Scary-Fairy

This is the story about stories, stories you are all familiar with, and the way these stories connect to our lives, I’m sure you must have seen, heard or  have been exposed in some way to a version of one, if not many of these tales.

Hans Christian Andersen continues to dominate the children’s books market even though Walt Disney’s adaptation of his work is probably more recognizable to the younger audience. For better or worse, Andersen is usually the first to introduce the young reader to the concept of an unhappy ending. Many children cry for the injustices his protagonists suffer in the stories.

But why is it then, you may ask, if the tales are so sad, we continue to use the same narratives in our story telling? Well, I believe that children are the most sensitive when it comes to injustice of any kind. That is why these characters’ plight continues to resonate with them for over a century and that is also the reason I decided to use this format to draw a parallel between the sad tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the sad tales of the world. For this purpose I will be using short summaries of Andersen’s tales and comparing them with articles of the  Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This book can and should be used for the purposes of generating a lively discussion amongst high schoolers.

The Ugly Duckling

This is the story of a swan born into a family of ducks, who is cast out of the pond because the other animals believe such an “ugly duckling” doesn’t belong with them. Wherever he goes, the ugly duckling meets animals that reject him for the same reason. Upon meeting a group of graceful white birds, the ugly duckling hopes to one day be as beautiful as them. After a very cold and lonely winter, the ugly duckling sees his reflection in the water and realizes that he wasn’t a duck after all – he has grown to be the most beautiful swan in the pond.

Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Thumbelina

Thumbelina is a tiny, thumb sized girl. She is kidnapped from her cradle by a toad who wants to marry her off to her son. Thumbelina escapes just to be captured by another creature, the stag beetle. The stag beetle shuns her for being too different from her kind and Thumbelina is left to her own devices to try and survive the harsh winter on her own. She is grateful to be sheltered by a mouse only to find herself indebted to the it and almost forced to marry a mole. Once again the tiny girl must employ her creativity to escape. This time when she frees herself, she finds a beautiful fairy prince and marries him

Article 16.

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State

Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

The little mermaid

The little mermaid is the youngest of seven underwater princesses. She eagerly awaits the day her father will let her rise to the surface of the ocean. When she finally gets her chance she sees a human prince which she saves from drowning and falls in love with. The mermaid dreams about exchanging her fins for legs and becoming human but the humanity in the story comes at a steep price. The mermaid needs to have her tongue cut out and drink a potion that will make her every move excruciatingly painful. Nevertheless she takes her chances and is devastated when the prince falls in love with someone else. The mermaid dies and is turned into an air spirit.

Article 5.
 No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

Article 16.
 (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

Article 25.
 (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.