Reading Notes: Hans Christian Andersen, Part A

Tonight, I finished my first reading from our European unit, Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales and Stories. While section B was entirely The Little Mermaid, Part A was five different stories: The Princess and the Pea, The Emperor's New Suit, The Brave Tin Soldier, The Wicked Prince, and The Little Match-Seller. Much like The Little Mermaid, the themes of this stories were fairly dark. In my opinion, only The Princess and the Pea ended on a light-hearted note.

Hans Christian Andersen 

Overall, I enjoyed reading his stories, and can appreciate that at one point in history, children's stories and fairy tales were not what we would consider child-friendly by today's standards. Whichever of Andersen's tales I adapt this week, I feel that it is important to maintain his dark tones.

The Emperor's New Suit
In this story, a prideful emperor commissions new clothes from traveling merchants. The merchants claim that their products hold great power, such that stupid people cannot see them. In reality, the clothes do not exist. However, the merchants had spread the news of their fabrics so well that everyone played along with their lie, refusing to admit that they cannot see the clothes. Eventually, the emperor walks in a parade, entirely nude, because the entire kingdom pretends that they can see the beautiful garment, too scared to be revealed as stupid. It is not until a child points out the emperor's impropriety that the plot of the merchants is revealed.