Evil, in the Webster's New World Dictionary, is described as, "wickedness" or "sin" and "anything that causes harm or pain." If we apply the definition of "wickedness" or "sin" to everyday life then it becomes apparent that we are surrounded by evil everyday because we, as humans, are sinful people. This evil is not always blatantly obvious and sometimes we don't even notice it, but in the story of "The Ugly Duckling" the evil is clearly there, only this time it also includes the type of evil "that causes harm or pain.".
Throughout the story the poor "duck" is teased and taunted, not only by the other ducks, but also by most of the animals around him. Although he swims magnificently, maybe even better then his brothers and sisters, he is still made fun of for not looking like the rest, for not upholding the image of what is perceived to be normal. Everywhere he goes, there is always someone there to criticize him. All of this criticism is based on the vanity and pride of the people who reject him, which are two of the deadly sins that Jesus warned us about. Because of this constant barrage of hatred, the ugly duckling runs away only to be met with more hatred by the hen and cat of the household he sneaks into in order to escape the cold. .
The hen and cat are prime examples of evil in, not only the ugly ducklings life but also life in general, they not only make fun of how ugly he is, but they also tell him he is inferior because he cannot purr or lay eggs. They epitomize the sins of vanity and pride. They are so proud of the things they can do and so proud of themselves that they don't care about how anyone else feels and believe that anybody that is not exactly like them, is inferior and therefore not worth their time. This is how they make the duckling feel and, as a result, he leaves the house at the lowest point in it's life. At this point in the story one can tell that the story isn't just about the ugly duckling's life, but that the author is referring to life in general.
