Tag Archives: Hans Christian Andersen

The Trump Who Had No Clothes

Andersen’s “Emperor’s New Clothes” perfectly captures today’s GOP.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments closed

Fantasy Lit Grappling with Drug Addiction

Friday Canadian author Lauren Davis has sent me her latest book, a fantasy portal quest that grapples with the problem of drug addiction. She knew it would appeal to me because of how it draws on fantasy literature, especially Hans Christian Andersen’s Snow Queen, to explore ways of responding to this gut-wrenching issue. The protagonist […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , , | Comments closed

The Snow Queen & Child Snatching

Andersen’s “Snow Queen” tells of a child abduction that is only too relevant as children are separated from their immigrant parents.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed

Moving through Death’s Doorway

My father’s poem about Andersen’s “The Little Match Girl” is comforting me as he slides towards death.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed

What Fictional Fantasy Means

Having taught British Fantasy Literature for the first time last semester, I need to think back on it before it becomes a distant memory.    By reflecting publicly, I can share some of the insights I gained from the course. Two major things I learned are that (1) fantasy is an oppositional genre—by which I […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments closed

Big Sis, Baby Bro

The relationship between a big sister and her baby brother is special. In fact, it’s archetypal. It doesn’t matter if she is in her 80’s and he is in his 70’s. Somehow he is still “little bro,” and when she can’t protect him the universe seems to have gone horribly wrong. These thoughts came to […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments closed