Here we are at the end of September, already! So far this month we’ve talked about all kinds of symbolism from Snow White–the character of the huntsman, the magic mirror, and my own little addition, the idea of magic ore. But today’s symbol, snow, is actually a lot like the poison apple.
I say that because one of the big themes with the apple was that it’s both good and bad. Apples are often symbols of life–but they can also be harbingers of a downfall or (in Snow White’s case) a long, magical sleep. Likewise, snow has both good and bad connotations.
On one hand, snow is usually associated with purity. Sounds exactly like the princess Snow White, right? But it goes far beyond that. The association is especially because of its color, pure white, which is viewed as a sort of high-level “blank slate” in the spiritual world. In many religions, snow is considered a symbol of innocence.
On the other hand, snow can represent death or a coldness of feeling. Unsurprisingly, most cultures associate snow with winter. I can understand the death and freezing part, myself, but I’m particularly interested in the “frozen feelings” aspect. I think that adds a layer to the beginning of the story, when Snow’s mother (usually) wishes for her to be white as snow. The symbolism of frozen feelings underscores how distant the mother is as a character (through no fault of her own, since usually, she dies. I keep saying “usually” because there is at least one version I know of where the Evil Queen is actually Snow’s mother and never makes any wishes at all, except to be fairest of the land!).
Well, that’s mostly speculation on my part, anyway. 😉 In my own story, Cold as Snow, “Snow White” is in fact a fairy named Snow. Throughout the book we hear a lot about blizzards and how the winter is unusually snowy (mostly because our narrator, Red, comes from a warm climate and is not too happy about the weather, haha). The presence of snow storms definitely echoes Snow’s emotions. I wouldn’t say she’s pure or innocent as a character, but she does end up with a fresh start. 🙂
Selected Sources
No books this time, but if you want to dive into the symbolism of snow, it turns out there’s a lot on the internet. (If you google “symbolism of snow in snow white,” though, you mostly get “quick read” study guides, a la Sparknotes, haha.) But for some interesting surface-level articles on meanings of snow in different religions and cultures, try this one from Miller’s Guild or this one from Symbol Sage. Good luck!
