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Portfolio: Analyzing Literary Text
Write an Essay
The story The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed is a folktale and Don’t Count Your Chickens is written in the style of a folktale. In many folktales, some characters are rewarded for their positive qualities or values. Other characters are punished or do not have success due to their negative qualities or values. The characters and events teach the reader a lesson about life. What life lesson or important values do you think the younger brothers in the two stories help readers understand? Write a three-paragraph essay that tells your response.
Paragraph 1: Write an introductory paragraph that identifies the main characters in The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed and Don’t Count Your Chickens. Tell what life lesson or important values the younger brothers in the two stories help the readers understand.
Paragraph 2: Explain how the qualities or values of the younger brothers in the stories are different from those of their older brothers. Use details from the stories to contrast the character traits and points of view of the younger brothers with those of their older brothers.
Paragraph 3: Explain what you think the authors want readers to learn from the younger brothers in the stories. Tell how the plot events and the authors’ use of language and literary devices to support your ideas. End your paragraph with a sentence that restates the lesson or values that the characters in the stories convey to readers.
Use details from the stories to support your ideas in the essay.
The Swallow and the PumpkinSeed
Don’t Count Your Chickens
Use the rubric as a guide in writing your essay and to understand how your essay will be graded.
Literary Essay Portfolio Rubric
Reflect on the Portfolio
Recall what you have learned about analyzing literary texts. Then answer these questions. Write your reflections in your notebook.
How did comparing and contrasting the characters’ points of view help you understand the stories in this portfolio? How did it help you understand the cultures of the characters?
What did you learn from analyzing and comparing the plots of the stories? How could you apply what you learned to other stories?
How did evaluating the authors’ use of figurative language and literary devices help you appreciate their writing? In your opinion, how does understanding the use of language and images in a story help you to be a better reader?
View Learning Coach Guide
In the folktale "The Swallow and the PumpkinSeed," the main characters are the two brothers, the older brother who is selfish and greedy, and the younger brother who is kind and generous. The life lesson that the younger brother helps readers understand is the importance of generosity and kindness leading to rewards. Similarly, in "Don't Count Your Chickens," the main characters are the two brothers, one who is optimistic and hardworking, and the other who is pessimistic and lazy. The younger brother in this story emphasizes the value of hard work and perseverance.
The qualities and values of the younger brothers in both stories contrast sharply with those of their older brothers. In "The Swallow and the PumpkinSeed," the older brother's greed and selfishness lead to his downfall, while the younger brother's kindness towards a swallow results in his fortune. In "Don't Count Your Chickens," the optimistic and hardworking younger brother is rewarded, while the pessimistic and lazy older brother faces consequences for his negative traits.
The authors of these stories want readers to learn that positive qualities such as kindness, generosity, hard work, and optimism lead to success and rewards, whereas negative traits like greed, selfishness, laziness, and pessimism result in failure and consequences. The plot events in the stories demonstrate these lessons through the actions and outcomes of the characters. The authors use language and literary devices to emphasize the morals of the tales, such as symbolism, foreshadowing, and dialogue to highlight the character traits and their effects on the story.
In conclusion, the younger brothers in "The Swallow and the PumpkinSeed" and "Don't Count Your Chickens" teach readers valuable life lessons about the importance of positive qualities and values. By analyzing and comparing the characters' points of view, contrasting the plots, and evaluating the authors' use of language and literary devices, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the stories, the cultures depicted, and how to apply these lessons to other literary works. Understanding the use of language and imagery in a story helps readers appreciate the writing and become better at interpreting and enjoying literature.