500 word response
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TheLittleMermaidUnconditionallovebyHansChristianHerndersen.docx
Jackson
The Little Mermaid: Hans Christian Andersen
Za’Mya Jackson
Professor Bliemeister
English Composition II
October 18, 2020
Unconditional Love
The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen is a fairy tale that conveys a clear theme of unconditional love. The fairy tale may be confusing to children who might think the main theme is about finding a prince and living happily thereafter. A clear understanding of the tale shows that there are more themes that the book presents. My character for the story to present the message is Ariel. She is the little mermaid who has known her life under the sea. When she sees the prince who was conducting a wedding drown she moves to save him and fondly falls in love with him, it was late; but the little mermaid could not take her eyes off the beautiful prince (Andersen, 1837). My theme is therefore unconditional love that we hold for others, in the same way sometimes causes sacrifices.
Meanwhile, the little mermaid made many sacrifices such as using her beautiful voice to show her love for the prince. She had the most beautiful voice that one can think of. Her love for the prince forces her to forego it just to have him. She surrenders her voice in exchange for a pair of legs which are to turn her into a human being so that she can win the heart of the prince. The legs also come with lots of pain but she is ready to endure all that for the unconditional love that she has for the prince. Every time she walks she feels like she is walking on knives which hurt her. Sometimes to get what you truly love you will have to endure some pain and sacrifices.
The little mermaid has known the sea for all her life. She has never experienced life on land. She abandons her comfort to be with the love of her life. She was not sure of the challenges that come with living on land but she is ready to face them as they come. If she fails to win the love of the prince her life will be gone but this does not concern her. She will die and become foam (Andersen, 1837).
Human beings have a shorter lifespan when compared to mermaids “they must also die, and their term of life is even shorter than our”. Her old granny said this when she was referring to the reduced life of human beings compared to mermaids. Mermaids live for three hundred years before they become seafoam. She is advised against a reduced life span if she makes true her intentions of changing from a mermaid to a human being. The unconditional love she has for the prince blinds her to forget how important long life is “I know what you want, it is very stupid of you, but you shall have your way, and it will bring you sorrow” said the sea witch when she cautioned the little mermaid against changing to a human being because of the pain that accompanies it (Andersen, 1837). If the prince denies her love she risks losing half of his soul that will enable her to live with him forever in eternal life.
The tale also shows how strong love can be and the decisions an individual will make to be with someone they truly love. The little mermaid sacrifices her own life instead of being tempted to kill the prince. She saves him from drowning which shows her love for him. If she had killed the prince she would have lived on but this does not cross her mind because of the love she holds for him even when her sister gives her a knife to kill him.
Love also extends to her relatives. They are supportive of the little princess by all means. This is a depiction of their love towards the little mermaid. Her family does not agree with her decisions but they continue to support her. The sisters of the little mermaid come to her rescue and take her to where the prince and his men were. They have also made a sacrifice for her. “We have given our hair to the witch,” said the sisters, “so that she would send you help, and save you from death tonight” (Andersen, 1837). The sisters offered their beautiful locks in exchange for a knife which the little mermaid was to use to kill the prince to prolong her life. Unconditional love extends to Ariel from her family.
The story is a clear depiction of love and sacrifices. The little mermaid sacrificed a lot just to win the heart of the prince but did not receive back the love she deserves. At face value, the theme is not clear since it is assumed of happily living after death. However, a closer look shows there is more than having eternal life. The little mermaid did not live happily thereafter but she received a soul out of unconditional love that will enable her to live forever after death. Life might not present everything that one needs, it provides one with what is important. To her, she sacrificed for love but got what she needed most which is eternal life despite missing to live with her love. “Human beings, on the contrary, have a soul which lives forever, after they die,” said her old granny when she was referring to life after death that human beings enjoy after they perish (Andersen, 1837).
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