Analysis of Aesop’s fable
ENG 1300 English Composition III/Literature
Abstract
Fables have been in existence for centuries. They are short stories that are fascinating and able to teach the fundamental lessons about life. Storytelling through fables is an old method and it is done orally and in written form. Each story has a moral message that the reader can acquire and apply to their own life. Aesop is an example of an author who uses his stories to demonstrate to others the importance of his lessons through the simplicity of storytelling. It is an essential part of folklore worldwide and the stories can be found in various languages. The morals of a lesson that can be difficult to interpret are easily understood by the reader which makes it a valuable way to teach through storytelling.
Introduction
Aesop is the author who wrote a collection of fables centuries ago. Fables have been passed down from generation to generation. They have an important thought provoking meaning that is significant to anyone who reads the story. They teach essential lessons about life that assists an individual when making important decisions. Numerous fables have been told by the historical Aesop with a mix of legends, myths, and political parables (Buller, 2010). Fables are filled with morals that have either a positive or negative interpretation. The manner of which the individual receives such information depends on the individual, age, and experience about life. Everyone interprets a moral lesson differently. However, the ultimate goal from fables is the educational benefits for both adults and children. Aesop fables are generally short stories in prose or verse that tell the story of animals, humans, and objects. In this paper, four of Aesop’s fables will be discussed. These are “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” “The Lion and the Mouse,” “The Tortoise and the Hare,” and, “The Boy who cried, Wolf.”
This research paper will show that although fables are not always based on true stories, they teach essential lessons about life to the reader. All of Aesop’s stories have a moral lesson with educational benefits for both adults and children.
Aesop is mostly associated with the animal fables but also has inanimate objects representing humans. Aesop gives voice to the animals in his stories which is integral in appreciating literature. It shows his stylistic technique in a unique way. Most of the animals symbolize a different human virtue or vice. For instance, the Fox is associated with slyness and trickery; the Lion represents strength and pride while the Ant is hardworking and industrious (Buller, 2010). The fables relate to the different varieties of human nature and common faults. An example of a fable the writer will be reviewing is the story of, “The Ant and the Grasshopper”. In the summer, the Grasshopper was busy hopping and chirping, making music while the Ant was toiling and storing up food for the winter. The Grasshopper called on the Ant to join him, but he refused and carried on storing up food.
When winter arrived, the Grasshopper had no food and was dying of hunger. He asked the Ant to share his food but the Ant replied, “instead of working, you sang all summer, then you must dance hungry all winter” (Buller, 2010, p. 3). One of the moral lessons of this fable is that if a person works hard, the person will be remunerated. However, if a person is lazy and idling away, they will suffer during difficult times. It is, therefore, imperative to prepare for the rainy day and avoid deferment. Aesop’s fable impresses upon the readers it’s easy to understand and simplified moral lesson. He uses allegory to explain this story in a symbolic manner when the Grasshopper could not provide food for himself during the winter because he was too busy mocking the Ant. Buller (2010), noted that Aesop entices characters by presenting various personalities instead of creating differentiated people in his stories.
“The Lion and the Mouse” is another fable by Aesop. According to the Americanliterature.com, a Lion was asleep in the forest when a Mouse came upon him unexpectedly. The Lion, more surprised at first than angry, holds the Mouse to kill him. The Mouse was overcome with fear. “Spare me! Cried the Mouse. He pleaded, “Please let me go and someday I will surely repay you”. The proud Lion laughed and remarked that he will never need his help. Then, the Lion gently released the Mouse and warned him never to disturb him again. After some days, two men stalked the Lion. They set a trap for the Lion with a tangle of ropes, and the unsuspecting Lion got caught in the net. The Lion, unable to free himself, fearfully roars in distress. The Mouse hears his cry and ran quickly to the Lion and saw him struggling in the net. The Lion was now at the Mouses’ mercy. The Mouse set off to work, chewing the rope until it separated and the Lion was free. The Mouse remarked, “You laughed when I said I would repay you. Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion”. The Lion was grateful and after that they became friends. Aesop’s writing displays the dialogue that went on between the Lion and the Mouse. The thoughts and actions of these characters are revealed through the dialogue that transpires between them.
The moral of this fable is that kindness is never wasted. Long (2011), notes the admirable complements of the story. The stories illustrations are subtly expressed in an entertainingly elaborated text that gives context clues and a shift in perception. The use of exclamation marks, questions and repetitions such as “Let me go!” “Let me go!” and “Thank you!” “Thank you!” within the dialogue demonstrates the drama unfolding in the scene. The angry roar of the Lion within the illustration depicts the intensity of the anguish the Lion is feeling. Because the Lion showed mercy to the Mouse, the Lion enjoys the Mouse’s mercy in return. According to Hagan (2016), the moral of this story is karmic, and it embodies another cliché that looks can be misleading.
The Lion is a predator that represents power and is enormous compared to the tiny Mouse. The Lion must have been entertained to think that the Mouse could ever be in a position to help him. Surprisingly, the human poachers trapped the Lion and the Mouse was able to return the Lion’s kindness. This indicates a shift in favors between the two main incidents with the two main characters being trapped and freed. The two animals became friends even with the difference in size and strength. This brings into perspective the definition of meek and might. The underlying theme of the story is that a small creature can be in a position to help a big one. A powerful person may someday need the help from an ordinary person. One should not judge a book by its cover. The act of kindness and trust definitely goes a long way in life.
Another well-known fable is, “The Tortoise and the Hare.” According to the Storyarts.org, the Hare was bragging about how fast he could run. The Tortoise was tired of his boastfulness and decides to challenge him to a race. The Hare thought it was funny since the Tortoise is a slow moving animal. The Hare agrees on the assumption that he would beat the Tortoise. All the animals in the forest gathered to watch. The Hare spent most of his time running up and down the road, pointlessly showing off his athletic skills. When he paused to rest, he looked back at the Tortoise and said, “How do you expect to win this race when you are walking along at your slow, slow pace?” The Tortoise, however, was determined even though he thinks he might not win, he still persisted. The Hare decides to relax and take it easy since he has plenty of time. He falls asleep and the Tortoise walks past him, never stopping until he reaches the finish line.
The animals that were watching cheer so loudly for the Tortoise that the noise wakes him up. When the Hare wakes up, he starts running but discovers that he is too late. The Tortoise wins the race. After that, the Hare always reminded himself, “Don’t brag about your lightning pace, for slow and steady won the race!” Aesop uses the literary device known as anthropomorphism where animals portray as human beings with a talking ability. The moral of the story is that it pays to persevere in life through difficult times. This fable teaches the risks of being complacent and over confident. One should not take things for granted. The main theme is that slow and steady wins the race. Being reckless with one’s gift does not pay off. The Hare obviously was gifted with speed but he became arrogant and boastful about his talent thinking that he can easily win. This makes him relax and stop for a quick nap. This eventually leads to the resolution of the Tortoise winning the race proving that slow and steady can win in the end.
Chavarria (2014) places the moral of the lesson in perspective. At work, one does not need to be a seasoned project manager to achieve success. One needs to focus on their individual strength and plan to execute the project at their own pace rather than focusing on other teams. The most important thing to bear in mind is trying one’s best to successfully achieve the set goal in a timely manner. Once that goal is achieved, it will lead to greater success. Another example is that even though one is an “A” student does not necessarily mean that they will excel on their tests with just confidence and not prepare adequately for it. There is a possibility that the student who comes well prepared will most likely excel.
Another fable by Aesop is “The Boy who cried Wolf”. The story according to Storyarts.org begins with a shepherd boy who catered for a flock of sheep on the hillside near a village. Because he is bored, he cries out, “Wolf! Wolf!” The Wolf is chasing the sheep!” His calls alert the neighbors to come to his aid. When the neighbors arrive, they discover there was no Wolf. The Boy laughs at the sight of their angry faces. The villagers were not amused so they warned the Boy sternly saying, “Don’t cry ‘Wolf’ shepherd boy when there’s no Wolf!” The Boy ignored their warning and still called out three to four more times. Later, the Wolf did come. The Boy, truly alarmed, called out in agony but the villagers thought it to be another false alarm, so they did not heed to his cries. The Wolf destroyed and scattered the whole flock.
When the neighbors did not see the Boy return home in the evening, they went looking for him. They found him crying and he told them his encounter with the real Wolf. An old man tried to comfort him as he attempted to walk back to the village. The Boy asked why no one came to his rescue and the old man told him that, “Nobody believes a liar….even when he is telling the truth!” The moral of the story demonstrates how liars are treated when they lie severally that even when the person tells the truth, no one will believe them. Latina (2008) states that the essence of this story is to learn from the negative impact to avoid making similar foolish mistakes. The Boy commits an error by jokingly calling out for help several times that a Wolf was nearby while he did not need any help. Eventually, the Wolf shows up and though the Boy calls for help, no one comes running to assist him, which leads to the real Wolf destroying the Boys’ flock of sheep.
Due to the Boy’s foolish mistake, the Boy suffers a devastating loss. Hence, the saying, “Don’t cry Wolf” rather tell the truth at all times. If a person is calling for help, the person will be attended to because they need the help. Latina (2008) emphasizes that this fable presents a kind of demonstration that is intended to convince one of the values of truth-telling. It is crucial that one is honest at all times because that is the only way one’s integrity can be maintained. The person can be rest assured that their story will be believable in times of real need. Latina (2008) further mentions that the illustration of this story conveys the pleasure and sorrow of the story’s climax when the Wolf arrives and destroys the flock.
In this fable, the metaphor of “the Wolf” is an effective example of realizing the possible perils that can be faced unexpectedly in one’s life. For instance, in times of sickness, “the Wolf” metaphorically can be regarded as a symbol of illness. For a person that complains enormously about imaginary pain, the person they are always complaining to might not believe them when they are truly having an actual excruciating pain. The main theme emphasizes the need to “not lie” nor deceive people; no one will believe a liar even when they are telling the truth. There could be a time a person might be struggling and might require assistance. If those people the person is continuously calling have been tricked or lied to, they will likely not show up when they are needed the most.
Conclusion
Aesop’s fables are quite fascinating to read. They enlighten the reader with teachable moral lessons that are applicable to real life situations. Its contribution to society from generation to generation is very simple but yet powerful. As Martin Luther King Jr. rightly proclaims, “The first principle of value that we need to rediscover is this: that all reality hinges on moral foundations. In other words, that there are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws.” It can be used as a guiding force to discern right from wrong. The animals portrayed in the various stories have influenced how people view the characteristics associated with these animals. The universal use of animals in the fables have kept the stories ageless and relatable. These stories are more accepted by children when used to teach them moral lessons of life. There are countless similarities when conveying the moral message without any prejudice. Fables are, therefore, a great and enjoyable read for both young and old.
References
Aesop short stories. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://americanliterature.com/author/aesop/short-story/the-lion-and-the-mouse. May 18, 2017
Aesop short stories. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://americanliterature.com/author/aesop/short-story/the-ant-and-the-grasshopper. May 18, 2017
Buller, J. L. (2010). Aesop’s Fables. Masterplots, 4th Edition, 1-3. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
Chavarria, J. (2014, November 6). The Tortoise and the Hare: 4 lessons to project success. Retrieved May 05, 2017.
Hagan, M. (2016). The Lion and the Mouse. Critical Survey of Children’s Literature: Plot Summaries, 86-87. Retrieved May 05, 2017.
Latina, B. (2008, December 13). Mini-lecture: The boy who cried wolf. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
Literary Devices: Definition and Examples of Literary Terms. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://literarydevices.net/
Long, J. R. (2011). Mouse & Lion. Horn Book Magazine, 87(6), 120-120.
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/morals. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
https://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/stories/boy.html. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
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