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.
You will find specifics on what to include in each of the three paragraphs of your essay. It also provides the Rubric for your essay. Please do not submit a story. Please do not submit a sentence. Please do not submit one paragraph. Please do not submit a summary. Please submit A 3-PARAGRAPH TEXT DEPENDENT ANALYSIS as outlined.
Read the stories as many times as you need to.
Paragraph 1: In The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed, the main characters are two brothers, one older and one younger. The younger brother is kind, patient, and willing to help others, while the older brother is greedy, impatient, and selfish. The life lesson that the younger brother teaches readers is the importance of being humble, generous, and selfless. In Don’t Count Your Chickens, the main characters are also two brothers, with the younger brother displaying qualities of honesty, hard work, and responsibility, while the older brother is lazy, dishonest, and irresponsible. The younger brother in this story helps readers understand the value of integrity, diligence, and accountability.
Paragraph 2: The qualities or values of the younger brothers in the two stories contrast sharply with those of their older brothers. In The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed, the older brother is driven by greed and impatience, whereas the younger brother is motivated by kindness and generosity. The older brother is willing to sacrifice others for his own gain, while the younger brother is willing to sacrifice himself for the well-being of others. Similarly, in Don’t Count Your Chickens, the older brother is lazy and dishonest, always looking for shortcuts, while the younger brother is hardworking and honest, putting in the effort to achieve his goals.
Paragraph 3: The authors of The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed and Don’t Count Your Chickens want readers to learn from the younger brothers the importance of humility, generosity, honesty, hard work, and responsibility. The plot events in both stories show how the younger brothers are ultimately rewarded for their positive qualities and values, while the older brothers face consequences for their negative traits. The authors use language and literary devices to convey the message that success and happiness come from embodying positive values and treating others with kindness and respect. The younger brothers serve as role models for readers, demonstrating that integrity, kindness, and hard work are essential for leading a fulfilling and successful life.