The Loss of Innocence

poison apple and ultimately suffers for it. Just as Eve was warned against accepting the fruit, Snow White knows she should not be talking to and accepting gifts from strangers. Her weakness for the apple results in a “sleeping death”, whereas for Eve, her acceptance of the fruit results in a spiritual death.” - Bettelheim

The apple also carries connotations to sexual maturity and awakening, womanhood with the red apple signifying menstruation, all these combined are a symbol of Snow White losing her innocence. The apple presented to her is half-red and half-white, symbolising both a good and dangerous side of love and sexuality. The white half represents a love that is pure and not hurtful in any manner, and hence it is from this side that the Queen takes a bite to prove the apple is safe to eat. The red half of the apple represents more of the dangerous side of love and sexuality.

“The redness of the apple evokes sexual associations like the three drops of blood which led to Snow White’s birth, and also menstruation, the event which marks the beginning of sexual maturity”

Snow White’s choice to take a bite from the red half of the apple shows that while she may feel prepared for sexual maturity, she in fact is too young and immature, hence she falls into a sleeping death. She cannot be awoken from her sleep until enough time has passed that she is mature enough to experience love and sexuality