Essay Example: Examining Gender Representations in Little Snow White and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Examining Gender Representations in Little Snow White and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Part A

Texts

Little Snow White

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Research Question

How do Snow White and Alice portray womanhood indicating ideal femininity and autonomy?

Working Thesis

Both Snow White and Alice reflect gender expectations for young girls; but whereas Snow White reinforces traditional ideas of passive beauty and obedience, Alice exhibits intellectual independence and questions authority. This contrast demonstrates how children’s literature continually reinforces and begins to challenge historical constructs of ideal femininity.

Part B

Supporting Paragraph #1

Topic of Paragraph

Both female heroines navigate authority structures, but they respond to it in different ways.

Textual Evidence from Story #1

“Stuff and nonsense!” said Alice loudly. “The idea of having the sentence first!”

Analysis of Evidence from Story #1

Alice’s outburst reveals her refusal to accept arbitrary power and underscores her reliance on reason, positioning her as an intellectually autonomous protagonist who is willing to confront injustice. By openly challenging the Queen’s illogical decree, Alice asserts her own sense of moral agency and frames critical thinking as a form of female empowerment. Her emphasis on logic over blind obedience illustrates a departure from the traditional passive heroine, suggesting that competence and self-expression drive her identity rather than submission.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

Textual Evidence from Story #2

“In the morning Snow-White told them all her story, and they pitied her, and said if she would keep all things in order, and cook and wash, and knit and spin for them, she might stay where she was, and they would take good care of her.”

Analysis of Evidence from Story #2

Snow White’s acceptance of the dwarfs’ offer only after agreeing to perform domestic labor underscores a transactional view of female safety. Her protection is contingent on housework, implying that a woman’s basic security must be earned through servitude. This arrangement reinforces a gendered hierarchy in which male figures wield authority over a woman’s autonomy by dictating her permitted roles. The focus on chores as the price of sanctuary highlights outdated expectations of female compliance and domesticity.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

Limitation: Secondary Research

The secondary research cited in the original outline (e.g., Lieberman; Münder; Bacchilega; Tomé and Bastos) was not available in the provided source collection and is therefore omitted. The above analysis relies solely on the primary texts and general knowledge.

Supporting Paragraph #2

Topic of Paragraph

Female value is primarily defined by physical beauty, underscoring gender division and conflict.

Textual Evidence from Story #1

“I can’t help it,” said Alice very meekly: “I’m growing.”

Analysis of Evidence from Story #1

Alice’s uncontrolled growth symbolizes societal pressures on a young girl’s body and appearance. The Dormouse’s complaint about being squeezed reflects external judgments that constrain female autonomy, even in a fantastical context. Alice’s meek response highlights the socialization of girls to accept authority and bodily scrutiny, illustrating how physical presence becomes a source of power and restriction that is beyond her control.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

Textual Evidence from Story #2

“And so the little girl grew up; her skin was as white as snow, her cheeks as rosy as blood, and her hair as black as ebony; and she was called Snow-White.”

Analysis of Evidence from Story #2

Snow White’s very name foregrounds her beauty as her defining trait, foreshadowing the jealousy and violence she will face. Her physical appearance drives the plot: it attracts the Queen’s wrath and positions Snow White primarily as an object of visual desirability rather than as an agent of her own narrative. This emphasis on beauty above other qualities reinforces a traditional gender expectation that female worth is inseparable from physical appearance.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

Supporting Paragraph #3

Topic of Paragraph

Female independence and power are targeted; nevertheless, Alice fights and speaks for herself against unjust authority.

Textual Evidence from Story #1

“‘Who cares for you?’ said Alice. ‘You’re nothing but a pack of cards!’”

Analysis of Evidence from Story #1

In this climactic moment, Alice physically reaches full size and verbally confronts the entire court, symbolizing her full assertion of autonomy. Calling the cards “nothing” erodes the authority of the ruling figures, exposing the arbitrariness of social hierarchies. This bold defiance contrasts with her earlier timid behavior and models a progression from compliance to self-determination, highlighting that empowerment often requires challenging ingrained power structures.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

Textual Evidence from Story #2

“Snow-White consented, and went home with the prince; and everything was prepared with great pomp and splendor for their wedding.”

Analysis of Evidence from Story #2

The conclusion, in which Snow White’s ultimate rescue comes through marriage to the prince, reinforces the notion that a woman’s security is bestowed by male authority. Rather than demonstrating independent agency, Snow White’s happiness hinges on romantic union, underlining a narrative tradition that equates female fulfillment with domestic conformity and patriarchal protection.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

Conclusion

The juxtaposition of Snow White and Alice reveals contrasting depictions of femininity. Snow White’s passive obedience, beauty-based value, and ultimate reliance on male rescue reinforce traditional gender norms, while Alice’s intellectual assertiveness, bodily autonomy, and willingness to challenge authority point toward a more modern model of female empowerment. Together, these stories trace an evolution in children’s literature—from upholding historical constructs of ideal femininity to planting seeds of resistance and agency in young female readers.

Note: This section includes information based on general knowledge, as specific supporting data was not available.

Works Cited

No external sources were cited in this paper.