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?
Reflecting on the process of analyzing the literary texts in this portfolio, comparing and contrasting the characters' points of view proved to be a valuable tool in understanding the stories. By examining how the younger brothers differed from their older brothers in terms of their qualities and values, I was able to gain insight into the cultures of the characters and the moral lessons the stories sought to convey. It was interesting to see how the younger brothers, who possessed positive qualities such as kindness and humility, were ultimately rewarded, while the older brothers, who exhibited negative traits like greed and arrogance, faced consequences for their actions.
Analyzing and comparing the plots of the stories also provided valuable insights. By examining how the events unfolded differently for the younger and older brothers, I was able to see the direct influence of their character traits on the outcome of the stories. This exercise highlighted the importance of character development in storytelling and reinforced the idea that the choices we make and the values we hold can have a significant impact on our lives.
Evaluating the authors' use of figurative language and literary devices further deepened my appreciation for their writing. Understanding how language and imagery were used to convey meaning and enhance the reader's experience helped me to appreciate the stories on a more profound level. It also helped me to see how careful crafting of language and imagery can provide layers of depth and richness to a narrative, making me a more attentive and discerning reader overall.
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?
In the two folktale stories, The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed and Don’t Count Your Chickens, the younger brothers play a significant role in conveying important life lessons to the readers. The main characters in The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed are the eldest son, who is greedy and selfish, and the younger son, who is kind and generous. In Don’t Count Your Chickens, the main characters are the older brother, who is boastful and overconfident, and the younger brother, who is humble and hardworking. The key lesson that the younger brothers help readers understand is the value of humility, kindness, and hard work.
The qualities and values of the younger brothers in both stories stand in stark contrast to those of their older brothers. In The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed, the younger son displays kindness and empathy towards others, as seen when he helps a swallow in need and is rewarded with magical abilities to help save a princess. This is in direct opposition to his older brother, who is greedy and lacks compassion, leading to his downfall. Similarly, in Don’t Count Your Chickens, the younger brother's humility and diligence lead him to success, while his older brother's arrogance and laziness bring about his failure.
By portraying the younger brothers as characters who embody positive qualities such as kindness, humility, and hard work, the authors aim to teach readers valuable lessons about the importance of these virtues in life. Through the plot events in both stories, we see how the younger brothers' actions lead to positive outcomes, emphasizing the rewards of possessing such qualities. The authors use language and literary devices to highlight the contrast between the younger and older brothers, emphasizing the moral lessons being conveyed. Ultimately, both stories underscore the timeless message that humility, kindness, and hard work are virtues that lead to success and fulfillment in life. Understanding and internalizing these values can not only make us better readers but also better individuals in our own lives.
make sure that you analyze and use evidence to support
In the two folktale stories, The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed and Don’t Count Your Chickens, the younger brothers serve as exemplars of humility, kindness, and hard work, illustrating important life lessons for readers. In The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed, the youngest son's act of kindness towards a swallow leads to him obtaining magical abilities that help him save a princess. In contrast, his greedy older brother, who lacks empathy and compassion, faces a tragic end. This contrast between the brothers' values is evidenced when the younger son selflessly shares his food with the swallow, showcasing his innate kindness and compassion. This act of kindness is what ultimately leads to his reward and success.
Similarly, in Don’t Count Your Chickens, the younger brother's humility and diligence are highlighted in contrast to his older brother's arrogance and laziness. The younger brother demonstrates hard work and perseverance in fulfilling tasks, whereas the older brother relies on his boastful nature and fails to accomplish his goals. For instance, the younger brother diligently works on raising his pumpkins, showing his commitment to his task, while the older brother boasts of his future gains without putting in the necessary effort. This contrast underscores the importance of hard work and humility in achieving success.
The authors use the plot events in both stories to underscore the significance of these values. The younger brothers' positive qualities lead them to success and fulfillment, while the older brothers' negative traits result in their downfall. Through their skilled use of language and literary devices, the authors emphasize the moral lessons being conveyed. By analyzing the characters' actions and the consequences of their choices, readers learn the importance of humility, kindness, and hard work in achieving success and happiness in life. Ultimately, the younger brothers in these stories serve as role models, teaching readers valuable lessons about the virtues that lead to a fulfilling life.