1. Denmark is both benevolent and severe with Hans. Find incidents in Godden's book to support this statement.

2. Hans's father is an unsuccessful shoemaker and dies at a young age.

Godden suggests that he may have died, in part, from a "broken spirit." How are Hans and his father similar? Why do their lives take different directions?

3. Prophecy, superstition, and folklore play a role in Hans Andersen's life. The wise woman who predicts his success is but one example. What other prophecies, superstitions, or folk stories influence Hans's life and work? How so?

4. Hans can be hypersensitive at times, as when a critic's unkind words provoke a flood of tears. Other times he is immune to the reactions of people, as illustrated by his persistent belief that his legacy will be his novels and plays, not his tales. What illustrations does...