The Little Match Girl Story Summary in English and Hindi Pdf. The Little Match Girl is written by Hans Christian Andersen.
The Little Match Girl Story Summary in English by Hans Christian Andersen
The Little Match Girl About the Author
Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805 in Odense, Denmark. He received his education in boarding schools for the privileged. He achieved worldwide fame for writing innovative and influential fairy tales. Many of his stories, including ‘The Ugly Duckling’ and ‘The Princess and the Pea,’ remain classics of the genre. He died in Copenhagen on August 4, 1875.
Andersen’s work first gained recognition in 1829, with the publication of a short story entitled ‘A Journey on Foot from Holmen’s Canal to the East Point of Amager’. He followed this with the publication of a play, a book of poetry and a travelogue. The promising young author won a grant from the king, allowing him to travel across Europe and further develop his body of work. A novel based on his time in Italy, The Improvisatore, was published in 1835. The same year, Andersen began producing fairy tales.
The Little Match Girl About the Story
All about the Story The Little Match Girl:
The Little Match Girl’ is a pathetic story of a poor, unfortunate match girl. She goes to sell matches on a cold, wintry night. It snows the whole night. Unable to bear the cold, she is found frozen and dead the next morning.
The story ‘The Little.Match Girl’ which revolves around a poor little girl is full of pathos. It begins on a cold wintry night in which the snow never stopped. It was a New Year’s Eve and dreadfully cold. In this cold and darkness, there went along the street a poor little girl bareheaded and with naked feet. She was trying to sell matches in order to earn money because she was ordered to do so by her strict father. If she did not sell matches and earn money she would get a beating from her father. So she tried hard to sell matches, but failed to do so. She crept along trembling with cold and hunger. She felt miserable.
The flakes of snow covered her long hair. Lights shone from every window and she could smell the delicious smell of roast goose being cooked for New Year’s Eve in all the houses. She could not stop thinking about it. In a corner between two houses, she sat down. Her little hands were almost numb with cold. She thought that a match might warm her fingers if she lit it. She lit the match and felt comfortable. She lit another match and found herself sitting under the magnificent Christmas tree. The lights of the Christmas tree burnt and then she saw one fall. She thought that someone was dead. She lit another match and in its brightness, she saw her dear old grandmother, who was no more, standing before her, beaming love and kindness. “Granny,” cried the child “take me with you.” Her grandmother took the little girl in her arms and flew joyfully to heaven. The next morning, she was found frozen and dead.
This is probably one of the saddest of Andersen’s fairy tales, describing the unfortunate fate of a poor little girl who is dying of cold and hunger.
The Little Match Girl Summary in English
Pathetic story
The story ‘The Little Match Girl’ is a pathetic story. It revolves around a poor little girl who sold matches on a cold wintry night. The weather was rough and the snow was falling.
The Match girl and her slippers
It was New Year’s Eve and dreadfully cold. In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded and with naked feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true, but they were much too large for her feet. .Her mother had used those slippers till then, but the poor little girl lost them running across the street when two carriages were quickly passing by. When she looked for them, one was not to be found, and a boy grabbed the other and ran away with it. So the little girl walked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from cold.
The Match girl selling matches
She carried a quantity of matches in an old apron and she held a bundle of them in her hand. No one had bought so much as a bunch all long day and no one had given her a penny. She crept along trembling with cold and hunger. She felt miserable.
Heavy fall of snow
The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair, which fell in beautiful curls around her neck, but she did not think of her beauty or of the cold. Lights shone from every window, and she could feel the delicious smell of roast goose being cooked for New Year’s Eve in all the houses. She could not stop thinking about it.
In a corner between two houses, she sat down. She tucked her little feet underneath herself, but still she grew colder and colder. She did not dare to go home, as she had not sold any matches and could not bring any money. Her father would certainly not be pleased. He could be sure to beat her. Besides, it was cold enough at home, as they had only a roof above them that was full of holes.
Dreams of an iron stove
Her little hands were almost numb with cold. She thought that a match might warm her fingers if she lit it. She drew out one and struck it. It blazed and burnt and gave out a warm, bright flame like a little candle as she held her hands over it. It was a wonderful light. It really seemed to the girl as if she sat in front of a great iron stove with a lovely fire inside it. It burned so nicely that the little girl stretched out her feet to warm them. She felt very comfortable. But then the flame went out, the stove vanished, and nothing remained. She had only the remains of the burnt-out match in her hand.
Dreams of Christmas feast
She rubbed another match against the wall. It burnt brightly and where the light fell on the wall she could suddenly see into the room. A snow-white cloth was spread on the table, on which were laid beautiful china plates, while a stuffed roast goose cooked away and smelt delicious. And what was more delightful and wonderful, the goose jumped from the dish, with knife and fork still in its breast, and waddled along the floor straight towards the little girl. But the match went out then and nothing was left to her but the thick damp wall.
Dreams of a Christmas tree
She lit another match and found herself sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree. Thousands of candles were burning on the green branches and little painted figures, like she had seen in shop windows, looked down on her. She stretched out her hands to them, but then the match went out. Still the lights of the Christmas tree burned higher and higher into sky until she saw one fall, forming a long trail of fire.
“Now someone is dying !” said the little girl; for her old grandmother, the only one who had ever been good to her but who was now dead, had said, “Whenever a star falls, a soul goes up to God.”
Dreams of her grandmother
She struck another match against the wall. It lit and in its brightness, her dear old grandmother appeared before her, beaming love and kindness. “Granny !” cried the little girl. “Oh, take me with you ! I know you will disappear when the match is burnt out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the lovely roast goose and the great glorious Christmas tree !” And she rubbed the whole bundle of matches quickly against the wall, for she wanted to keep her grandmother near her.
The Match girl’s death
They burned with such brilliant light that it became brighter than the midday sun. Her grandmother had never looked so grand and beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms and both flew joyfully together, climbing higher far above the earth, away from cold and hunger, to heaven.
The next morning she was found frozen with a smile on her face. She had died on the last evening of the old year. No one imagined what beautiful things she had seen or how happily she had gone with her grandmother into the new year.
The Little Match Girl Word Notes and Explanations
cradle – a small bed for a baby
huddled – held her arms and legs close together
spluttered – matching soft sounds
stretched – spread
vanished – disappeared
gauze – transparent cloth
hopped – jumped
waddled – walked with short steps
streaking – moving fast
blaze – burn brightly
The Little Match Girl Theme
In this story, the writer depicts the poor, miserable and hard life of a little girl who undergoes untold suffering in her life. It is a pathetic story that touches the hearts of the readers. It revolves around a small poor girl who is trying to sell matches and earn money because she is ordered to do so by her strict father.
The story begins on a cold winter night in which the snow never stopped. It was New Year’s Eve and dreadfully cold. In the cold and darkness, there went along the street a poor little girl bareheaded and with naked feet. She was out to sell matches but failed to do so. She crept along trembling with cold and hunger. She felt miserable, sad and uncomfortable.
The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair. Lights shone from every window and she could smell the glorious smell of roast goose being cooked for New Year’s Eve in all houses. She could not stop thinking about it. In a corner between two houses, she sat down. Her little hands were almost numb with cold. She thought that a match might warm her fingers if she lit it. She lit the match and felt comfortable. She lit another match and then found herself sitting under the magnificent Christmas tree. The lights of the Christmas tree burnt and then she saw one fall. She thought that someone was dead.
She lit another match and, in its brightness, she saw her dear old grandmother, who was no more, standing before her, beaming love and kindness. She suffered from cold and hunger. Her life was full of pain, agony and suffering. So she said, “Granny ! Oh, take me with you.” Her grandmother took the child in her arms and both flew joyfully together, climbing higher far above the earth, away from cold and hunger, to heaven. The next morning she was found frozen and dead. At last death came to her rescue and saved her from cold, hunger and misery.
The Little Match Girl Title
The title of the story ‘The Little Match Girl’ is very apt because the story revolves around a small poor girl who is trying to sell matches and earn some money because she is ordered to do so by her strict father. She fails to sell any matches. But she creeps along trembling with cold and hunger. She feels miserable, sad and uncomfortable. She lights a match to warm her hands. She lights another match and visualizes herself sitting under the magnificent Christmas tree.
The lights of the Christmas tree burn and then she sees one fall. She thinks that someone is dead. She lights another match and sees her grandmother, who is no more, standing before her. She suffers from cold and hunger. Her life is full of pain, suffering and agony. She says, “Granny ! Oh, take me with you.” Her grandmother takes the little girl in her arms and both fly joyfully together, climbing higher far above the earth, away from cold and hunger to heaven. The next morning, she is found frozen and dead. The title is very appropriate because it tells us the tale of an unfortunate little match girl who undergoes untold sufferings in life.
The Little Match Girl Message
In this story, the writer depicts the sad and miserable life of a poor little girl who is asked by her cruel and strict father to sell matches and earn money. She undergoes untold sufferings and pain in life. She walks along the street bare headed and with naked feet on a cold wintry day on New Year’s Eve. She tries hard to sell matches because if she fails to sell the matches she gets a beating from her father. Thus she creeps along with cold and hunger. She feels sad and uncomfortable.
The flakes of snow cover her long hair. Her little hands are almost numb with cold. She lits a match to warm herself. She lits another match and then visualizes herself sitting under the magnificent Christmas tree. The lights of the Christmas tree burn and then she sees one fall. She thinks that someone is dead. She lit another match and in its brightness, she visualizes her grandmother, who is no more, standing before her. She suffers from cold and hunger.
Her life is full of pain, agony and suffering. She is so sick of her sad and painful life that she tells her grandmother, “Granny! Oh, take me with you.” Her grandmother takes the child in her arms and both fly joyfully together, climbing higher far above the earth, away from cold and hunger, to heaven. The next morning she is found frozen and dead. The writer wants to convey that at last death comes to her rescue and saves her from cold, hunger and misery.
The Little Match Girl Character Sketch
THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL
- poor little girl
- sells matches to earn money
- has a strict and cruel father
- lives in a cold attic, full of holes
- shivers in cold and is hungry
- poorly dressed, barefoot
- dreams of beautiful scenes
- she sees her dead grandmother
- requests her grandmother to take her with her
- the grandmother takes her along with her
The Little Match Girl is poor and leads a miserable life. She sells matches to earn some money. She walks bareheaded and barefoot through the streets in the cold weather to find customers for her matches. She has a strict and cruel father who beats her when she does not earn enough, so she is afraid to go home empty- handed. She lives in a cold attic, full of holes. She is shivering in the cold and is hungry. She is a pretty girl and has long golden hair. She is good but miserable. She is freezing because she is poorly dressed and barefoot and is very hungry.
Her little hands are almost numb with cold. When she lights a match to warm herself up a little bit, she sees the beautiful scenes. First, a warm stove, a delicious goose and beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Finally she sees her dead grandmother. Although she does not know, she already has died and the grandmother appears before her. “Granny !” cries the little girl. “Oh, take me with you ! I know you will disappear when the match is burnt; you will vanish like the warm stove, the lovely roast goose and the great glorious Christmas tree !” The grandmother takes her somewhere where she will always be fed and remain warm.
The Little Match Girl Critical Appreciation
Third person narrator
The speaker in this story is a third person narrator who reveals his characters by means of direct characterisation. For example, at the beginning of the story, the author introduces the poor little girl, who walks bareheaded and barefoot, through the streets. Then he narrates that the young girl’s feet had become red and blue with cold. In her old apron, she carries a great many matches which she tries to sell and earn some money. The narrator describes about the cold rough weather on the New Year’s Eve, about the poverty of the little girl and the strictness of the girl’s father, about her dreams etc.
Pathos
The story narrated by the author about the poor little, match girl is full of pathos. He has succeeded in producing the feeling of sadness and sympathy for the poor girl among the readers. The description “In the cold and gloom, a poor little girl walked, bareheaded and barefoot, through the streets” arouses sympathy for the poor girl. The narrator produces feelings of sadness among the readers and touches their hearts when he describes the unfortunate fate of a young girl who is going through difficult times and dies of cold and hunger.
Language
The story is written in a simple and easy language. The narrative is plain, lucid and intelligible and is free from any complexities and ambiguities. The writer tells the story of a poor match girl in a direct and straightforward manner. The writer uses simple sentences to convey his meanings. For example, the writer conveys the poor, miserable and pathetic condition of the little girl by the following simple sentences. “In the cold and gloom, a poor little girl walked, bareheaded and barefoot, through the streets.” She crept along, shivering and hungry, the picture of misery, poor little thing!