hans05_rap Rap point 1

["5/6H Wollondilly P.S." <wol56h@yahoo.com.au>]

Dear Fellow Rappers,

 

Our class believe that H.C.A stories are as special today as ever as they are all very unique. His stories involve animals, people and toys. Each story has its own special message and often has a moral to it.

 

We believe that he had unique qualities as a writer and no one since has been able to write stories like his.

 

We have been reading as many "originals" as possible before comparing them to the many retells available. We have watched a few animated videos, not any Walt Disney ones.We understand why some of his endings have changed in the retells. It is because these stories are not really appropriate for young children as they are quite scary and even gruesome. For example, the original story "The Red Shoes" is certainly not appropriate for young children, but many of the retells are more sensitive to the feelings of young children.

 

Hans Christain Anderson certainly had a very difficult life and this is reflected in his writing.

 

"The Ugly Duckling" is based on his own life. He always felt he was very different to other children around him. He wanted to write stories and act as a young boy. His father helped him by making a puppet theatre and reading to him. But when his father died it was expected that H.C.A would just follow in his footsteps. He didn't want that life at all. It was only in later life after many hard knocks that people realised he was extremely talented.

 

We also think "The Little Match Girl" is about his own mother. We think that the grandmother in the story really is his own father as his father died very young and H.C.A really loved him because he loved him for what he was not for what others expected of him.

 

The "Little Fir Tree" is also about his life. He was never happy with his own life like "The Little Fir Tree". He always wanted something better for himself and was also imagining his life as a famous writer.

The "Swineherd " also called the "Pig Boy" is also about his life. In this story the pig boy is very clever and is able to do amazing things, but because he is poor the princess believes she is able to get whatever she wants. The princess doesn't like the look of the pig boy because he is poor and not well dressed. That is how HCA was treated when he was trying to be accepted as a writer, becuase he had little formal education.   

We have been reading a lot of his stories and we have enjoyed The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Its Absolutely True, The Top and the Ball, The Red Shoes, The Little Match Girl and the Ugly Duckling.

We are also writing  H.C.A retells for our Kindergarten Buddies.

Yours sincerely 5/6H

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