Week 3 Essay: Somethings Never Change

            Like last week, there was a recurring theme that I noticed on this week’s fables. Instead of the characters acting foolishly or in vain and it leading to misfortune, I noticed that the characters, which were almost always animals or even inanimate objects, had very human-like characteristics. In other words, I noticed a lot of societal norms within the stories.

            For example, the Lion in The Lion in Love exhibited the obsession with conforming to how others tell you you should look. Similar to people in today’s society, the Lion changed his looks not to benefit himself, but in an attempt to impress someone else.

            In The Ungrateful Wolf, the Wolf is very expectant and unappreciative, another common feature of society. Unfortunately, culture has taught people to assume that they are guaranteed certain rights or privileges. Similarly, the Wolf presumed he had the right to recruit the Crane to do a favor for him without paying thanks to him.

            Despite the overwhelming similarities in the characters of the fables and people in the world today, there were some differences as well. For instance, the Mouse in The Mouse and the Lion was a very humble character. He did the right thing without the hope of being rewarded. Humbleness is one of the characteristics I admire the most in people, so it was refreshing to see that feature in the Mouse.

            The Oak and the Reed provided a great example of contrasting personalities frequently found in society. The Oak was very set in its ways, or roots…ha! On the other hand, the Reed was very accommodating to change. While both of these characteristics can be beneficial in different situations, being flexible proved to be the better of the two in this case. This story just goes to show that when conflicts present themselves, it is better to be willing to give and take. One cannot be planted and unwilling to change and not expect to suffer the consequences.

            Although most of the examples I provided link negative aspects of culture to the fables, I know there are great people in the world. I like to think of myself of someone who is secure in my own skin, appreciative of the help I receive, humble, and easygoing, and I know there are many other people who exemplify these characteristics as well. I just found it very interesting that fables that were written so long ago could be so relevant to our culture today!

Grandfather telling his granddaughter the story of  how somethings never change.
Source: dreamstime