the little match girl essay

The Little Match Girl - Study Guide

Hans Christian Andersen 's The Little Match Girl (1845) is one of the saddest, most beautiful stories about loneliness and magic of memories. We hope this study guide will help both teachers and students better appreciate the nuances of Andersen's poignant story.

Read the story: The Little Match Girl , Character Analysis & Summary , Genre & Themes , Quotes , Discussion Questions , Useful Links , and Notes/Teacher Comments

Character Analysis & Summary

Isabella - The main character of the story is a poor, young Danish girl who is dying, alone and hypothermic on New Year's Eve, in a dark alley, without shoes or a hat.

Grandmother - The only person who treated Isabella with love and kindness; she died. Isabella continues to light the matches to keep her memory alive for as long as she can before she is out of matches, dying with the vision that she and her grandmother are celebrating the New Year in Heaven.

Genre & Themes

Genre : While this certainly falls in the short-story genre, it also shares some, but not all, characteristics of the fairy tale genre. Fairy tales typically feature folkloric fantasy characters such as giants, dwarfs or fairies. In the story, Andersen mentions an "urchin" who steals her slipper in the second paragraph.

Fairy tales also feature magic or enchantments. The shooting star, memories that appear like "magic" and the concept of Heaven can be thought of as enchantments or beliefs.

Based on the criteria cited above, is The Little Match Girl more like a fairy tale than you first thought? (Not all fairy tales have "happily ever after" endings)

Primary Themes : Opposites: Loneliness, darkness, cold, hunger and death are sharply contrasted with: Comfort, light, warmth, roast goose, and the hope of the after-life (Heaven)

Comparative Themes : Acceptance (grandmother) versus Rejection (father) Life (terribly miserable in her current state) verses death (and the strong belief in Heaven as a place where we reunite with the dead people we love)

Explain what the following quotes mean and how they relate to the story:

"Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening-- the last evening of the year."

"Oh! a match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it against the wall, and warm her fingers by it."

"Where the light fell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil."

"Someone is just dead!" said the little girl; for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was now no more, had told her, that when a star falls, a soul ascends to God."

"And the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than at noon-day: never formerly had the grandmother been so beautiful and so tall. She took the little maiden, on her arm, and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, and then above was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety--they were with God."

"No one had the slightest suspicion of what beautiful things she had seen; no one even dreamed of the splendor in which, with her grandmother she had entered on the joys of a new year."

Discussion Questions

1. How is the setting in the alley, the cold, and darkness, symbolic of the girl's isolation and sadness?

3. Explain Andersen's simile how the light was "transparent like a veil."

4. What do the girl's matchsticks symbolize? (Remember the source for her livelihood was to sell the matchsticks)

5. How does Andersen evoke the reader's empathy for the lonely girl? What elements of spirituality does he draw upon?

6. Why do you think the girl chooses to light all of the matches one at a time (that can't keep her warm), rather than try to start a fire (find paper and kindling from the alley)?

7. Describe your own reaction to the girl's death-- did it leave you feeling her emptiness (dying alone), or full with her happy memories (dying contented and going to Heaven to be with her Grandmother).

8. Describe the role that Isabella's strong belief in the after-life-- Heaven-- has in this story. If she didn't have this belief, how would this story end differently?

9. If someone were to say this is a story to read for "perspective," what would they mean?

10. The last day of the year is often a time to reflect on the past and make wishes for the future. How is the timing of this story important?

11. Hans Christian Andersen is revered for his children's fairy tales. What elements of a fairy tale does The Litte Match Girl share with The Ugly Duckling or The Princess and the Pea )? Could you argue that there are elements that make it NOT a fairy tale?

Essay prompt : Read one of Andersen's other "sad" fairy tales, The Brave Tin Solder , The Fir-Tree (or find another ). Then compare it in theme, tone, and literary devices, to The Litte Match Girl

Useful Links

Biography and Works by Hans Christian Andersen

Background for Teaching Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

Questions for Study and Discussion about "The Little Match Girl"

History of Child Labor : this story was written in the midst of the United States' and Europe's industrial revolution (1820-1870's), during which child labor was commonplace, and there was no "safety net" for destitute children in poor health and homeless.

Did you know the story was adapted into a 1987 movie, The Little Match Girl ? (Rotten Tomatoes rating: 80%)

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The Little Match Girl | Summary and Analysis

Critical appreciation of the little match.

The Little Match Girl is a widely read story by Andersen which delves n the themes of suffering, love, loss, death and the significance of compassion. It focuses on the plight of the poor children who suffer undeserved hardships just because they were born in the wrong socio-economic strata. Though many suffer the same fate today as well, the living conditions for the children of the poor was particularly miserable back in Andersen’s time . Also, his own troubled childhood gave him an intensely personal perspective insofar as unhappy children were concerned. In this regard, The Little Match Girl is a tale which gives voice to the voiceless and advocates for a more compassionate treatment towards the downtrodden. The theme of suffering , which ties in with Anderson’s personal life is also explored in the story The Steadfast Tin Soldier, the summary of which may be read here.

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The Little Match Girl | Summary

The story unfolds in a cold, dark New Year’s eve. In the heart of this cold and harsh setting, we find a poor little girl walking “bareheaded and barefoot” through the streets. We are told that she had been wearing slippers when she left home but that she lost them on the way – one, as she ran across the street in order to save herself from being hit by two carriages that were being driven too fast; the other, being stolen by a boy.  he slippers were too big for her and that it belonged to her mother (who is probably dead). The girl’s feet are “ red and blue with cold” and she is carrying a packet of matchsticks as nobody bought a single matchstick from her, leaving her utterly penniless :                          “She crept along shivering and hungry, the picture of misery, poor little thing.”

The hungry child couldn’t ‘t think of anything but the “glorious smell of roast goose in the street” , this being New Year’s Eve. It is a day of celebration and she is starving.

The girl huddles down in a corner formed by two houses. She dare not go home, for she hasn’t sold a single match-stick and her father is sure to beat her. We are also told that her home is anything more than a shack and isn’t any better than the place she’s presently huddled in.

She begins to light the match-stick to keep herself warm. She strikes the first match:                         ” It seemed to the little girl as if one was sitting in the front of a great iron stove with polished                                    brass knobs and brass ornaments. The fire burnt beautifully and gave out such a lovely warmth” On striking the second match the light falls on the walls and the bricks become “transparent like a gauze” . She sees right into the room where a table is laid and in the center of it stands ” a roast goose stuffed with prunes and apples, steaming deliciously” and the goose hops down from the dish with a carving knife and a fork on its back and waddles straight up to the poor child.

On striking the third match, she finds herself sitting under the most beautiful Christmas tree, “much lovelier than the one she had seen last year through the glass door of a rich merchant’s house. The many candles on the Christmas tree rose higher and higher through the air, and she saw that they had now turned into bright stars. One of them fell streaking the sky with light.” This magical moment is abruptly marked by a strong irony when the girl remarks : “Now someone is dying.”

On striking the fourth match, the girl’s grandmother appears in front of her. She is delighted to have her gentle granny and begs her to take her along with her. She then gets anxious that her granny is going to disappear like all other sights :

 ” Then she quickly struck all the rest of the matches she had in the packet, for she did so want to keep her grandmother with her”.

The dawn of the New Year finds her dead and all that the wiseacres have to say at the sight of her dead body is this : “ She was evidently trying to warm herself”.

The Little Match Girl | Analysis

The Little Match Girl is a story which draws an emphatic portrayal of the hardships faced by an innocent girl against the harsh and cruel world. Having said that, it is important to underline at the very outset what the story is not. It is not a helpless plea for pity. It does not beg for kindness. It appeals to it. There is a difference between the two and this must be maintained if we are to get a sound understanding of the story. In fact, by the end of the story it is clear that what the little match girl has understood, imagined and experienced is far beyond the comprehension of the wealthy folks who accept and denote her death as a matter of fact event.

The story opens on a somber note with the setting of the weather/nature complementing the mood the story. This is known as pathetic fallacy in literature. We see the use of this literary device right at the beginning of the story. Pay attention to the words in bold :

“It was bitterly cold , snow was falling and the darkness was gathering, for it was the last evening of the old year. It was New Year’s Eve.”

What follows next is Andersen’s pure genius where he pits imagination versus reality . The things imagined by the girl in order to escape her harsh reality is very moving one. One can also understand the link between imagination, reality and memory, partly by analyzing the hallucinations and sights she sees while lighting up the matches. She imagines a great iron stove with silver brass knobs burning before her. The r eality of the terrible cold makes her imagine a source of warmth : the burning stove.

Similarly, on lighting the second matchstick, she sees the sight of a roasted goose, a source of food which might satiate her hunger . What we see is that her imagination helps her conjure sights which may at least theoretically satisfy her immediate needs in order to combat the harsh reality she’s in. On striking the third match, she finds herself sitting under the most beautiful Christmas tree, “much lovelier than the one she had seen last year through the glass door of a rich merchant’s house”. This vision by the little girl shows the l ink between imagination, memory and desire . It tells us how she had seen a lovely Christmas tree last year and the memory reproduces the desire in the form of a much lovelier Christmas Tree

” The many candles on the Christmas tree rose higher and higher through the air, and she saw that they had now turned into bright stars. One of them fell streaking the sky with light.”

The girl is frozen to death by the time the rays of the New Year’s dawn reaches the little body of the unfortunate child. This is what the people have to say about her lifeless body : She was evidently trying to warm herself.

“But no one knew what beautiful visions she had seen and in what a blaze of glory she had entered with her dear old grandmother into the heavenly joy and gladness of a new year.”

The Little Match Girl : About the Author

The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Thumbelina The Princess and the Pea, Little Ida’s Flower, The Steadfast Tin Soldier … It is difficult to believe that all these iconic fairy tales originated from the pen of a single author. And yet it did. Hans Christian Andersen, the G.O.A.T of literary fairy tales was born on 2nd April 1805 in Odense, near Copenhagen, Denmark.           Hans was educated in boarding schools for the privileged despite being born to working class parents. His exposure to economic hardships at an early age was influential in making him champion the cause of the oppressed and the marginalized children in most of his writings. Andersen went to Copenhagen to work as an actor in the Royal Danish Theatre at the ripe old age of 14. He was encouraged to focus on writing instead by the director of the theatre who helped him secure a grant from King Fredrick VI which allowed him to further his education and travel around Europe, writing stories. His first success as a writer came with the publication of the short story A Journey on Foot from Holmens’ Canal to the East Point of Anager (Say that in one breath). Though he tried his hand in theatre, he was chiefly known as a novelist and a writer of travelogues in the Danish literary circles. Books like O.T and Only a Fiddle cemented his reputation as a novelist. His first collection Fairy Tales for Children was published in 1835 which featured stories like Thumbelina , Little Mermaid And The Emperor’s New Clothes among others. This was followed by a collection titled Fairy Tales Told for Children which featured stories like The Ugly Duckling and The Steadfast Tin Soldier . It was the translation of such stories to English and other languages which made him popular across Europe. His faithful representation of reality combined with elements of fantasy have endeared him to both young and mature audience alike. This commitment to representing reality in an impressive manner is seen in stories like The Little Match Girl . Anderson died on 4th May 1875, aged 70. Today, his works have been translated to more than 125 languages around the world.

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“The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen: A Critical Analysis

“The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen first appeared in 1845 within the Dansk Folkekalender, a Danish publication that functioned both as an almanac and a story collection.

Introduction: “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

Table of Contents

“The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen first appeared in 1845 within the Dansk Folkekalender, a Danish publication that functioned both as an almanac and a story collection. This enduring tale centers on a destitute young girl selling matches on a frigid New Year’s Eve. Through the flickering light of each match she ignites for warmth, the story poignantly contrasts the harsh realities of poverty with the girl’s fantastical visions. While presented as a fairy tale, it offers a potent social critique, drawing attention to the plight of the impoverished and the societal indifference they frequently encounter.

Main Events in “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

• Destitute Girl Braces the Cold: The story opens on a freezing New Year’s Eve with a poor girl selling matches. Barefoot and with no sales, she embodies the harsh realities of poverty.
• Lost Slippers and Failing Hope: Losing her only shoes and facing punishment for not selling matches, the girl’s hope dwindles as the harsh night deepens.
• Seeking Refuge and Yearning for Warmth: Shivering with hunger and cold, the girl huddles in a corner, drawn by the warmth and delicious smells of roasting geese wafting from nearby homes.
• A Single Match Ignites Comfort: Desperate for warmth, the girl lights a match, envisioning a cozy stove that offers a brief respite from the biting cold.
• The Match Fades, Dreams Linger: As the match burns out, the comforting vision disappears, leaving the girl with only the chilling reality.
• A Second Match Conjures a Feast: Another match ignites, revealing a lavish feast with a magical goose. The girl’s hunger is momentarily soothed by this delightful vision.
• Christmas Magic Flickers and Vanishes: A third match brings forth a magnificent Christmas tree, adorned with lights and ornaments. The girl reaches for its beauty, but the match extinguishes, taking the magic with it.
• A Shooting Star and a Connection to the Past: A falling star prompts the girl to recall her deceased grandmother, associating it with a soul ascending to heaven.
• Reuniting with Grandmother in the Light: The final match brings forth the radiant spirit of the girl’s grandmother, offering love and warmth.
• A Tragic End Masked by Peace: The girl lights all remaining matches to hold onto her grandmother. They ascend together, leaving behind a frozen body with a peaceful expression. The harsh reality of her death is veiled by the beauty of her final vision.

Literary Devices in “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

Additionally, here are some other literary devices that can be identified in the story:

• Anaphora : The repetition of “she” at the beginning of successive clauses (“She crept along… She carried… She had…”).
• Symbolism (object): The matches, the stove, the roast goose, and the Christmas tree can all be seen as symbols of comfort, warmth, and happiness.
• Symbolism (color): The colors white, green, and red are used to symbolize purity, life, and joy.

Characterization in “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

Major character:.

• Characterized by her immense poverty: barefoot and with no hat in the harsh cold (opening paragraph).
• Described as being meek and possibly fearful of punishment: afraid to go home without selling matches (paragraph 3).
• Possesses a strong sense of wonder and innocence: captivated by the visions from the matches (multiple paragraphs).
• Deeply affected by the loss of her grandmother: seeks solace and reunion through the matches (paragraph 7).

Minor Characters:

• Offers a neutral and objective perspective, focusing on actions and descriptions (entire story).
• Inferred to be harsh and possibly abusive: the girl fears punishment for not selling matches (paragraph 3).
• Briefly mentioned, but his action highlights the girl’s vulnerability and the indifference surrounding her plight (paragraph 1).
• Represent a society oblivious to the girl’s suffering: enjoying their warm homes and feasts while she remains cold and hungry (multiple paragraphs).
• Described through the girl’s memory: loving and kind (paragraph 7).
• Serves as a symbol of comfort and warmth for the girl (final paragraph).

Major Themes in “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

• The Cruelty of Poverty : The story highlights the plight of the poor during the Industrial Revolution, with a particular focus on how it impacted the lives of children. The little match girl is a poignant example of the effects of poverty, struggling to survive and sell matches on the streets on New Year’s Eve. Her death at the end of the story serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities of poverty.
• Christianity and the Afterlife : The story reflects the Christian belief in the afterlife as a better place, where there is no suffering or pain. The little match girl’s death is portrayed as a happy ending, as she is reunited with her deceased grandmother and enters a world where there is no cold, hunger, or fear.
• Fairy Tales vs. Reality : The story subverts the traditional fairy tale genre by presenting a bleak and realistic portrayal of poverty and death. The little match girl’s visions of a warm stove, roast goose, and Christmas tree serve as a contrast to the harsh reality of her life, highlighting the difference between the idealized world of fairy tales and the cruel realities of the real world.
• The Power of Imagination : The story showcases the power of imagination as a means of escape from the hardships of reality. The little match girl’s visions, though temporary, provide her with a sense of comfort and joy, and ultimately lead her to a peaceful death. Her imagination allows her to find solace in a world that is otherwise cruel and unforgiving.

Writing Style in “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

1. Descriptive and Atmospheric

• Andersen creates a vivid and chilling atmosphere through descriptions of the cold, dark night and the little match girl’s suffering.
• Example: “Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening–the last evening of the year.”

2. Pathos and Sympathy

• The reader is compelled to empathize with the little match girl’s plight, evoking feelings of pity and sorrow.
• Example: “Nobody had bought anything of her the whole livelong day; no one had given her a single farthing. She crept along trembling with cold and hunger–a very picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!”

3. Symbolism and Imagery

• Andersen employs symbols like the matches to represent hope and comfort amidst despair, and uses vivid imagery to depict the girl’s hallucinations.
• Example: “The fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. The little girl had already stretched out her feet to warm them too; but–the small flame went out, the stove vanished…”

4. Contrast and Irony

• The stark contrast between the girl’s miserable reality and the warmth and abundance she imagines highlights the cruelty of her circumstances.
• Example: “And what was still more capital to behold was, the goose hopped down from the dish, reeled about on the floor with knife and fork in its breast, till it came up to the poor little girl…”

5. Poignant Resolution

• The story concludes with a poignant yet bittersweet resolution, as the girl finds peace and solace in death, escaping her suffering.
• Example: “But in the corner, at the cold hour of dawn, sat the poor girl, with rosy cheeks and with a smiling mouth, leaning against the wall–frozen to death on the last evening of the old year.”

Literary Theories and Interpretation of “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

Topics, Questions, and Thesis Statements about “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

Short Questions/Answers about/on “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

Literary Works Similar to “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

• Similarities: Both stories explore themes of poverty, suffering, and the transformative power of empathy and compassion. They also feature supernatural elements and poignant resolutions.
• Similarities: Like “The Little Match Girl,” this story delves into themes of poverty and suffering, highlighting the importance of compassion and selflessness. Both narratives have poignant and bittersweet endings.
• Similarities: Both stories revolve around characters experiencing hardship and sacrifice, with themes of love, generosity, and the true meaning of wealth. They share a poignant and heartwarming resolution.
• Similarities: While not directly similar in plot, “The Snow Queen” shares Andersen’s thematic exploration of hardship, loneliness, and the redemptive power of love. It also contains elements of fantasy and wonder.
• Similarities: Although a different narrative, this story by Andersen explores themes of sacrifice, longing, and the pursuit of happiness. Like “The Little Match Girl,” it contains elements of sadness and transcendence.

Suggested Readings about/on “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

Recommended readings:.

• Haugaard, Erik Christian, ed. Hans Christian Andersen: The Complete Fairy Tales. Anchor Books, 2008.
• Sanders, Ruth Manning, ed. The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen . Viking, 2000.
• Zipes, Jack. Hans Christian Andersen: the misunderstood storyteller . Routledge, 2014.

Scholarly Articles:

• Øster, Anette. “Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales in Translation.” Children’s Literature in Translation . Routledge, 2014. 141-156.
• De Mylius, Johan. “” Our time is the time of the fairy tale”: Hans Christian Andersen between Traditional Craft and Literary Modernism.” Marvels & Tales (2006): 166-178.

Online Resources:

• The Hans Christian Andersen Centre. https://hcandersenshus.dk/en/ . Accessed 24 April 2024.
• SparkNotes: “The Little Match Girl.” https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-little-match-girl . Accessed 24 April 2024.

Representative Quotations from “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

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The Short Story “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen Research Paper

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“The little match girl” is one of the most symbolic creatures of Anderson’s literary talent. To begin with, the whole plot remains the strict personal line of the poor girl that started her “adventures” from going home one cold and rainy day with only the huge mother’s shoes. After that, she entered the main room and made a fire with a match: the main symbol in the story. Along with her process of creating the home atmosphere, the second person was demonstrated to the readers—grandmother, who represented the total contrast of two people trying to realise the same dream (Andersen et al., 2020).

The girl glimpsed on her poor Christmas tree, directed her match on it, and realistically imagined how the fire came across and through the tree and peaked at the top as the brightest star in the sky. Consequently, the girl was attracted by the match, and the poor tree was glowing with different colors. She gathered all of her matches and made a genuine “star” that lit the whole room on the brightest day. By doing this, she looked at her grandmother, who was trying to escape to the sky. The older person took the younger ones, and they imagined flying to the sky: in God’s hands. Finally, the story ends when people coming across the girl’s apartment admitted her and thought that she was just trying to warm herself, without knowing what she felt at that moment.

Personal Story Creation

There was a cold rainy morning, as it usually occurs in Paris when autumn forces the summer to change much earlier, let us say, in august. Ron was trying to find the right way to the Charle de Gaulle bus station, which was situated at the first district, while he was standing at the twentieth – the last district in this huge city that reminded him of a clumsy snail. In fact, Paris is a huge clumsy snail as districts situated similarly to the snail’s shell shape. Ron Donalds decided to pass this shell for the last time in his life. Being only 18, he knew Paris better than his right-hand fingers. He passed 15 years here, lonely, without no one that could give him a hand at the right moment. His life “shell” began its spiral when his parents died in the auto-crash by leaving their three years old son here, in France.

Gradually, by going through his shell, he experienced everything: foster parenting, street crimes, empty stomach. However, everything is changing: he gained compensation from the government, twenty thousand euros that will change his life. His life shell is moving in the opposite direction by rising from the smallest dot, while he is walking from the twentieth district, the last district of Paris: clumsy and huge snail.

Andersen, H. C., & Hersholt, J. (2020). The Little Match Girl . SAGA Egmont.

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IvyPanda . "The Short Story "The Little Match Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen." November 11, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-short-story-the-little-match-girl-by-hans-christian-andersen/.

"The Little Match Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen

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"The Little Match Girl" is a story by Hans Christian Andersen . The story is famous not only because of its poignant tragedy but also because of its beauty. Our imagination (and literature) can give us comfort, solace, and reprieve from so many of life's hardships. But literature can also act as a reminder of personal responsibility. In that sense, this short story recalls Charles Dickens '  Hard Times , which instigated change in the age of Industrialization (Victorian England). This story could also be compared to A Little Princess , the 1904 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett . Does this story make you re-evaluate your life, those things you cherish most?

The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen

It was terribly cold and nearly dark on the last evening of the old year, and the snow was falling fast. In the cold and darkness, a poor little girl with bare head and naked feet, roamed through the streets. It is true she had on a pair of slippers when she left home, but they were not of much use. They were very large, so large, indeed, for they had belonged to her Mother and the poor little girl had lost them in running across the street to avoid two carriages that were rolling at a terrible rate.

One of the slippers she could not find, and a boy seized the other and ran away with it saying he could use it as a cradle when he had children of his own. So the little girl went on with her little naked feet, which were quite red and blue with the cold. In an old apron she carried a number of matches, and had a bundle of them in her hands. No one had bought anything of her the whole day, nor had anyone given her even a penny. Shivering with cold and hunger, she crept along, looking like the picture of misery. The snowflakes fell on her fair hair, which hung in curls on her shoulders, but she regarded them not.

Lights were shining from every window, and there was a savory smell of roast goose, for it was New-year's eve, yes, she remembered that. In a corner, between two houses one of which projected beyond the other, she sank down and huddled herself together. She had drawn her little feet under her, but could not keep off the cold. And she dared not go home, for she had sold no matches.

Her father would certainly beat her; besides, it was almost as cold at home as here, for they had only the roof to cover them. Her little hands were almost frozen with the cold. Ah! perhaps a burning match might be some good, if she could draw it from the bundle and strike it against the wall, just to warm her fingers. She drew one out- "scratch!" how it sputtered as it burnt. It gave a warm, bright light, like a little candle, as she held her hand over it. It was really a wonderful light. It seemed as though she was sitting by a large iron stove. How the fire burned! And seemed so beautifully warm that the child stretched out her feet as if to warm them, when, lo! the flame of the match went out!

The stove vanished, and she had only the remains of the half-burnt match in her hand.

She rubbed another match on the wall. It burst into a flame, and where its light fell upon the wall it became as transparent as a veil, and she could see into the room. The table was covered with a snowy white table cloth on which stood a splendid dinner service and a steaming roast goose stuffed with apples and dried plums. And what was still more wonderful, the goose jumped down from the dish and waddled across the floor, with a knife and fork in it, to the little girl. Then the match went out, and there remained nothing but the thick, damp, cold wall before her.

She lighted another match, and then she found herself sitting under a beautiful Christmas tree. It was larger and more beautifully decorated than the one she had seen through the rich merchant's glass door. Thousands of tapers were burning upon the green branches, and colored pictures, like those she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon it all. The little one stretched out her hand towards them, and the match went out.

The Christmas lights rose higher and higher till they looked to her like the stars in the sky. Then she saw a star fall, leaving behind it a bright streak of fire. "Someone is dying," thought the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only one who had ever loved her, and who was now in Heaven, had told her that when a star falls, a soul was going up to God.

She again rubbed a match on the wall, and the light shone round her; in the brightness stood her old grandmother, clear and shining, yet mild and loving in her appearance.

"Grandmother," cried the little one, "O take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large glorious Christmas-tree." And she made haste to light the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to keep her grandmother there. And the matches glowed with a light that was brighter than the noon-day. And her grandmother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God.

In the dawn of morning there lay the poor little one, with pale cheeks and smiling mouth, leaning against the wall. She had been frozen on the last evening of the year; and the New-year's sun rose and shone upon a little child. The child still sat, holding the matches in her hand, one bundle of which was burnt.

"She tried to warm herself," said some. No one imagined what beautiful things she had seen, nor into what glory she had entered with her grandmother, on New-year's day.

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The Little Match Girl Summary & Analysis

The story line / plot summary.

The story “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Anderson is set against the backdrop of a New Year’s Eve. It was a very cold winter evening with snow and frost. When everyone was busy in celebrating the festive day with candles, Christmas trees and delicious dishes, a poor little girl was wandering on the streets trying to sell her matches. She was barefoot and bareheaded. Though she had the shoes of her mother, she lost them on the way. Her scanty clothes were not enough to make her warm.

The girl was sure to be beaten by her father as she could not earn a single penny the whole day. So she decided not to go home and sat down on the ground on a corner created by two houses. While sitting there she lit a match to warm herself. To her surprise, she saw a great iron stove with bright brass knob in the bright flame of the match. The stove vanished when the flame went out.

The girl lit three more matches one after another and saw the visions of a roasted goose on the table, a beautiful Christmas tree and her grandmother who loved her most. By then the girl realized that she would lose the vision of her grandmother when the match would go out. But she wanted her to stay there so much that she quickly lit all the rest of the matches to make sure the light stayed on. In the bright light of the matches her granny looked more beautiful than ever before. She took her in her arms and flew high up the sky to the God.

At the dawn of the new year, people discovered that the girl had frozen to death, still holding the matches in her hand. They were talking about how the girl had tried to warm herself. But they did not know what beautiful visions she had seen and into what “heavenly joy and gladness of a new year” she had entered with her “dear old grandmother”.

The Little Match Girl: A Commentary

The short story “The Little Match Girl” is all about the poverty, hunger and helplessness of a little girl who is sent to sell matches when she is supposed to stay at home or at school. When all the world seems to be celebrating the New Year’s Eve, the girl is deprived of the joy. But the readers are caught in the riddle whether it is sheer poverty of the family, or the cruelty of a father to his daughter; may be both.

Whatever the case may be, the author has shown us how sometimes death can be better than life on earth. The poor girl got nothing here in this life. All the visions she had in the light of the matches only reflected her unfulfilled wishes and dreams . She also wished to enjoy some delicious food, to sit under a beautiful Christmas tree, and to have the company of her dear old grandmother. But it was not to be in her earthly life. She could only get those after death, in the Heaven. That is why the writer says —

But no one knew what beautiful visions she had seen and in what a blaze of glory she had entered with her dear old grandmother into the heavenly joy and gladness of a new year.

So the New Year’s Eve is a symbol for the beginning of a new life (after death) of the girl in heaven. The last evening of the old year was the last evening of the girl’s miserable life. The new year brings glorious changes to the girl’s life which others have no eyes to see.

With this irony the author takes a dig at the so-called civilized society where we don’t have the eyes to see through the plight of thousands of such hungry faces in our cities and towns even today. So, in its appeal, this story transcends all ages and cultures. Even the girl is unnamed; the place and year of the story is untold. These might be deliberate attempt from the writer to keep the story universal in its appeal .

About the title of the story “The Little Match Girl”, it is very straightforward and represents the protagonist of the story, the poor little girl. As, the story deals with the miserable life of the girl, her dreams and wishes and how she got rid of the cruelty of this world to reach the heaven, the title is thematically appropriate.

In its plot and setting the story has a simple approach. The author narrates the story in third person narrative  where dialogues are rather scanty. This has been a one-way narration with no flashbacks and no twists. But the story is rich in its use of irony, imagery and symbols, emphasizing the need for compassion for those who are less privileged than us.

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The Little Match Girl

See here for notes on close reading or critical analysis of this text., the little match girl (hans christian andersen, 1845).

Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening—the last evening of the year. In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but what was the good of that? They were very large slippers, which her mother had hitherto worn; so large were they; and the poor little thing lost them as she scuffled away across the street, because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully fast.

One slipper was nowhere to be found; the other had been laid hold of by an urchin, and off he ran with it; he thought it would do capitally for a cradle when he some day or other should have children himself. So the little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from cold. She carried a quantity of matches in an old apron, and she held a bundle of them in her hand. Nobody had bought anything of her the whole livelong day; no one had given her a single farthing.

She crept along trembling with cold and hunger—a very picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!

The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair, which fell in beautiful curls around her neck; but of that, of course, she never once now thought. From all the windows the candles were gleaming, and it smelt so deliciously of roast goose, for you know it was New Year’s Eve; yes, of that she thought.

In a corner formed by two houses, of which one advanced more than the other, she seated herself down and cowered together. Her little feet she had drawn close up to her, but she grew colder and colder, and to go home she did not venture, for she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing of money: from her father she would certainly get blows, and at home it was cold too, for above her she had only the roof, through which the wind whistled, even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags.

Her little hands were almost numbed with cold. Oh! a match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it against the wall, and warm her fingers by it. She drew one out. “Rischt!” how it blazed, how it burnt! It was a warm, bright flame, like a candle, as she held her hands over it: it was a wonderful light. It seemed really to the little maiden as though she were sitting before a large iron stove, with burnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. The little girl had already stretched out her feet to warm them too; but—the small flame went out, the stove vanished: she had only the remains of the burnt-out match in her hand.

Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-colored pictures, such as she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden stretched out her hands towards them when—the match went out. The lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher, she saw them now as stars in heaven; one fell down and formed a long trail of fire.

“Someone is just dead!” said the little girl; for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was now no more, had told her, that when a star falls, a soul ascends to God.

She drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the old grandmother, so bright and radiant, so mild, and with such an expression of love.

“Grandmother!” cried the little one. “Oh, take me with you! You go away when the match burns out; you vanish like the warm stove, like the delicious roast goose, and like the magnificent Christmas tree!” And she rubbed the whole bundle of matches quickly against the wall, for she wanted to be quite sure of keeping her grandmother near her. And the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than at noon-day: never formerly had the grandmother been so beautiful and so tall. She took the little maiden, on her arm, and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, and then above was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety—they were with God.

But in the corner, at the cold hour of dawn, sat the poor girl, with rosy cheeks and with a smiling mouth, leaning against the wall—frozen to death on the last evening of the old year. Stiff and stark sat the child there with her matches, of which one bundle had been burnt. “She wanted to warm herself,” people said. No one had the slightest suspicion of what beautiful things she had seen; no one even dreamed of the splendor in which, with her grandmother she had entered on the joys of a new year.

Text courtesy of the Gutenberg Project , images courtesy of Dreamstime .

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The Little Match Girl

Hans christian andersen, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Grandmother

The Little Match Girl

By hans christian andersen, the little match girl themes.

“ The Little Match Girl ” presents a poignant critique of cultural attitudes to extreme poverty and inequality during the period of the industrial revolution. Using imagery and juxtaposition, Andersen contrasts the poverty of the little girl with the surrounding wealth. Bareheaded and barefoot, the girl slowly succumbs to hypothermia while wealthy people are safe indoors, ensconced in warmth and luxury of roast geese. She is nearly run down by fast-moving carriages that show no concern for her plight. The desperation of the poor is conveyed through the boy who steals her slipper, thinking one day that he’ll use it to cradle his child. The boy’s own desperate need leads him to take what he can when he can, with no regard for the girl’s safety. The tale starkly highlights the cost of an unequal society.

Another of the story's major themes is the cruelty directed toward the little girl. Cruelty comes from all directions: her father will beat her if she returns home without having sold any matches; carriages nearly run her down in the snow; a boy steals her slipper; and no one tries to help her as she freezes to death. Despite these injustices, the girl remains virtuous, never questioning or fighting back or practicing cruelty herself. Her ascendence to the heavens is her means of escape from the cruelty she endures.

Imagination

Another of the story’s major themes is imagination, and people’s relative capacity to utilize it. The little girl has profound imaginative abilities: with each strike of a match, she conjures a new vision of the warmth, food, prosperity, and love she lacks in her material reality. By contrast, when people see her frozen body at the end of the story, the narrator comments that they cannot imagine what was in the girl’s mind and heart before she died. All they see is an impoverished child who tried to keep warm as she froze.

The Afterlife

The theme of the afterlife enters the story when the little girl dies and ascends into the sky to be with her dead grandmother and with God. Although the little girl suffered from starvation, cold, and a lack of love on Earth, the narrator comments that in heaven she will not want for anything. As such, the story ends with a sense of hope. Christian spiritual understandings of life after death would have been prevalent in 19th-century Danish culture. Through a lens in which an afterlife is tangible, Andersen presents death as not something to fear but a relief from the cruelties of mortal existence.

The Little Match Girl Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Little Match Girl is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What is the contrast described in this passage?

There is a contrast between the darkness, cold. and hunger the little girl lives in juxtaposed with the warm opulence of the places she looks at through the windows.

Which character do you like the most, and why?

This question calls for your opinion. There is no right or wrong answer. I, personally, love the little girl's grandmother.... the unconditional, love that never dies.

If you were the little match, what would you do? Answers in 150-200 words

Sorry, we can't write an essay for you on this short answer space.

Study Guide for The Little Match Girl

The Little Match Girl study guide contains a biography of Hans Christian Andersen, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Little Match Girl
• The Little Match Girl Summary
• Character List

Lesson Plan for The Little Match Girl

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Little Match Girl
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Little Match Girl Bibliography

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Analysis and Comparison of 'The Little Match Girl' by Hans C. Andersen and 'The Little Match Girl Passion' by David Lang.'

The purpose of this written paper is to conduct an in depth analysis and comparison of two different works: The Little Match Girl, a short tale written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1845 and The Little Match Girl Passion, musical composition inspired by the short tale, created by David Lang for the Theatre of Voices, in 2007.

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