How we cite our quotes: (Tale Title.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"We can live until we are three hundred years old; but when we die, we become the foam on the ocean. We cannot even bury our loved ones. We do not have immortal souls. When we die, we shall never rise again… But men have souls that live eternally, even after their bodies have become dust." (The Little Mermaid.47)
Sorry to ruin a childhood favorite, but the original "The Little Mermaid" is totally about religion. Mer-people are screwed in that they don't have immortal souls the way humans do, and so part of the little mermaid's reason for wanting the prince to marry her is so that she can gain a soul. To be honest, we're not sure exactly how this math works out: 1 soul + 0 souls = 2 souls?
Quote #2
The queen's pale cheeks took on a pinkish shade, and her eyes became big and clear, as from the pages of the book grew the world's most beautiful rose, the one that grew from Christ's blood on the Cross. "I see it," she said. "And those who have seen that rose, the most beautiful in the world, shall never die." (The World's Most Beautiful Rose.14-15)
So, Christ's blood is a rose, and it'll grant people eternal life. But the rose also heals this queen who's sick, because some wise doctor said that she'd be healed when she saw the world's most beautiful rose. So, is Andersen implying that religion can heal the body as well as the spirit? Maybe so, amigos.
Quote #3
The most sacred of all the days of our life is the day we die. It is holy, it is the great day of change, of transformation. Have you ever seriously thought about the hour that is certain to come and will be your last hour on earth? (On the Last Day.1)
Well that was morbid. This story is like the goth kid of the Andersen story family, all decked out in skulls and chains and dark eye makeup. So, why is the day of your death the most important day in your life? Because religion. What you believe and how you live will influence what happens to you when you die. If you agree with Andersen, that's a darn good reason to believe in God and live a good life.