Discussion Creator / HansChristianAndersen

Pulled this. Multiple Demographic Appeal is when a "series [] contains elements that appeal to multiple demographic groups, resulting in them all watching it." As written, this example only says that Andersen's work is not innocent and light-hearted. The point made here is that Children's Literature does not need to be innocent, rather than that Andersen is trying to target adult readers. That is more What Do You Mean, It's for Kids? (which is YMMV). An example of Multiple Demographic Appeal would have to explain why adults read the Andersen tales.

• Multiple Demographic Appeal: Had Andersen been a children's TV show (or movie) writer, the censors and outside Media Watchdog groups would have been all over him about the content in his stories. As Wikipedia puts it, "The overall character of Andersen's stories is dark, sometimes even cruel, and redemption often comes at a high price. It is therefore a mistake — as it is with most literature for children — to think of his work as innocent."

The topic of Andersen`s sexual orientation is difficult at best. He may unintendedly come out as bisexual because of his constant pining for a closer friendship with the son of his benefactor, whom he regarded as a brother. The man in question felt that Andersen was below him, and would never let him get too familiar. On the other hand, he got along well with the daughter of the household. His strong feelings for the Swedish singer Jenny Lind points to a straighter orientation. But at some point in his youth, Andersen had to bunk in a brothel, and the things he experienced there squicked him out. After that, he was actually afraid of sex, and lived as an asexual for the rest of his life.

Cut these lines, at Deus ex Machina, just because I think the ending of Little Mermaid gets a bad rap, and this is entirely too biased. But on thinking about it, Andersen is fond of the Deus, so I acknowledge that.

• The Little Mermaid has a transparently tacked-on ending that this editor was sure was some kind of Bowdlerization—but it's in the original. Upon dissolving into sea foam—supposed to be a mermaid's ultimate fate—she turns into some 'spirit of the air' that watches over kids and wins points towards a soul whenever a kid is good, and loses them whenever you're bad. If it were part of a series, the end would be Dis Continuity.