Christian Andersen Influences

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Not only is Andersen influenced by religion, he is also influenced by his unusual childhood and his desire to pursue his dreams. This is conveyed in his works to help others want to pursue their dreams as well. Andersen’s childhood is very unusual. He is raised in a home that houses twelve people and rarely has any privacy. Because he is unable to spend time alone, Andersen passes the time by looking to his imagination and coming up with stories in his head. At age eleven, Andersen’s father dies. This is especially hard on Andersen because he has a close relationship with his father. It says that while growing up in his crowded home, “the one thing from his childhood that he always spoke fondly of [is] a shelf over his father’s work bench which [holds] many books and songs.” (“Hans Christian Andersen — Denmark's Most Famous Son”). As Andersen continues to grow up, his mother constantly shuts down his love of telling stories. At age fourteen, Andersen runs away from home to pursue his own life. Moving to Copenhagen is not an easy…show more content…
Not only are fairy tales important to a developing mind, but they help to form the foundation for one’s literacy. Andersen’s works, in particular, help others define and shape themselves. The most crucial part of a fairytale, for me personally, is the happily ever after. A positive ending helps tie all aspects of the genre together. The currently filtered fairy tales allow for a much more heartwarming ending, whereas Andersen’s versions were much darker and too gruesome. These works are still within the genre of fairy tales, however, today’s culture has influenced the outcome of each story. Fairy tales are important because they may give us a sense of hope. They allow us to relate to the various characters and feel as though others experience similar situations. Many times fairy tales are metaphors for real-world

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