The Little Match Girl (Essay Sample)

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Analysis: The Little Match Girl
 “The Little Match Girl” is a captivating story revolving around a small girl who experiences neglect and poverty. The little girl's parents send her to earn money by selling matches. However, when she’s unable to sell the matches; she chooses to freeze to death rather than going home because she is afraid of her abusive father. Symbolism such as the match, the shooting star, and the little girl's hair helps a reader understand the narrator's third person point of view and, makes the story interesting.
In “The Little Match Girl," Hans Christian Andersen uses various instances of symbolism. Firstly, the match demonstrates warmth and comfort. For example, when the little girl is cold, she takes one and feels like she was in front of a larger stove. When the little girl lights a match, she imagines a better life; thus they are a source of solace and comfort. Secondly, Andersen uses the shooting star to signify death. When the little girl hallucinates in front of a Christmas tree, she notices a star falling from the sky, symbolizing that she is dying (Andersen 2). Thirdly, symbolism is also used when describing the little girl’s hair. Andersen depicts the girl’s hair as long and, fair which symbolizes that she’s pure and young and thus innocent.
Andersen creatively selects the characters to demonstrate the themes of poverty, kindness, and freedom. Firstly, the little girl,