The Fox and the Grapes - Critiquing the Theme

What is the theme of the fable?

• Hard work always pays off.

• It is better to be honest than to lie.

• It is easy to despise what you cannot have.

• Friendship is more valuable than material things.

What lesson does the fox learn in the fable?

• That trying new things is always rewarding.

• That being patient leads to success.

• That it is easier to dismiss something you can’t have.

• That working together is the best way to achieve a goal.

Which sentence best summarizes the fable?

• A) A fox tries to reach grapes but gives up and claims they are probably sour.

• B) A fox finds grapes and shares them with a friend.

• C) The fox helps another animal get the grapes.

• D) The fox plants a vineyard full of grapes.

What event causes the fox to claim the grapes are sour?

• The grapes taste bitter.

• The fox realizes the grapes are unripe.

• The fox is frustrated because he cannot reach the grapes.

• The grapes fall to the ground and spoil.

What is the main idea of the fable?

• A) Animals can communicate with each other.

• B) It is better to tell the truth than to make excuses.

• C) People sometimes criticize what they cannot have.

• D) Foxes enjoy eating grapes.

How does the fox’s behavior reveal the main idea?

• He helps another animal reach the grapes.

• He complains about the grapes after he fails to get them.

• He makes a plan to try again the next day.

• He finds a different way to get the grapes.

How is the fox in this fable different from a character who shows determination?

• The fox gives up quickly, while a determined character would keep trying.

• The fox uses teamwork, while a determined character works alone.

• The fox solves the problem creatively, while a determined character gives up.

Compare the fox’s reaction to the grapes with how someone might react to failure in real life.

• Like the fox, people often work harder after they fail.

• Like the fox, people sometimes make excuses to feel better about failure.

• Unlike the fox, people always succeed on the first try.

• Unlike the fox, people never give up.

What can you infer about the fox’s personality from the fable?

• He is clever and persistent.

• He is lazy and disinterested.

• He is proud and unwilling to admit defeat.

• He is generous and kind-hearted.

What literary device is used in the fox’s final comment, “I am sure those grapes are sour anyway”?

• Simile

• Hyperbole

• Irony

• Personification