The Ugly Duckling

When people think of different, their first assumption usually means “bad”. Sometimes, it is totally the opposite of what they think. Though some people can think of things in different ways, the real life meaning is the right answer to the problem. The Ugly Duckling is a story about exactly what the title states. When a little duck is rejected by its own kind, it must undergo the suffering and despair of being alone. There are some things that are hidden within the story that you could seek out to really understand what the author is trying to convey. From the moment that little duck was born to the moment its life was complete is one thing nobody can forget about.
Like all things that express emotion, some things can be sought out and confined to a certain meaning. The duckling in the story was not like the others. This was for one reason, he was not a duck at all. It was a swan’s egg. When swans are chicks, they are gray and appalling and do not look anything like a swan. The universal symbol for swans means transformation because they look ugly when they are a chick and beautiful when they are adults. This is the main idea about this story. Something besides the swan is the egg in which it was born in. The average swan egg is much larger and stronger than the average duck egg. The strength and dignity that the ugly duckling has and the drive to never give up is the symbolism of the egg. These are the two most important ideas in the story, what it is all about. Since this has an effect on the entire story, it would be nice to know what type of story it is.
The theme of the story is what the author is trying to say in the story. It’s displaying a message that everyone can learn from. The theme is Man vs. Himself. He is fighting who he is and rejecting reality. While everyone else is judging him how he looks, like judging a book by its cove, he must reinforce himself with the fact that he knows her is a great duck. In the beginning, the ducks had rejected him and he was renowned for being ugly. The conflict was of the ducks not taking him in and treating them as one of their own. They were wrong to do that, for when he had grown up, something amazing had happened. He had turned into what nobody could think of, a swan. The symbolization of a new life had happened and he turned into a swan. Through odds and ends, comments and disbelief, he had gone through a hard life. At one point, the animals all criticized the duck and “You don’t understand me” is what the duck had said (P.4 The Ugly Duckling). As said in this quote, there is a problem with the duck and the other animals. “You are exceedingly ugly” was another quote in which he had heard (P.3 The Ugly Duckling). This time by wild ducks, not even knowing who he was. He’s a rebel, an outcast. He has nobody to look to. Since he is an outcast, he must do things on his own and have a bigger ego than everyone else.
The ugly duckling has many more traits than other animals. When everything gets him down he has to get back up. For one thing, and maybe the biggest, he is persistent. Never giving up is one thing that will get anyone through life. It is the drive to do better and to surpass everyone else, that is what is going to keep us moving. This little duckling was indeed better than the rest. Something to go along with that s his ego. When your ego is big, being cocky can come with that as well. Though this little one was not cocky, ignorant, but not cocky. He was helping himself when he was driving to get better for himself and the other ones around him. This is also why he is so persistent. Nothing stands in the way of one who tries harder than others. This is why this story is so great, determination is the word people would describe it with, other think of it As their own tale, or how they want their life to be.
The Ugly Duckling was one of the best motivating stories of all times. While there are many things to think about in the story, that helps the reader relate it to their life and have them think about what they have done with themselves, and they may get rewarded for it. The certain characteristics of such a small idea was something anyone can learn by, and the classic lesson of learning something before judging it was transferred through this story like it has been throughout the ages.