The Emperor's New Clothes

The Emperor's New Clothes
translated by Eve Tharlet - original by Hans Christian Andersen

Synopsis:

The Emperor's New Clothes, a classic fairy tale originally told by Hans Christian Andersen, tells the story of two swindlers that trick an entire town into believing the lies they've spun about the clothes they spin. Upon entering the town and learning that the emperor is a vain man interested in how he looks above all else, the two thieves disguise themselves as weavers and devise a plan to get their hands on the kingdom's riches. They tell the emperor that they can make for him the most beautiful garment in all the world. To hide the fact that the cloth is not real, the tricksters tell the emperor and his subjects that it is invisible to stupid people and those unfit for their jobs. The emperor, vain as he is, gives the swindlers anything they need to make the outfit and a parade is set for him to unveil the lavish "outfit."

Under the guise that the outfit is so glorious and magnificent it can be seen only by the competent, the two men deceive the entire town into thinking themselves fools for not being able to see the cloth. The fear of being deemed stupid and incompetent keeps everyone from pointing out the fact that there is no garment. Only the brutal honesty of a young child breaks the spell the thieves cast over the town. One can only hope the emperor will come to his senses before displaying his "outfit" in front of the whole kingdom!

Response:

This classic fairy tale focuses on the pitfalls of vanity compared against the importance of being honest. If just one person in the town had commented that they did not see the robe, it might have stopped the two thieves from getting away with the kingdom's riches. Instead, in fear of looking stupid, everyone goes along with the lie and pays for it quite literally in the end.

For young readers, this tale can show why going with the crowd can be a dangerous and foolish decision, and that thinking for yourself and relying on your own instinct can keep you looking better than any pair of clothing ever could. I really like the message of this story and think that it's moral is still relevant to today's readers.

One version of the story, adapted and illustrated by Eve Tharlet, provides illustrations that do well to capture the thoughts of the characters in the story. By reading this book young students have an opportunity to think about and discuss why it is important to tell the truth and think for themselves instead of just going along with the crowd.

Book Link Activity:

Similar to Stone Soup, The Emperor's New Clothes depicts the story of incoming travelers deceiving local townsfolk. A major difference between the two stories is the intentions of the characters as they deceive. Both stories conclude with a lesson to be learned and offer themselves as comparison books as part of a "Moral Decisions" activity.

A "Moral Decisions" activity asks students to make judgments and evaluate all or parts of a story while focusing on a central statement provided by the teacher. Using the statement:

• The townsfolk (or the king for Emperor's New Clothes) got what they deserved.

Students would split into small groups to explore reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with the statement. The groups respond by brainstorming and recording their justifications for why they would either agree or disagree with the statement. After the students reach a consensus within their groups the class returns comes together as a whole. Each group is given an opportunity to report their final decision to the rest of the class.