The Dwarves

In comparing the dwarves (as a unit) from the Brothers Grimm tale and the Disney movie, one notices substantial differences. In the Grimm tale, the dwarves are treated as one character. They are never given individual names, and when they speak it is usually in the form "the dwarves said" or "they thought"; not once did they have a thought independent from the group. In Disney's Snow White, however, they all have their own personality reflected by their names: Doc, Sleepy, Sneezy, Happy, Bashful, Dopey, and Grumpy. This is probably the case for cinematic filler; in the Disney movie, in order for it to be a full length film, the dwarves have to contribute a significant amount to the plot.

Another interesting change in the dwarves' characters is how they first react to Snow White. In the Grimm's tale, "they were so delighted to see her". This could not be more different from the Disney movie. In Disney's interpretation, they were scared and confused when they saw what had happened, and they had no idea who or even what she was. All they knew was that she had cleaned their house for them unasked (which she doesn't do in the original tale; she must wait until asked to do so by the dwarves).

These changes represent a significant change in the nature of the tale. Now it was no longer a tale of simple familial conflict, now it was a tale that had dragged others into it as well. Disney's development of the dwarves gave Snow White some valuable aid and accompaniment that she hadn't had in the tale version; perhaps this implies that in Disney's mind, the children cannot live without parental figures. Snow White could not have survived on her own, she needed the dwarves as active participants in her flight.