“The Ugly Duckling” is a fable written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1844. Although it is almost 200 years old, the story remains one of the most popular stories told in the modern world. culture. Hans Christian Andersen experienced a poor and neglected childhood, raised in his father's shoe store. He told critics of his time that the story reflected his own life and that was why he wrote it. He described the story as his “autobiography” (Sklenar, D., nd). On a hot summer day on a farm, a mother duck hatches her eggs, and although most of her ducklings are normal, one duckling is gray, large, and doesn't fit in with the others. The other ducks and chickens made fun of him. His mother tries to accept him, but realizes that he just doesn't belong. Because of the teasing and the feeling that no one wanted him or liked him, he ran away from the barnyard to find a place where he would be accepted (Andersen, HC, 1844). In his search, the ugly duckling meets an old woman who takes him in her cottage, but her cat and hen make fun of him and he runs away again. He wanders all summer and fall, but no one will accept him. He almost freezes in an icy pond when he is rescued by a farmer, but he gets scared and runs away. At the end of winter, it is surprisingly still alive. He comes to a pond where magnificent white swans are swimming and he is attracted by their beauty. He decides to approach them because he thought it was better to be killed by such beautiful birds than to live a life of ugliness and misery. To his great surprise, the beautiful creatures welcome and accept him. He looks at his reflection in the water to see that he too is a beautiful swan (Andersen, HC, 1844). The duckling wished to be as beautiful as a swan, but what is...... middle of paper.. ....transmitted from one generation to another through the collective unconscious (Janaro, RP, & Altshuler, TC, 2012). The ugly duckling archetype is known as an underdog. The underdog is the character who always seems at a disadvantage. The ugly duckling, for example, has been singled out for all the wrong reasons. At the end of the story, the ugly duckling overcame difficulties and gained respect. This archetype works best when the reader can identify with the oppressed character (Janaro, RP and Altshuler, TC, 2012). On the surface, “The Ugly Duckling” is a story drawn from the life of Hans Christian Andersen and his own feelings. while facing life's challenges. But, in reality, readers can understand the trials the duck endures. Furthermore, by being patient for the future and the better things to come, we too will realize the beauty of what we can become...