The Little Match Girl
by
Hans Christian Anderson
(Let's Discover English)
Every man's life is a fairy tale, written by God's fingers. - Hans Christian Anderson.
The writer of such stories as The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid, H C Anderson, has written fairy tales which express themes that transcend age and nationality. Guess the title of some of the popular fairy tales written by him from the given quotes.
❐ "He now felt glad at having suffered sorrow and trouble, because it enabled him to enjoy so much better all the pleasure and happiness around him."
= The Ugly Duckling.
❐ "Imperfections we all have, but we also have compensations."
= The Teapot.
❐ "Because she could not go near all these wonderful things, she longed for them all the more."
= The Little Mermaid.
❐ "Rejoice in thy youth," said the sunbeam, "rejoice in they fresh growth and in the young life that is in thee."
= The Fir Tree.
❐ "But just to keep alive isn't enough. To live you must have sunshine and freedom and a little flower to love."
= The Butterfly.
❐ "Often at midnight she flies through the streets of the town and breathes with her frosty breath upon the windows; then the ice freezes on the panes into wonderful forms that look like flowers and castles."
= The Snow Queen.
Savour the Flavour
Comprehension
Answer the following questions.
a. What words in the first paragraph indicate the following?
i. the time of the story.
= Cold, dark and snowy evening - the last evening of the year.
ii. the setting of the story.
= Along the street.
iii. state of the character.
= The character was a poor girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet.
b. The little girl was walking barefoot. Why? Which phrase reveals the condition of her feet?
= The little girl had her slippers on while she went out of her house. She wore her mother's slippers which were quite unfit for her little feet. She lost one slipper and the other was laid hold by an urchin and he ran off with it.
The phrase 'red and blue from cold' reveals the condition of her feet.
c. Despite the cold and hunger, the little girl did not dare to go home. State the reasons behind it.
= The little girl did not dare to go home because she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing of money. She would certainly get blows from her father. Moreover her home was cold too. They had only roof, through which the wind whistled, even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags.
d. How did the flame of the second match comfort the little girl?
= The girl rubbed the second match against the wall. It burned brightly, and where the light fell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil, so that she could see into the room. On the table was spread a snow-white tablecloth; upon it was a splendid porcelain service, and the roast goose was steaming famously with its stuffing of apple and dried plums. And what was still more outstanding to behold on the floor with knife and fork in its breast, till it came up to the poor little girl. Then the match went out and everything vanished. Nothing but the thick, cold, damp wall was left behind.
e. What happened after the third match went out?
= The girl lighted the third match. Now there she was sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree which was still larger, and more decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door in the rich merchant's house. Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-coloured pictures, such as she had seen in the shop windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden stretched out her hands towards them and the match went out - all vanished.
f. The first four times the little girl lights matches she gets extraordinary visions. Why does she see things that disappear when the matches go out? Is there a meaning behind each of the visions seen by her?
= The first four times the little girl lights matches she gets extraordinary visions. She sees things that disappear when the matches go out because those her mere imagination being in that situation of plight.
Yes, there is a meaning behind each of the visions seen by her. The first vision of the iron stove implies that the girl is in the extreme cold of the night. She needs warmth. Then the second vision of the table laden with food implies that she is hungry. She needs food. The third vision of Christmas tree conveys that she is a little girl to play and enjoy her childhood not to sell matches. The fourth vision of her grandmother implies that she is a little girl, she should be at the centre of love and affection of her family members.
g. The little girl rubbed the whole bundle of matches after seeing the vision of her grandmother. Why? Explain in your words what this gesture signifies.
= The little girl rubbed the whole bundle of matches after seeing the vision of her grandmother because she did not want her grandmother go with the match burns out.
She is a poor little girl. She is in the street in the dark and cold evening selling match sticks. She is bare footed, bareheaded. She is hungry. She wants to go home but can not do so. She has not sold any match sticks till the moment. She would get blows from her father if she returns home like that. But she is not that capable to bear that life full of misery and plight. She became restless and wanted to be in the affection of her grandmother. She now wants to be with her grandmother forever.
Refer to the Context
Comprehension
Answer the following questions.
a. "Rischt! how it blazed, how it burnt!"
i. What is the 'it' referred to in this line? What does the word 'Rischt!' mean?
= In this line, the 'it' is referred to the flame of the match stick the girl drew against the wall and burnt.
The word 'Rischt!' means the sound of the flame of the match stick.
ii. For what purpose was the object used? Why do you think it comforted the child? Explain if it was useful.
= The object i.e. the match stick was drew against the wall to burn it.
I think it comforted the child because she out out in that dark cold evening and selling match sticks.
It was not at all useful for the girl. It was only her mere imagination that it will give her comfort in the cold. The light and flame and heat of a single match stick is not enough to make her warm in that much cold evening.
iii. Identify the simile and metaphor used by the writer to compare the first 'it' from the bundle.
= There is the simile when the flame of the match stick is compared to a candle.
There is the metaphor when the flame of the match stick is compared to a iron stove.
b. "She wanted to warm herself," people said.
i. What prompted the people to make this comment? Was their assumption correct?
= The dead girl sat stiff and stark leaning against the wall with her matches, of which one bundle had been burnt. This made the people comment like this.
Their assumption was not correct. The girl actually burnt the bundle of matches only to see her grandmother for a longer time.
ii. Was there something unusual about the appearance of the dead girl? What was the reason for it? Did the people notice this unusual state?
= Yes, there was something about the appearance of the dead girl. She had a smiling mouth.
The reason is that the girl saw her grandmother in the bright light of the bundle of match sticks. In her imagination, the girl had seen that her grandmother looked so beautiful like never before. She took her on her arm and flew high in brightness and in joy.
No, the people did not notice this unusual state.
iii. The townspeople find the little girl frozen to death in a corner, yet the author ends the story with a happy note. Do you find this tale tragic or ironical? Explain in your own words.
= I find this tale both tragic and ironical. A poor little girl is out in the new year's eve to sell matches and earn money in stead of playing or enjoying the new year's eve. She is barefooted and bareheaded. She did not have proper clothes to beat the cold of the winter evening. The cold and hunger were unbearable for her. She could not return home without selling matches. Unless her father would have certainly give her blows. She brunt few matches but eventually died at the end of the story. From this direction, the tale is a tragedy.
On the other hand, the four visions at the times of burning of matches are definitely ironical. The first vision of the iron stove implies that the girl is in the extreme cold of the night. She needs warmth. Then the second vision of the table laden with food implies that she is hungry. She needs food. The third vision of Christmas tree conveys that she is a little girl to play and enjoy her childhood not to sell matches. The fourth vision of her grandmother implies that she is a little girl, she should be at the centre of love and affection of her family members.
Last but not the least, is the smiling mouth of the dead girl is the most ironical one. She is smiling at the fake system of the society which compels a little girl to go to street in the cold new year's eve. She is smiling at her poverty. She is smiling at her father's ruthlessness.
Think and Discuss
HOTS
1. The little maiden is unable to sell her matches and earn any money. Thus she stays cold and hungry. Besides money and clothing, what else does she need? Think and discuss.
= The little maiden is unable to sell her matches and earn any money. Thus she stays cold and hungry. Besides money and clothing, I think she needs the love and affection and support her family members. She can not return back to home only because her father would not accept that fact that she did not sell any matches and earned money. The is the extreme ruthlessness. She wants a affectionate face who would understand her and her pain. That is why she imagines about her late grandmother and burns more matches only to be with her for more time.
2. Hunger, neglect, and abuse continue to trouble children born in poverty. Brainstorm ideas that should be implemented to make sure that poor children live a better life. Provide steps for implementing the ideas.
= Poor children are always the victims of hunger, neglect and abuse. I think, they should be helped by the governments. The governments should establish residential schools for them to teach them, feed them, and give them clothing and other advantages. They should provide them moral lessons besides conventional education.
As an individual or collectively from the end of a club or society, we can take initiatives to help poor children, teach them as much as we can. This will definitely help a large part of poor children to lead a better life than what they were destined to.
3. Needs and wants. What do they mean to you? Identify things that you believe you need and the things that you believe you want.
= Needs are the things which are mandatory for our life. For example - food, cloth and shelter. Wants are the things which we anticipate to have in our life.
In today's world, we need food, clothes, shelter, education and internet to live a happy and healthy life.
I believe that besides the above mentioned things, I rather we want branded and expensive smart phones, bikes, cars, jewellery, clothing, mansions etc.
About the Author :
Danish author Hans Christian Anderson (1805-1875) was born in the town of Odense, Denmark. He was an only child, and his father, a shoemaker, introduced him to literature, reading to him the Arabian Nights. Following his father's death, Anderson's mother worked as a washerwoman. Anderson received only basic education and was forced to take up odd jobs. Many years later he studied grammar at Copenhagen University. At the age of 14, Anderson joined a theatre company as he was fond of singing and dancing. There he took to writing, and published his first story The Ghost at Palnatoka's Grave in 1822. His style of writing, including use of irony and humour, broke new grounds in Danish literature and he became one of the most honoured men of his time. It is said that Anderson's life was like the fairy tales he wrote - out of poverty, struggle, and loneliness grew hope, opportunities, and fame. It is believed that the story The Little Mermaid Girl reflects the hardships faced by his mother as a child who was sent out to beg even on cold winter days.