The Ugly Duckling
Hans Christian Andersen
Of all the stories on this site, this story has the strongest correlation to social justice: Bullying. Bullying has become excessively prominent in our youth. Not only are children starting to bully younger, but as a generation that is constantly connected to the internet they also possess more ways and means to bully their peers. Bullying occurs both inside and outside the classroom, but also on the internet. With access to social media students are able to bully from the comforts of their own home. It is important to teach children from an early age how bullying can hurt someone, and that people are not always who you think they are. Therefore it is important to be compassionate and empathetic to others.
In The Ugly Duckling a mother duck sits on top of her eggs until they hatch. When they hatch the mother duck and all the other creatures around the farm are surprised at the size and appearance of one of her ducklings; he does not look at all like the others. They begin commenting on how ugly this different duckling is. and by doing so they are bullying him. They call him names, kick him, and peck at him until the duckling feels he has no choice but to leave. He is forced to spend his winter alone in the freezing cold, and barely survives. One fine day in the spring three majestic birds land on the pond where the duckling is residing. These birds, as we come to know, are swans. The duckling finally resolves that he would rather these beautiful birds kill him than to be harassed by any other birds, so he tentatively approaches them. When he does the three swans are instantly in awe at the beauty of the duckling, for as it turns out, all along he was not an ugly duckling at all, but a cygnet, who has now transformed into the most glorious swan of all.
In The Ugly Duckling a mother duck sits on top of her eggs until they hatch. When they hatch the mother duck and all the other creatures around the farm are surprised at the size and appearance of one of her ducklings; he does not look at all like the others. They begin commenting on how ugly this different duckling is. and by doing so they are bullying him. They call him names, kick him, and peck at him until the duckling feels he has no choice but to leave. He is forced to spend his winter alone in the freezing cold, and barely survives. One fine day in the spring three majestic birds land on the pond where the duckling is residing. These birds, as we come to know, are swans. The duckling finally resolves that he would rather these beautiful birds kill him than to be harassed by any other birds, so he tentatively approaches them. When he does the three swans are instantly in awe at the beauty of the duckling, for as it turns out, all along he was not an ugly duckling at all, but a cygnet, who has now transformed into the most glorious swan of all.