Intro to Fables

Determine the Theme(Message) of Folktales

Today you will be able to understand the distinguishing characteristics of fables, determine or infer the theme within a text

The characters in a fable are

• animals

• one is bad

• one is good

A fable is a story

• that is short

• has a few characters (2-3)

• teaches a lesson

• the messages in fables are meant to be useful in our real lives

Exposition

• Once upon a time...

• In a land far, far away...

• A long, long time ago...

Conflict

• good v. evil

• the good is usually the main character

• the evil can be another person, an animal (such as a dragon), or a thing (such as an evil curse)

• good always wins

Climax

• Many times, the climax of the story is like modern day novels - a huge battle of good v. evil

• Sometimes, it is a more subtle "battle" such as a contest where smarts win the day

Resolution

• And they lived happily ever after.

• And so the story goes.

• But, that is a story for another time.

The Lion & the Mouse

Open Ended

Who are the characters in the story The Lion and the Mouse?

Open Ended

What is the moral of the Lion and the Mouse?

Multiple Choice

How do you know that The Lion and the Mouse is a fable?

• It explained a how a natural event happened

• It was based on a real person

• It had a moral at the end

• It had exaggerated details

Multiple Select

Which are TRUE about fables? There is more than one correct answer

• They are true stories.

• The characters are animals.

• The reader learns a lesson.

• They are long stories.

Multiple Choice

The characters in fables are always

• animals

• humans

Dropdown

When we read a fable they are ​

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​ stories. Fables have 2-3​ ​

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as the main characters. They have ​​

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and a protagonist (good guy). The animals in fables have character​ ​

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we can identify with. Every fable has a moral or a ​

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​ we learn from.