Halftime Hope Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I was so excited about the possibility of hosting a field trip and inviting our homeschool support group's children to see a local performance of children's opera. This year the group that offers this is featuring performances of The Ugly Duckling and of another children's story (on different days.) Hans Christian Andersen wrote an exquisite story in "The Ugly Duckling," one that is timeless and powerful on multiple levels. The group is using a children's opera written by someone else (not local) that completely destroys the storyline, melding it with the wolf from the Three Little Pigs. The ducklings are given clichéd, stereotypical personalities (the pretty airhead, the admired althlete, and the intelligent, bookish one (the ugly duckling), and it is all mashed up with a vapid, politically correct moral--we're all the same on the inside. "The Ugly Duckling promotes reading, working together, and accepting differences in other people." Summary of the Operatic Version Animals on a farm, including a pig, lamb, and cow, watch the noisy arrival of newly born ducklings, including one duckling that does not look like the rest. This Ugly Duckling is excited to be free from her shell and explore the world. As time passes and seasons change, the ducklings grow. It becomes more apparent that the Ugly Duckling is unlike the other ducklings. The Ugly Duckling loves to read, solve problems, and create. The other ducks think she is odd. The girl duck is popular and loves to sing loudly, but she does not like to learn because it makes her head hurt. The boy duck is athletic and is the best at sports. There is a pond where the ducks like to swim. The Ugly Duckling discovers that a mean, hungry, sneaky wolf is hiding in nearby bushes—he is trying to weasel his way into another story. The Ugly Duckling has been reading about wolves and knows about him. When the Ugly Duckling returns to the barnyard to share the news of the wolf, the other ducks do not take her seriously. They suggest that she has read too many books. However, the howls of the wolf convince the other ducks that she is right. Based on what she read in The Three Little Pigs, the Ugly Duckling convinces the ducks to build a brick wall to protect them from the wolf. The wolf arrives and tries to blow down their brick wall, but he is unsuccessful. The Ugly Duckling believes that next the wolf will disguise himself as an old lady because she read this in Little Red Riding Hood. When the wolf appears disguised as the ducks’ aunt, they invite him to dinner. When he arrives, the ducks hit the wolf in the head with a brick, causing him to collapse. The ducks tie up the wolf and cheer at their accomplishment. Suddenly, the Ugly Duckling appears, but she is now a beautiful swan. The Ugly Duckling, now the Swan, explains that even though they are different on the outside, she and the ducks are the same on the inside. They all realize they not only stopped the wolf but also learned to love what makes them different and accept the differences in others. Where's my pitchfork...the Charlotte Mason in me is offended. So, so disappointed. What a lost opportunity. Artists should know better. (I feel like such a curmudgeon for already hating this.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Well, after reading the summary I hate it, too! Why do people feel the need to change classic tales in this way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Not to mention that the "PC" message is a load of hooey. By insisting we are all the same on the inside, it rejects different ways of thinking, both between individuals and cultures. messages that can be drawn from the original story include that there is intrinsic beauty in differences, and that what might seem "ugly" may simply be misunderstood, and that there is hidden potential in people which may take time to become apparent. All that is lost in the rewrite you describe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 The Ugly Duckling, now the Swan, explains that even though they are different on the outside, she and the ducks are the same on the inside. They all realize they not only stopped the wolf but also learned to love what makes them different and accept the differences in others. I completely agree with you Valerie. How sad. This quote from the description had me doing a double take. We're all the same on the inside, but we're going to learn to love what makes us different??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 So if we're all the same, why was the wolf trying to eat the ducks? What were the ducks trying to eat? And if we are to accept their differences, shouldn;t we tolerate the wolf's doing what is right for a wolf to do? We gotta love him for his differences even though we're all the same.... :leaving: Sorry- i can;t make sense of it at all. Why not just give the story a new title? "Into the Woods" combines sveeral several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, but it doesn;t call itself Little red Riding hood or Rapunzel, or jack & the Beanstalk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I'm reminding of the children's theatre group that put on A Little House Christmas... And not once in the entire play did they mention the words Jesus or birth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hans Christian Andersen wrote an exquisite story in "The Ugly Duckling," one that is timeless and powerful on multiple levels. Wait...I thought the Ugly Duckling was about a swan egg that got mixed in with the duck eggs and so was horribly mistreated for being an ugly duck. Then, wasn't he also mistreated by a cat and other animals during the winter? He endured, which showed strength of character against a cruel world. However, later he was only accepted because he grew into a swan and was considered beautiful. So what sort of crummy message is that? While you're ugly we are mean to you, but if you manage to become pretty we accept you? Not everyone becomes pretty. Lots of people are still 'ugly' according to society. Is there no hope for them? What am I missing? I love fairy tales and I love the story, but I don't necessarily read them looking for a message. But if I'm going to try to find a message, the one in this tale seems kinda shallow. Please tell me how it's equisite, timeless, and, powerful. Not picking on you. I really honestly have always seen this tale as shallow and have found the other animals in it hateful and mean. 'Course, I was a seriously ugly and cast out child, so this story hits home especially hard for me. Really, there are always those 2 or 3 kids in each class at school that are totally rejected. I was one of them. It wasn't until my late 20s that I started to wear makeup every day, dress nicely every day, exercise, have nice hair, got lasik eye surgery, and people started to like me. Wait a minute! Revelation! For crying out loud--people really ARE that shallow! The Ugly Duckling is true! I was the same person then as I am now, but I now that I look better, I'm accepted! Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I'm reminding of the children's theatre group that put on A Little House Christmas... And not once in the entire play did they mention the words Jesus or birth. I'm angry, and I'm a Muslim. Really? :svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Well, according to the summary, we're not all the same. Some are stupid and shallow and don't have a lot of common sense. And it seems to reinforce stereotypes, which is actually very politically incorrect. Why does the bookish person always have to be the smart one? Why can't the popular cheerleader type be smart, too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Well, according to the summary, we're not all the same. Some are stupid and shallow and don't have a lot of common sense. And it seems to reinforce stereotypes, which is actually very politically incorrect. Why does the bookish person always have to be the smart one? Why can't the popular cheerleader type be smart, too? Because the Eurdite are smart and the cheerleaders are all in the Amity faction. Oh, wait, that was fiction. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 Not to mention that the "PC" message is a load of hooey. By insisting we are all the same on the inside, it rejects different ways of thinking, both between individuals and cultures. messages that can be drawn from the original story include that there is intrinsic beauty in differences, and that what might seem "ugly" may simply be misunderstood, and that there is hidden potential in people which may take time to become apparent. All that is lost in the rewrite you describe. You absolutely nailed that part. I completely agree. How ridiculously boring if we were all the same. Not to mention that loving and accepting oneself, no matter whether others "get you" is just as important in the original story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 Wait a minute! Revelation! For crying out loud--people really ARE that shallow! The Ugly Duckling is true! Agreed, some people are that shallow and cruel. That's one of the points of the book. I was the same person then as I am now. Yes, that's true. But the shallow and vapid people didn't bother to see who you were/are. Their loss. It's also about our realizing our own self-worth. About learning what is inside us that gives us worth, and about growing up, maturing, persisting, loving ourselves. Whether others realize it or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 Well, according to the summary, we're not all the same. Some are stupid and shallow and don't have a lot of common sense. And it seems to reinforce stereotypes, which is actually very politically incorrect. Why does the bookish person always have to be the smart one? Why can't the popular cheerleader type be smart, too? They're the ones that say, "we're all the same on the inside" somewhere in their materials. I was quoting. And, yes, it's a mess when something can be both politically correct and incorrect at the same time. :svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Because the Eurdite are smart and the cheerleaders are all in the Amity faction. Oh, wait, that was fiction. Sorry. But swans are pretty dauntless. One of them once mugged me for a chocolate bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Wait...I thought the Ugly Duckling was about a swan egg that got mixed in with the duck eggs and so was horribly mistreated for being an ugly duck. Then, wasn't he also mistreated by a cat and other animals during the winter? He endured, which showed strength of character against a cruel world. However, later he was only accepted because he grew into a swan and was considered beautiful. So what sort of crummy message is that? While you're ugly we are mean to you, but if you manage to become pretty we accept you? Not everyone becomes pretty. Lots of people are still 'ugly' according to society. Is there no hope for them? I'm totally with you. For what it's worth, I can't stand Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, either. I mean, really: There's this deer, and he has the awesome, amazing nose that lights up. It lights up! How cool is that?!?!?! He gets teased by the other kids, rejected by the girl he likes, and even his own parents tell him to cover up this amazing gift so he can pretend he's just as normal and boring as everyone else. Even Santa Claus can't be bothered with this poor little reindeer until it turns out that glowing nose happens to be useful. Then everyone who has spent the entire story teasing, tormenting and rejecting Rudolph "loves" him because he serves a purpose. And we're all supposed to think that's a happy ending? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Years ago, I was reading a version of The Ugly Duckling to a group of toddlers in the church nursery. In this version, when the swan was being teased for being ugly, she said "I think I'll kill myself." I couldn't believe it! I tossed the book away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 I'm totally with you. For what it's worth, I can't stand Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, either. I mean, really: There's this deer, and he has the awesome, amazing nose that lights up. It lights up! How cool is that?!?!?! He gets teased by the other kids, rejected by the girl he likes, and even his own parents tell him to cover up this amazing gift so he can pretend he's just as normal and boring as everyone else. Even Santa Claus can't be bothered with this poor little reindeer until it turns out that glowing nose happens to be useful. Then everyone who has spent the entire story teasing, tormenting and rejecting Rudolph "loves" him because he serves a purpose. And we're all supposed to think that's a happy ending? Rudoplph! You are so right! We were watching that with the kids and my dh spluttered out, "What a jerk!" in a scene when Santa Claus was being a, well, a jerk. My kids have called Santa Claus a jerk every since. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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