Speculation suggests that Andersen was the illegitimate son of Prince Christian Frederik (later King Christian VIII of Denmark), and found this out some time before he wrote the book, and then that being a swan in the story was a metaphor not just for inner beauty and talent but also for secret royal lineage. [2] Hans Christian Andersen was a storyteller and poet who lived in Denmark from April 2, 1805 - August 5, 1875. His most You guys know I hate Hans Christian Anderson's way of ending the stories. I started this with the same expectations. But unexpectedly here I got the happy ending! HAPPY ENDING!! 😊 At least, that’s one way to analyse the tale – but is its meaning actually a little more complex than its straightforward plot, and seemingly straightforward moral, suggest? This is especially true in the LGBTQ community. It is getting better nowadays, but people are still rejected for who they are made to be and must go out and find their own family.

The Ugly Duckling - Stories to Grow By

This little story, which is beautiful illustrated by Jerry, is such a roadmap and a reminder for those people born in the family that rejects them, that there is a place out in the world with people like them where they can belong. There is a place of acceptance and a place to gracefully fly. I have seen it so many times. I gave it 5 stars because the story touches my soul. I lived the experience of feeling “different” in Catholic school, wanting something but not deserving it ä la a girlfriend. Eventually I’ve realized that I’m better off single! Indeed, this aspect of the tale has led to some biographical speculation, including the (rather fanciful) idea that Andersen was drawing on the recent revelation that he had been a changeling as a baby, and that he was actually the illegitimate son of Prince Christian Frederik, who later became King Christian VIII of Denmark. The book is selling like hot cakes. All the papers are praising it, everyone is reading it! No books of mine are appreciated in the way these fairy tales are!” He even read it aloud at social gatherings.I think it's rather cute, dontcha think? I also think that all creatures look cute when they're little. For those like me who have read many of his short stories, will see some similarities. But I like them. And the end of the story is just perfect, making this one of the world's most uplifting and heartwarming tales. In my opinion it is Hans Christian Andersen's masterpiece. It has been translated into many languages and published around the world. It has become his most famous story.

The Ugly Duckling Hans Christian Andersen : The Ugly Duckling

According to Carole Rosen, the story was inspired in part by Andersen's friend Jenny Lind. [3] Adaptations [ edit ] Disney's 1931 version Disney's 1939 versionHans Christian Andersen (often referred to in Scandinavia as H.C. Andersen) was a Danish author and poet. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories — called eventyr, or "fairy-tales" — express themes that transcend age and nationality. The 1939 Silly Symphony". The Internet Animation Database. Archived from the original on 2013-11-11 . Retrieved 2012-08-04. It might be silly, but all I heard in this tale was everyone saying he was ugly, he deciding to hide in sadness and despair until something (he didn't do anything) improved on its own and he was happy.

Background to the story Group/Guided reading - Oxford Owl

Here are other books in the Hampster Early Readers Series which I have reviewed. Each title links to my review: Beautifully illustrated, classic children's tale, with a moral. One of my favorites as a child. Very short story, suitable for reading as a bedtime story. It is one of the cutest fairy tales I've read. The story portrayed pain and triumph, humor, and compassion beautifully. It was mainly about how painful and difficult it can be to discover our inner beauty just because of outward appearance. It's an excellent children's book with a beautiful message. It's no wonder you don't feel at home in the farmyard, if you've been hatched from a swan's egg ... The three great swans swam round him stroking him with their beaks ... Some little children came running into the garden..."Look - there's a new swan! They shouted with delight ... The new one is the most beautiful of all—so young and handsome! ... He was almost too happy but not proud, for a good heart is never vain. He thought of how he had been persecuted and depised, and now everyone said he was the most beautiful of these beautiful birds.”It is only with the heart that one can see clearly, for the most essential things are invisible to the eye. In the entire book, the word ‘ugly’ appeared rather strongly for me. The definitive nature of ‘ugly’ changes when it is used as a ‘Label’. Once labeled, a person is persecuted, detested and constantly reminded of one’s deficits in such a way that the identity of a person solidifies as one of ‘handicap’; becoming a ‘self’ ruptured beyond repair. I would recommend that if you read this story to your little ones, do not just focus on imparting the above mentions lessons from the book, but also impart sensitivity to and appreciation of ‘the differences’ that exist in this world. The story has been told and retold countless times, and is often one of the first stories children learn in childhood, but what does not always transfer to the different versions is Hans Christian Andersen's delightfully droll humour. The positive life-affirming message is always there, that it is important to be yourself, and this is why the story perpetuates, but there are additional nuances in the original which make it one of his most enjoyable stories.