TAKING OUR MEDICINE

“ ‘Snow White’ on Prozac” is certainly a catchy headline for a story (by Peter Green, May 5), but it along with the sub-headline describing Snow White’s stepmother as a “schizophrenic” represents a great deal of ignorance about mental illness and reinforces stereotypes about those who suffer from schizophrenia.

Nowhere in the text is there anything indicating that she really suffers from schizophrenia, a brain disease afflicting between 2 million and 3 million Americans. People who suffer from schizophrenia are not grotesque, wicked and diabolical, as the article implies. They are people who are struck in the prime of life by a disease that may seriously impair their thinking, emotions and relationships with others.

It is particularly puzzling that The Times would permit such prejudicial statements about mental illness after printing an excellent article on schizophrenia, “Unraveling a Cruel Mystery of the Mind,” on the front page April 29.

(REV.) JEROME STACK

Catholic Chaplain

Metropolitan State Hospital

Norwalk

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Prozac is used to bring clinically depressed people back to a more normal and productive state of being, not to induce maniacal, murderous behavior.

Why not “ ‘Snow White’ on Crystal Meth”? That would be closer to what you apparently meant to imply. As it stands, you’ve perpetuated a dangerous misconception that probably leads many depressed people to remain depressed, rather than get the help available to them through this beneficial drug.

TRISH C. BROWN

La Jolla

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“Snow White” producer Tom Engelman sniffs at the Disney classic and claims, in Peter Green’s words, to have “developed the script from rereading the original Grimm Brothers tale, which has little in common with Disney’s cartoon. . . . [Engelman’s is] a return to the original, dark and evil fairy tale.”

This alleged “return to the original” has no prince but “two louts” seeking Snow White’s favors, and instead of seven dwarfs it features “a band of seven aesthetically challenged societal rejects . . . including an excommunicated priest and a child molester.”

This sounds very chic and daring, with Engelman trying to arrogate to himself artistic superiority and greater authenticity than Walt Disney. But as any reader of the Grimm tale knows, the Disney version is remarkably faithful to the original story, which has seven “good little dwarfs,” a handsome prince, a terrifying queen, many of the key scenes and elements, including the poisoned apple, and a happy ending.

AL RAMRUS

Pacific Palisades