Queen and Growth Mindset
Sarah Park
Gandy
Pre-AP English II - 7th Period
23 January 2013
Snow White vs. The? Evil Queen
Is intelligence set and unchangeable, or can it be developed and molded? Does failure mean that you can’t do what you attempted, or is it just a setback-- something that you can learn from? Are challenges seen as condescending, or an opportunity to improve? In the story of Snow White, there is an Evil Queen that is jealous of Snow White’s beauty. Before Snow White, she was the fairest of them all. The Queen had a plan to poison an apple, which would kill Snow White. However, when she fails, she becomes extremely angry because she feels that her failure showed weakness. Snow White, on the other hand, is more peaceful and she sees the Evil Queen as a challenge; a way to build her character, strength, and mind. In life, people have their own preferences and their own thoughts on certain topics. When I am living my life, I can be both the Evil Queen and Snow White depending on the situation; I have a tendency to see others at a threat at times; however, I also see failure as just a setback, and I am constantly trying to improve. These thoughts and ways of thinking are mainly based on a mentality, which is a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations. There are two main types that are most commonly seen in people: fixed mindsets and growth mindsets. A fixed mindset is believing that intelligence is set and cannot change. It sees talent as a set factor, which also cannot be changed. Many tend to avoid any challenges that may come to see as putting any effort. Showing any effort is seen as a weakness to themselves: the skill should have been there to begin with. “Effort is only for people with deficiencies...effort is not a cause for pride. It is something that casts doubt on our talent” (Dweck 38, 83). When collaborating with others, a fixed mindset neglects what others have to say and view them as a
Gandy
Pre-AP English II - 7th Period
23 January 2013
Snow White vs. The? Evil Queen
Is intelligence set and unchangeable, or can it be developed and molded? Does failure mean that you can’t do what you attempted, or is it just a setback-- something that you can learn from? Are challenges seen as condescending, or an opportunity to improve? In the story of Snow White, there is an Evil Queen that is jealous of Snow White’s beauty. Before Snow White, she was the fairest of them all. The Queen had a plan to poison an apple, which would kill Snow White. However, when she fails, she becomes extremely angry because she feels that her failure showed weakness. Snow White, on the other hand, is more peaceful and she sees the Evil Queen as a challenge; a way to build her character, strength, and mind. In life, people have their own preferences and their own thoughts on certain topics. When I am living my life, I can be both the Evil Queen and Snow White depending on the situation; I have a tendency to see others at a threat at times; however, I also see failure as just a setback, and I am constantly trying to improve. These thoughts and ways of thinking are mainly based on a mentality, which is a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations. There are two main types that are most commonly seen in people: fixed mindsets and growth mindsets. A fixed mindset is believing that intelligence is set and cannot change. It sees talent as a set factor, which also cannot be changed. Many tend to avoid any challenges that may come to see as putting any effort. Showing any effort is seen as a weakness to themselves: the skill should have been there to begin with. “Effort is only for people with deficiencies...effort is not a cause for pride. It is something that casts doubt on our talent” (Dweck 38, 83). When collaborating with others, a fixed mindset neglects what others have to say and view them as a