Snow White Characters

Snow White

Snow White is a princess who lives with the seven dwarves in an apartment, which is defined by the shower where the dwarves and Snow White often go to meet. She is well-read and college-educated, taking courses across disciplines like literature, feminist theory, and art history. She is continuously frustrated with her role as the "princess" in the story and questions what she should do next. For much of the novel, she is in love with Paul, one of the dwarves.

Jane

Jane is the wicked stepmother. She is revealed to be the wicked stepmother in the quiz at the end of Part I and her actions suggest that she is a witch. She is insecure and in love with Hogo de Bergerac, a "loathsome" man who treats Jane poorly and leaves her after falling in love with Snow White. Jane also has a group of apes that accompany her who she refers to as her "familiars"—imps that serve as a witch's companion. She gives Paul the drink that poisons and kills him at the end of the novel, possibly out of jealousy that she feels towards Snow White.

Hogo de Bergerac

Hogo de Bergerac is a "loathsome" man who is morally corrupt and detested by the dwarves. He drinks, litters, and behaves in a lewd manner, which the dwarves initially look down upon. Hogo de Bergerac's original middle name, Pontiac, is a reference to the American sports car and Native American chief who bore the same name. Hogo de Bergerac drives around in a Pontiac as well and exhibits masculine, aggressive behavior, especially towards Jane. He is dismissive of her and disregards her affection. At the end, Hogo helps the dwarves hang Bill.

Paul

Paul is the "prince" figure in the novel, although he spends a majority of the novel conflicted about his role as the prince and the duties he is expected to execute. He is of noble origin and his father was a king. Like Snow White, Paul is an antithesis to the traditional fairytale archetype and his actions go against all that a prince is expected to do. Paul is aware of this failure and spends much of the novel discussing his "princehood" with himself. He is attracted to Snow White but immediately runs away from this attraction, going to a monastery and briefly becoming a monk. At the end of the novel, Jane poisons Paul.

Bill

Bill is the leader of the dwarves. He has lost ambition and failed to live up to his potential as a part of the dwarves' work tending vats of baby food and washing buildings. He is apathetic, partially due to a failed attempt to deliver a lecture at the University of Bridgeport. He also ceases to be attracted to Snow White in the beginning of the novel, unlike the rest of the dwarves, who continue to vie for her affection.

Kevin, Edward, Hubert, Henry, Clem, and Dan

The dwarves are given simple, standard American names. They act as a unit for the majority of the novel, occupied by their work: tending vats of Chinese baby food and washing buildings. At times, one of the dwarves will speak by himself, but little distinction is made between their personalities or characteristics. All of the dwarves are concerned with Snow White and her attitude toward them. They grow increasingly troubled and individually try to win her over. As a collective, they try to impress her by installing a new shower curtain in their apartment. In two small sections, Clem is framed as "American" and interacts with the American landscape when he visits Chicago. Dan emerges as the leader of the dwarves after they hang Bill. He is successful and expands the dwarves' product line, which they commend him for.

The President

Although the President only appears in the novel a couple of times, his character is a part of Snow White's critique of American politics and society. He is concerned with the financial status of the country but rarely does anything, only observing and ruminating on possible actions. The President is an allegory for the impotence of American politics.

The narrator

Although the narrator is never identified, they are crucial to the story. They are part of the group of dwarves, referring to themselves as "we" and associating themselves with the group of dwarves. However, when listing the dwarves, they list seven, which means they are somehow an eighth dwarf or otherwise a part of their collective. They switch between using "I" and "we" over the course of the novel and appear to have a partially omniscient insight into the characters' psychologies and motivations.

Fondue and Maeght

Two men who tell Bill about a black horse that he fears. They appear in the trial. Bill throws a bag at them. The interrogator (who remains unidentified) brings this action up in the trial as another one of Bill's transgressions.