The Little Match Girl

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

Passage -1
i. What was special about the particular evening in the story? What kind of
weather was there in the evening?
i) It was New Year’s Eve and weather was bitterly cold. Snow was falling and
darkness was gathering.
ii. The girl had slippers on, but they were of no use. Why?
ii) The slippers that the girl was wearing belonged to her dead mother. They were too
big for her and hence were of no use.
iii. How can you conclude from the story that the girl was poor and dejected?
iii) The girl was dejected and poor in very sense because she was bare feet and was
sent out on a cold night to sell matches, which was another form of begging at that
time. No one bought matches from her so she was unable to earn a single penny.
She was shiviring and hungry.
iv. Why was the girl out in the cold? What prevented her from going back
home?
iv) Girl was out in the cold to earn some money. The girl did not dare to go home as
she was unable to earn a single penny. Her father would surely beat her if she
returned empty hand; moreover it was so cold at home because there was nothing
but a roof above them.
v. How appropriate is the title of the story?
v) The appropiation of the title of the story is judged by how well it reflects the
content of the story. [This line can be used for any chapter’s answer]. The title ‘Little
Match Girl’ is quite apt as it revolves around a little girl who sells matches. She had
not given a name as she represents one of Th many poor children belonging to lower
class in Victorian Era, who had to face hardship because of poverty.

Passage – 2
i. Who is referred to as little maiden in the extract? How did she lose her
shoes?
i) ‘The Little Match Girl’ or the protagonist of the story is referred to ‘little maiden’ in
the extract. She lost her slippers when she was escaping from two carriages that
were running very fast. One could not be found and other was taken by a boy.
ii. Why was the girl carrying matches with her?
ii) The little girl is trying to sell matches to earn. It was another form of begging in the
Victorian Era.
iii. What does the author describe the girl as a very picture of sorrow?
iii) The girl has been described as 'a very picture of sorrow' because every aspect of
her has a sorrow to explain.
 The child is poor and motherless.
 She does not get any affection form her father but is sent out in the biting cold
to sell matches.
  The child spends her entire night by huddling herself against a wall.
 She dies of cold, hunger and abuse.
iv. What tells you that the girl was not only trembling with cold but also with
hunger?
iv) Her hallucination reflects the need and desire of a poor, hungry child. In her
second vision, she saw a feast laid on a table. This vision addresses how hungry the
small girl was, and if she did not freeze, she would surely had died of starvation.
v. Explain how the story is interspersed with didactic elements.
v) A didactic story is the one which is intended to teach people a moral lesson. The
story is meant to teach, especially the wealthy, to show empathy for those, who do
not have the basic necessities of life. It reminds them not to overlook the needs of
the less fortunate, especially the innocent children. It teaches them to be charitable
and help the poor during the festivals and throughout the year, to alleviate their
suffering. The purpose of this story is very meaningful because it is an issue that is
not only limited to those times but relevant to today
Passage – 3
i. Where was the girl sitting? How did she try to warm her fingers?
i) The girl huddled down in a heap in a corner formed by two houses, one of which
projected further out into the street than the other. Her thin hands were almost numb
with cold which she tried to warm up by lighting match sticks.
ii. When did the girl feel as if she were sitting before a large iron stove? Why
did she feel this way?
ii) It was a hallucination which depicted the girl’s longing for warmth as well as love
of her family.
iii. Explain what kind of relationship the girl shared with her father.

iii) The girl had an affectionless relation with her father. Her father was ruthless who
sent her out to earn money in such cold. She was a victim of child abuse and was
not fed and clothed properly. She was scared to go home for the fear of being
beaten by her father. The warmth of love which she should have got from her father
was substituted by her lighting matches.

iv. With reference to the story bring out the theme of class differentiation.
iv) During the Victorian Era, the middle class emerged and took over an important
percentage of work places. It is at this time, there appeared an underclass, which
remained unemployed and lived-in abject poverty. This class resented both the
aristocracy and the middle class. There existed a huge gap between the financial
condition of this class and the wealthy.
v. The children in Victorian society were not only orphaned but also deserted,
neglected and abused. Give evidence from the story to prove this statement.
The children were regarded as miniature adults who were used for cheap labour. In
this story, the child is poor and motherless. She does not get any affection or love
form her father but is sent out in the biting cold to sell matches. She became a victim
of child labour and of physical abuse at the hands of her father.
Passage-4.
i. What happened when the girl lit the first match?
i) When she lit the first match, she had a vision of a large iron stove and felt its
warmth and safety which she longed for. It reminded her of the love and affection
which she got from her grandmother.
ii. What did the girl see in the window when she lit the second match?
ii) When the girl lit the second matchstick, she saw a roast goose stuffed with apple
and dried plums, which hopped down from the dish and came up to her, seeing the
goose come to her symbolises her hunger pangs.
iii. Explain how the girl’s visions are symbolic of her undying hope.
iii) The little small and poor girl, who is suffering from cold and hunger and apathy of
the people around her imagined about certain things which she desperately longed
for and which made her feet better, including an iron stove, a huge Christmas tree
and a table laden with delicious food. The girl imagines her deceased grandmother's
face just because, she had faith and hope.
iv. What does the light from the matches symbolise in the story?
iv) The light from the matches symbolise the light of God and hope. They are
symbolic of the warmth which the little girl was longing for.
v. Explain why the girl lighted the whole bundle of matches at the end?
v) When the little girl lit the match stick for the third time she saw her old
grandmother. She was delighted to see her and said her to take her along. She did
not want her to vanish. As the rest of her visions had vanished so she lit up the entire
bundle of matches to keep her grandmother in visibility.

Passage-5.
i. Which girl is referred to in the extract? Why does she have a rosy cheek
and a smiling mouth?
i) The little match girl who died of cold and hunger is referred to here. Her cheeks
had turned rosy because of extreme cold. Moreover, she has a smiling mouth
because her wish to be with her loving grandmother comes true through her death.
Her smile indicates that the girl is relieved of her pain through divine redemption.
ii. What is referred to as “beautiful things” in the extract above? How does
the girl encounter these “beautiful things”?
ii) Her vision of an iron stove, a sumptuous feast, a twinkling Christmas tree and her
late grandmother are referred to as beautiful things. It is by lighting the matches that
she gets to encounter these beautiful things.
iii. What kind of relationship existed between the girl and her deceased
grandmother?
iii) The Little girl's grandmother was dead but was the only person, whom she
remembered fondly. She has been described as the only one who loved the little girl.
It seems that the little girl used to hear stories from her grandmother as she
remembered her grandmother's view about the stars falling from the sky. The
memory of her grandmother's helped her keep warm while others ignored her.
iv) How does the extract bring out the hope for a better life after death?
The girl pleaded with her grandmother to take her to heaven and both of them flew
in brightness and in joy to be with God. The girl’s smiling face after her death thus
symbolizes a better afterlife.

Question 1.
Which day of the year was it in the story?
Answer:
It was terribly cold. It snowed, and it was nearly quite dark. It was New Year’s Eve
and the night was freezing cold.

Question 2.
Describe the condition of the girl.
Answer:
The little girl was bare headed and barefoot in the freezing cold as she had lost the
slippers, she had worn which belonged to her mother and were too large for her. Her
feet were quite red and blue from cold.

Question 3.
What did the girl carry in her pocket?
Answer:
The little girl carried a quantity of matches in an old apron, and she held a bundle of
them in her hand.

Question 4.
Had she managed to sell any matches?
Answer:
Nobody had bought anything of her the whole livelong day; no one had given her a
single farthing.

Question 5.
Does the author give us a glimpse into the Victorian society?
Answer:
Yes, we get a glimpse into the society in which parents were cruel enough to make
their * small children work in the freezing cold. Begging was a menace and child
abuse was common.

Passage 2

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

Lights were shining from every window, and there was a savoury 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 she could not keep off
the cold; and
she dared not go home, for she had sold no matches, and could not take home even
a penny of money. 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, through which the wind
howled, although the largest holes had been stopped up with straw and rags. 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 to the little girl that she was sitting by a large iron stove,
with polished brass feet and a brass ornament. 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.

Question 1.
Where did the girl seek some shelter from the cold?
Answer:
The girl in order to escape the freezing cold huddled in a corner, between two
houses, one of which projected beyond the other. She had drawn her little feet under
her, but she could not keep off the cold.

Question 2.
Why could the girl not go home?
Answer:
The little girl did not dare to go home, for she had sold no matches, and could not
take home even a penny of money. Her father would certainly beat her for earning
no money.

Question 3.
Describe her home.
Answer:
Her house was in as poor a condition as her. It was almost as cold at home as on
the street because they had only the roof to cover them. They lacked adequate
woolens to keep them warm. There also the wind howled through the cracks,
although the largest holes had been stopped up with straw and rags.

Question 4.
How did she try to keep herself warm?
Answer:
She thought of lighting her matches to keep herself warm.

Question 5.
What did she imagine when she lighted the first match?
Answer:
When she lighted the first match it seemed to give a warm, bright light, like a little
candle. It was really a wonderful light. It seemed to the little girl that she was sitting
by a large iron stove, with polished brass feet and a brass ornament. How the fire
burned! and it seemed so beautifully warm that the child stretched out her feet as if
to warm them.

Passage 3

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
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 which she
had seen through the glass door at the rich merchant’s. Thousands of tapers were
burning upon the green branches, and colored pictures, like those she had seen in
the show- 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 dead, had told her that when a star falls, a soul was
going up to God.

Question 1.
What did she see when she lighted another match?
Answer:
When the girl lighted another match she saw herself sitting under a beautiful
Christmas- tree. It was larger and more beautifully decorated than the one which she
had seen through the glass door at the rich merchant’s.

Question 2.
Describe the Christmas tree.
Answer:
The Christmas tree was beautifully decorated. There were thousands of tapers were
burning upon the green branches, and coloured pictures, like those she had seen in
the show-windows, looked down upon it all.

Question 3.
What happened when she stretched her hand to touch?
Answer:
As soon as she stretched her hand to touch the match went out and the tree
disappeared.

Question 4.
How did the Christmas lights appear when the match went out?
Answer:
When 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.

Question 5.
Why did the girl think that “Someone is dying” ?
Answer:
The girl thought that “Someone is dying” because her old grandmother, the only one
who had ever loved her, and who was now dead, had told her that when a star falls,
a soul was going up to God.

Passage 4

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

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 to death on the last evening of
the year; and the New-year’s sun rose and shone upon a little corpse! The child still
sat, in the stiffness of death, 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.

Question 1.
What happened when she lighted another match?
Answer:
When she lighted another match the light shone round her and, in the brightness,
stood her old grandmother, clear and shining, yet mild and loving in her appearance.

Question 2.
What did the girl say to her grandmother? Why?
Answer:
The girl pleaded with her grandmother to take her along with her because she was
the only one in the world who loved her.

Question 3.
Why did the girl make haste to light the whole bundle of matches?
Answer:
The girl 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.

Question 4.
What happened to the little girl? What did the people think?
Answer:
The little girl died and the people saw that one bundle of matches was burnt. They
said she had tried to warm herself.

Question 5.
Why was there a smile on the girl’s lips? Did the people understand?
Answer:
The girl had a smile on her face when she died because she was relinquishing a
world of pain and suffering and was reunited with the person, she loved the most,
her grandmother and God. No one imagined what beautiful things she had seen, nor
into what glory she had entered with her grandmother, on New-year’s day. They had
no idea about the beautiful pictures she had seen.
 Assignment

Question 1.
The author shows death as a relief from a harsh life. Justify with reference to the
story.
Answer:
In the snowy streets of the city a pitiable young girl is selling matches on New Years
Eve in a desperate attempt to appease her father’s violent anger. Alone with her
matches and their accompanying visions the girl passes on and is found later the
next day, dead and with a smile playing across her face. The plot of The Little Match
Girl by Hans Christian

Anderson is meant to inspire a charity of tears for this young girl and her untimely
death. However not in all instances should such a death be so unfortunate in the little
match girls case death would not be the worst of all evils but an alleviation to mortals
who are worn out with sufferings. Thus, death can come as a relief to those whose
toils and cares overcome the will to live and when a better life can only be satisfied
by fate. Firstly, for some, peace and comfort can only be obtained in death. The little
match girl seeks such comfort in the streets but obviously finds none in the bitter
bleak night. Once she is quite numb with cold, she thinks that a little match would be
a comfort. So, light here represents the comfort of heat. For example, when she
does light the match it blazes into a clear warm flame, which transforms with a little
help from her imagination into a warm friendly fire. When the match goes out the
stove vanishes and she is left again to suffer the icy night. So, peace and
contentment cannot always be found in this life but the one after death. Therefore,
death need not be viewed as the ultimate evil as for many it can be a release into a
better life.

Question 2.
Anderson through the story a Little Match Girl gives an idea about the Victorian
society of his times?
Answer:
Andersen portrays in this tale not only a realistic and crude view of society in
Victorian times, but also a deep criticism of social class differentiation. During those
times, children were not regarded the same way people regard them nowadays.
Instead, they were viewed as ‘miniature adults’ and were usually used for cheap
labour.

Andersen takes advantage of these strong social differences to leave a moral

teaching at the end of his tale, this consists of the idea that children should be
considered as creative people, able to transcend difficult situations through the
power of imagination.

The girl, suffering from the cold and the ignorance of the people around her and
maybe as a result of these, is still capable of imagining certain things that would
make her feel better about her situation- huge Christmas trees, a table full of
Christmas food and her grandmother’s loving face.

Andersen describes the social stratification of Victorian times in just a few sentences.
During this historical period, while the ‘middle class’ emerged and took over an
important percentage of work places, the ‘under class’ grew resentful of both
aristocracy and middle class, remaining unemployed and living in poverty. Although
Andersen does not explain the girl’s background, he denotes social differentiation by
opposing the extremes. The reader understands that the girl and her family stand on
the less fortunate side, and it also gives him/her an idea of their social impediments.
Nevertheless, it can only be assumed that the story is set during Victorian times,
mainly because Andersen lived during this period.

Question 3.
The Little Match Girl can be viewed as a work of opposites. Justify.
Answer:
Little Match Girl can be viewed as a work of opposites can be analysed as a work of
opposites. Andersen plays with the interaction between violence and love, poverty
and wealth, struggle and redemption, life and death. These constant relationships
are displayed in such a manner that keeps us entertained during the reading
process, and we are later left with a moral learning.

The author talks about segregation, religious faith and human relationships. Instead
of getting love and care from her father, the girl only got blows for not selling
matches. The girl sees only her old grandmother as the only loving relationship and
views her, ‘bright and radiant, so mild, and with such an expression of love.’

The family situation of the little girl and her experiences daily show that parents of
such poor children did not care if it was cold outside. They send their daughter out to
sell matches anyway. The girl does not have the appropriate clothing to shelter
herself from the winter cold. She is not capable of selling any matches and scared to
return home because her father would beat her for her poor work. Instead of going
back, the girl prefers to sit in the snow and imagine her grandmother’s face, full of
tenderness and love. The reminder of her grandmother’s love helps her to keep
warm and get through this painful moment, as passers-by remain oblivious to her
suffering, just like her parents.

She is now dead in the cold winter, but with a smile on her face because she is with
her grandmother and God. This can be seen as an allegory for Christian faith, in
regards to the notion that good people go to heaven to enter heaven. This explains
the fact that the little girl suffered during her lifetime which denotes a more significant
sense of purpose to the girl’s struggle and the tale’s ending.

Question 4.
The story propagates the idea that dreams are necessary to remain happy, even if
for a short while.
Answer:
The little match girl didn’t have any desire to go home since it was a cold attic where
her violent father would hit her often. The wind that was blowing from all sides of that
attic didn’t leave any room for a happy family. She thought how to get warm so he
decided to light up one match. After she lit up another match she dreamt. And in her
dream saw a beautiful set table with a lot of food. The turkey on the table started
moving and went towards her but she never came to the girl because the match
burned out. She decided to light up another one and she saw a decorated Christmas
tree and many candles around it. When she reached her hands to touch it the light
went out.

All of the candles started to rise towards the sky and one star fell down, leaving
behind a mark. The girl thought that it meant somebody died and that it was their
soul. In that moment she saw her grandma and in order to keep her near she lit up
all of the matches. Her grandma took her with her to a place where hunger and
coldness were gone.
The next morning she was found frozen with a smile on her face. Everybody
commented on her attempts to keep herself warm but nobody knew she waited for
New Year with the prettiest pictures and dreams in her mind. Her dreams made her
happy and she could no longer feel the cold or the harshness of the world around
her. She was at peace.