McCurdy Edward Scissorhands

Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands.

           Edward Scissorhands contains many elements of a fairytale, but in no way does it end "happily" like most children's tales do. The people of the town are immoral and Edward is quite the opposite, even though he has much to learn. He is a benevolent creature among the harsh, cookie-cutter people that inhabit the town. Even though Edward is the one with weapons for hands, the people around him are more caustic and evil than he could ever be. The acts of violence he commits are all accidental and without harm. However, once the townspeople turn against him, they do not shy away from terrorizing him. They will do anything to run him out of town and regress back to their normal  drab lives. Kim's boyfriend Jim, in particular, is openly violent toward Edward and is one of the most ethically twisted characters in the film. Everything he does is for himself. He uses Edward just to get what he wants and turns on him when Kim falls for Edward instead.

          Unlike traditional fairytales, the violence in the film doesn't lead to Jim or the townspeople learning a lesson. Instead, Edward is isolated even more and thus has no happy ending. He is torn away from Kim, his "princess," solely  because of society. The town isn't as picturesque and squeaky clean as it initially appears. The colorful pink, blue, yellow, and green homes are actually just housing the harsh townspeople. Generally, we associate vivid colors with positivity, but it is just the opposite in the film. Oddly enough, the character who possesses the most kindness is dressed in all black.

          Edward is a victim and the unmoralistic citizens take advantage of him. At first, they find him new and exciting. With his talents, they use him to create topiaries in their yards and do their hair. However, the second he doesn't abide by their rules anymore, they reject him. They are too immature to deal with real change and people that differ from them. The film encompasses the twisted morals of modern society with a twist on the ordinary fairytale.