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.
In the folktale The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed, the main characters are two brothers, one older and one younger. The younger brother is rewarded for his humility, kindness, and hard work, while the older brother is punished for his greed, arrogance, and laziness. Similarly, in Don’t Count Your Chickens, the younger brother is portrayed as honest, responsible, and trustworthy, while the older brother is shown as deceitful, irresponsible, and untrustworthy. The younger brothers in both stories teach readers the important values of humility, kindness, honesty, and hard work.
The qualities and values of the younger brothers in the stories are in stark contrast to those of their older brothers. In The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed, the younger brother is willing to share what little he has with others, while the older brother only thinks of himself. The younger brother works hard and uses his skills to help others, while the older brother relies on luck and refuses to put in any effort. Similarly, in Don’t Count Your Chickens, the younger brother is honest and trustworthy, while the older brother is dishonest and unreliable. The younger brothers' positive qualities shine brightly in comparison to their older brothers' negative qualities.
The authors of the stories want readers to learn that humility, kindness, honesty, and hard work are important qualities to possess. The plot events in both stories demonstrate that those who display these values are ultimately rewarded, while those who do not are punished. The authors use language and literary devices to emphasize the contrast between the younger and older brothers' characters, making it clear to readers which qualities are valued and which are not. In the end, the lesson that the characters convey to readers is that humility, kindness, honesty, and hard work lead to success and happiness, while greed, arrogance, deceit, and laziness lead to downfall and unhappiness.