1. Hans Christian Andersen His Life and His Fairy Tales

2. His Life o Born in 1808 in Odense, Denmark o Father was a shoemaker o Spent time with his grandmother who worked at the local insane asylum o He was always different from the other boys. He made up stories, created paper dolls and puppets. He didn’t have the temperament to “work.” o

3. His Life o Hans never fit in as a child, or an adult o Although he appeared to be fragile and weak, he continually persevered the harshest environments. o In Copenhagen, he was taken under the wing of a local patron of the arts. o At an early age, Hans believed he was going to be famous, and their was a spark about him.

4. Some examples of his Paper Cuts

5. The Fairy Tales o The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen are closely linked with his life experiences. o The more you learn about Hans Andersen the person, the clearer his world of Fairy Tales becomes. o Some of the following themes can be found throughout the Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

6. THEMES o Shoes - his dad was a cobbler o The odd-man out - Always beware of the “unique” character in the fairy tales. Many describe Andersen as stork-like, and he was very aware of how people perceived him. o Two distinct worldviews: 1. The simple peasant view of the world held by his mom vs. 2. The progressive worldview held by his father. These are two strong and opposing forces that pervade many of the tales. o A longing for his grandmother, whom Hans was very close to as a child.

7. Recommended Tales o The Steadfast Tin Soldier o The Dung Beetle o Grandmother o The Ugly Duckling o The Red Shoes o The Toad o The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf o The Drop of Water o The Philosopher’s Stone o The Little Mermaid o The Flea and the Professor

8. o The Fairy Tales of Hans Andersen are as popular today as they were during his lifetime, over 150 years ago. Hans Andersen didn’t just put his own experiences in the tales he wrote, but the experiences of all of us. Which tales do you most identify with? Do you see yourself in any of the tales? Why do you think these stories are so timeless?