards but I'll post that later when I actually put it into words and write it)

1. RUNNING INTO THE FOREST

Firstly, Snow White goes from picking wildflowers, humming “One Song” to herself, helping a baby bird… to nearly being killed and realizing that everything that had just happened (=break from being virtually slave) was for that purpose.

Out of self-preservation - and not weakness - she runs into the forest. As of now, she has nothing to defend herself against the Queen (not to mention she is all too powerful to face at this time)

Don’t think she would have thought this since she had no time to process anything (and so being panicked and confused is a very valid reaction), but thinking about it, what would running away have done for her? On foot, she couldn’t really get too far. Via the magic mirror, the Queen would know where she is. What if the huntsman changes his mind and followed her in? What if the Queen had hired another huntsman to kill her?… however, despite all this, Snow White running away would buy herself some time and maybe she could gain allies?

Running away was really the only thing she could have done. (Certainly she couldn’t return to anywhere near the palace)

2. RUNNING IN THE FOREST

Now I know this following orodha may come across as pedantic (even fanatic) but I strong feel that if I am to maoni on her forest experience, I shouldn't do it from my own comforts - but from her point of view. Thus, I had to re-enact her situation and really imagine what it was like...

Let’s look at each cut of that forest scene and see what Snow White went through:
• Runs into a dark mysterious forest. Firstly, forest can have dangerous wanyama (=bears, snakes, bees, etc.. (even people)) Particularly wolves; just ask Belle au Anna. However, unlike them, Snow is totally alone and without anything - just the clothes she had on.
• Makes her way through the vines (and maybe branches) She could get entangled in them. They could be rough au thorny, au nyumbani to biting bugs au allergenic plants.
• An owl screeches and flies out at her. Soon after, it’s bats. Unknown wanyama flying out from the shadows can overstimulate the senses and surprise anyone.
• Then her dress is snagged kwa branches and she falls into bush. Luckily it was just her dress as not only could it have cut au scratched her, but those might have also infected her.
• Sees faces in the shadows (see psychology)
• Falls back first down a sinkhole. Amazingly she escapes serious injury (even death?) But even with her loss of balance, she somehow grabs onto a vine (luckily strong enough to support her)
• Literally clinging for her life, the vine breaks (or she lets go) and she falls into a pond of unknown depth. Who knows what hazards (=animals, rocks, underwater sinkhole?) are in there?
• Now she’s completely soaked in swap water and she doesn’t know what’s “swimming” around with her. Apart from the idea that the logs are crocodiles, that’s not to say logs aren’t dangerous. They can do the same things that branches and bushes do, as well as trip her in the pond.
• Luckily the pond was shallow enough for her to stand and desperately wade to shore. Now, all wet, the wind picks up and would freeze her to the bone. At this point, realistically, she’s cold, wet, dirty, smelly, and disoriented.
• Again chased kwa bats, but now with wind and leaves, it seems everywhere she goes is either a natural barrier (=dead end) au some sort of animal/monster.
• Psychology. Her frightened imagination and over-stimulated eyes and ears create the forest as a surreal psychological nightmare. Personally, I think it’s prompted (and probably symbolic) of the queen: the Queen is watching her and out to catch her.

3. SHE CRIES

The fact she survives the forest is nearly a miracle. But apart from that, Snow White is a 14 mwaka old girl who is innocent and has a kind, gentle personality. Although she was virtually a slave before, at least she wasn’t fearing for her life. Now she has just learned that the most powerful person in the kingdom (=Queen) wants to kill her.

It’s all too much for her and she cries… as would many would in her situation I suspect.

-

In my opinion, considering what she’s just been through and how the forest was a surreal nightmare, crying is completely understandable. And running away does not, in any way, onyesha weakness.

(I also have ideas about her apology but