Mirror, Mirror On the Wall

A Meditation on Snow White, Bullies, and the Beauty of Kindness

Do you remember the witch from Snow White? The ugly, cruel, and jealous witch who stands in front of the mirror and asks, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

The witch is envious of Snow White’s beauty. Does this sound vaguely familiar? Like, perhaps, teenage girls? Now, you might think no teenage girl stands in front of a mirror and says these phrases. Let me clarify.

Teen girls don’t always value character. Many, like the girls who make fun of me for my brown skin, are rotten on the inside regardless of how pretty or popular they are on the outside. The popular girl uses her power to bully, making fun of the other girl for her appearance and behavior. The other girl tries to speak, but her voice is stifled.

When a girl looks in the mirror, she may feel confident and pretty. But when she sees other girls on social media, all her confidence diminishes. She worries about how to change herself to become like the other girl she sees online.

The popular girl overpowers the other girl. The other girl’s confidence decreases, she becomes cautious about what she eats, and now she dresses in baggy clothes. The girl once admired the popular girl’s beauty, but now she sees the reality: the witch.

Snow White is the fairest, the most truly beautiful because she is kind. She is the type of friend you want because she is loyal, a good listener, and won’t betray you. Snow White reveals her true character through her actions. She loves animals (so do I) and is kind to the dwarves. The witch, however, isn’t trying to be a better person; she is simply jealous of Snow White’s beauty as declared by the mirror and wants to destroy her.

That’s how some girls can be, too.

If a girl posts something on social media, another girl might comment to bring her down. Over time, this competitiveness intensifies. The bullying, body shaming, and attempts to overpower can silence the other girl and stifle her true self-expression.

Girls call each other fat and suggest they eat a salad, but they also criticize others for being too skinny, calling them a “bag of bones.” There is no acceptable middle ground. Even popular girls struggle with insecurities about their looks and weight. This can make others feel worthless. Like the witch, these girls try to make others feel as though they shouldn’t exist.

But just like in the fairytale, kindness is stronger than cruelty. I understand how girls feel and may think, “Why won’t God just take away jealousy?” No one can live a life without challenges. The universe seems to test us and place obstacles in our way, which means people might mistreat us.

The Golden Rule is to treat others as we want to be treated, but not everyone follows this principle. This is where I believe it’s important to stay strong, trust yourself, make good choices (like being kind), and keep moving forward. The voice within your heart, not just your mind, will guide you to do the right thing and make the right decisions. Following your heart can be difficult because it often involves uncertainty, but the heart speaks the truth.

Some people might call Snow White dumb or naive. They may even dismiss her as a “dumb bunny” and claim they would never act like her. However, this reveals their true nature. They fail to see the deeper lesson: forgiveness and resilience. How others react to her reflects their own values, which are often unkind. Snow White shows remarkable strength because, despite falling many times, she continues to strive for change. It’s up to others to have the patience to see her true heart.

Snow White is inherently kind and trusting; she always gives others another chance, no matter how many times she is knocked down. 

Her heart is full of grace and generosity.