The Old House
By Hans Christian Andersen
What a lovely story about a young boy who befriends an old man, a neighbor he thinks is lonely, and in his own later years shares the joy of remembering with his wife when she finds the tin soldier he shared with the man years ago. The main message of the story is articulated by the tin soldier near the end of the story: "It is delightful not to be forgotten."
One of the delights for me in this story is the description of the house. At least twenty percent of the tale tells of the house and all its archaic but captivating details, some of which speak for themselves to the little boy. This is much like how I viewed the world when I was a little girl: everything had a personality, a hidden life, and a voice for my ears. The themes of loneliness, friendship, belonging greatly resonated with me when I was very little, and still do to this day. It is also satisfying that structurally the story winds back on itself. Even thought the old man has died, and we don't know where they have buried him, there is a sense that all is how and where it needs to be because the kind boy has become a man and has brought love into the house with his newly wedded wife.
By Hans Christian Andersen
What a lovely story about a young boy who befriends an old man, a neighbor he thinks is lonely, and in his own later years shares the joy of remembering with his wife when she finds the tin soldier he shared with the man years ago. The main message of the story is articulated by the tin soldier near the end of the story: "It is delightful not to be forgotten."
One of the delights for me in this story is the description of the house. At least twenty percent of the tale tells of the house and all its archaic but captivating details, some of which speak for themselves to the little boy. This is much like how I viewed the world when I was a little girl: everything had a personality, a hidden life, and a voice for my ears. The themes of loneliness, friendship, belonging greatly resonated with me when I was very little, and still do to this day. It is also satisfying that structurally the story winds back on itself. Even thought the old man has died, and we don't know where they have buried him, there is a sense that all is how and where it needs to be because the kind boy has become a man and has brought love into the house with his newly wedded wife.
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