Critical Analysis, Snow Child (Angela Carter). Angela Carter brings to plain sight many issues, within modern day human relationships, within the extended metaphor of The Snow Child;

The Snow Child

Angela Carter

Doug Turner

Angela Carter brings to plain sight many issues, within modern day human relationships, within the extended metaphor of ‘The Snow Child’; a story built on the basis of the classic fairy tale ‘Snow White’.

The story starts of with a great sense of danger, the first three words “MIDWINTER – INVINCIBLE, IMMACULATE.” Create the picture of a cold, powerful and barren land. The use of capitals further enforces the image of the power of the nature surrounding the characters. Carter uses this dangerous atmosphere to aid the creation of the character of the dominatrix-esque Countess, who wore “high, black shining boots with scarlet heels”, the black leather links to fetishes, and the scarlet hints to the reader of the woman’s role and therefore superiority, of sexual domination and quite possible causes of pain. Angela Carter immediately forms an air of danger, merged with one of sexual desires. Almost as a hint as to what will transpire as the story progresses.

In the story the count wishes for “the child of his desires”, a girl “as white as snow”, “as red as blood” and “as black as that [raven’s] feather”. The colours used in this definition are very powerful and are of great importance of the message Carter tries to project. ‘White and snow’ suggests that the count wants a sexually pure plaything, as white is the purist colour, also similar to canvas, therefore, malleable. ‘Red as blood’ is used to –as with the countess- conjure the feminism of the girl, on an incredibly sexual level, it links to menstruation, a strong definition of womanhood. ‘Black as that bird’s feather’ is lightly more complex; firstly, it is again a sign of eroticism, as with the black boots. Secondly, the image of the raven can be linked closely to the use of the bird in Edgar Allan Poe’s infamous poem, ‘The Raven’, in which the animal is portrayed as a Queen-like yet satanic symbol. Once his description is finished, a naked girl with pale white skin, blood red lips and black hair appears. This granting of the three wishes, (another fairytale link), shows the egotistic and narcissistic nature of male sexual pleasure.

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The Countess is also an incredibly prominent figure in the story. As mentioned earlier, Angela Carter describes her as an incredibly sexual character in the way that she dresses. This suggests to the audience that she craves the Count’s attention sexually, the sign of an unhappy marriage. As is quite often the case in real-day marriages, the rich, charismatic husband; sets his sights on a younger sexual partner than his wife. This is made obvious to the reader when Carter describes the hatred which the Countess has towards the ‘Snow Child’, showing clear jealousy, and made even more prominent when: “the furs sprang off the Countess’ shoulders and twined around the naked girl”. Later, the countess loses her boots to the girl in a similar fashion. Both instances of the Countess’ replacement come after she has tried to kill the girl out of jealousy. Yet again Carter uses themes from fairy tales, where an older woman, often a step mother or aunt, is jealous of the younger, beautiful heroine, and tries to assassinate them. E.G. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty etc. Carter entwines the feelings of the countess with the nature around the characters. For example; when she tried to kill the girl she throws her ‘Diamond brooch through the ice of a frozen pond’ there is much emphasis on the description of the pond, both the words ‘ice’ and ‘frozen’ being sharp and short, relates to how the countess feels towards the girl. Also later when the Count is committing an act of putrid necrophilia on the corpse of the girl, the Countess ‘reined her stamping mare’ suggesting that horse shares a similar view as the Countess, yet the Countess restrain her, and keeps her composure. Carter is showing the audience of the difficulties and embarrassments that women put up with because of men, and how they are expected to keep face.

By far the most dinstict image in the story is that of the act of heinous necraophilia that the Count commits upon the corpse of the girl.This action symbolises many sexual and relationship based modern day truths. “Weeping, the Count got off his horse”, the most obvious symbol in this is the weeping, the Count does not want to do what he is about to do, because he loved the girl, but is forced by his libido to do so. Suggesting that man cannot control their sexual urges. Also, the dismounting of the horse further enforces the idea that the Count is lowering his-self and shows his desperation. “…thrust his verile member into the dead girl…he was soon finished”, this again makes clear, the abomination which the count is commiting. It does not show him in a good light, saying that his body and his sexual prowess are of no desire to anyone living…thus his necessity to commit necrophilia. Carter suggests to us that even the most attractive, and classy of men, have vile and repugnant thoughts within them. “Then the girl began to melt”, once the Count has used the girl for her intended purpose, she has lost the attraction to him, her purity was destroyed along with her virginity, and therefore the count has caused the loss of ‘the child of his desire’. The audience is told by Carter that men only want women for sexual pleasure.

Once the girl has melted “…the Countess had all her clothes on again.” Now that the Countess has successfully assasinated the ‘Snow Child’, and the Count has lost his attracting to the girl, she regains her place as his partner, this idea is strrengthened by; “The Count pivked up the rose, bowed and handed it to his wife;…”, shows that positions have returned and that the Countess has retained her dominatrix role is the relationship. Finally “when she touched [The Rose], she dropped it. ‘It bites!’ she said.” This could relate the the Latin Myth of ‘Vagina Dentata’ (Toothed Vagina). If so, Carter is expressing the irrational male fear of female sexuality, of what females want from a sexual relationship. Thus re-telling us of male’s simple materialistic views toward sexual relationships.

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groat

26th of Jun 2012

Quality of writing

The spelling, punctuation and grammar are fine in this essay. I would've liked to have seen more references to Carter's choices, rather than simply stating what happens in the short story. There are a few spelling mistakes scattered around, and a simple proof read would prevent these from making the final draft. Parts of this essay tend towards the colloquial side. I would advise against using phrases such as "the count wants a sexually pure plaything" as this detracts from the quality and depth of the analysis. I like the critical voice expressed here. Phrases such as "by far the most distinct image" show examiners that you are capable of looking at the significance of techniques.

Level of analysis

Some of the analysis here is strong, looking at the techniques Carter uses and the meanings the convey. However, some of the comments are simply asserted and the points aren't explained fully. For example "The use of capitals further enforces the image of the power of the nature" doesn't really address the choice of words, or what effect this opening has. The analysis around necrophilia is strong, looking further into why Carter has portrayed the images. I liked the discussion of the male's base instincts taking control. However, these ideas need to be sustained in the discussion to meet the top bands at A-Level. Evaluation of how the male gaze characterises the Snow Child, and how she ceases to exist after his gratification are high-level discursive points for this short story.

Response to question

Essays which simply aim to write a critical analysis are never as strong as those which engage with a question set. This is evident in this essay, as there is little argument built into the essay. Focusing on the authorial purpose of the short story would open this essay to more discussion. A key aspect of A-Level is the evaluation of alternative interpretations, yet by having no discussion over meanings or reception, this assessment objective cannot be met.

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