Andersen has a keen eye for social pretensions and vanity, and many of his stories satirize these human failings. The Fir Tree, (in the story of that name) for example, looks forward to being decorated as part of the Christmas celebration and feels sad when her trimmings are stripped away. Many of Andersen's stories feature personified objects such as darning needles or candles that have thoughts, intentions, and feelings. A mermaid pines for a human prince an ugly toad travels from the bottom of a well to seek something "higher" a starving child imagines ever more beautiful tableaux of prosperity as she freezes to death. Teased by school mates for his awkward appearance and bullied by a teacher who told told him his writings were fit only for the trash can, Andersen persevered with almost desperate devotion to his art and ultimately became known throughout the world as a genius of the literary fairy tale genre.Īndersen's stories are steeped in melancholy and longing, often featuring humble characters who long for love and acceptance into a higher realm of society or more glorious existence. Born in a one-room house to a shoemaker and a washerwoman, Andersen lost his father when he was 11 and left home at age 14 determined to become famous. Like many of his beloved fictional characters, Hans Christian Andersen came from humble origins.
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