fable essays free

The Best Fables by Aesop Everyone Should Know

Aesop wasn’t the first person to write animal fables. Several centuries earlier, Hesiod had written one about a hawk and a nightingale, while a poet named Archilochus penned several, including one about an eagle and a vixen, and one about a fox and a monkey. But Aesop, a writer about whom very little is known with any real certainty, would turn the fable into a popular form. William Caxton printed the first English translation of the Fables in 1484, enabling such phrases as ‘sour grapes’ to enter the language.

Aesop’s fables usually involve animals and take the form of very short stories which convey a clear moral. But how clear is the moral in an Aesop fable? Below, we introduce five of the best-known of Aesop’s fables and discuss the moral of each …

Note: we have restricted our choices here to those fables which are authentically connected to Aesop rather than dubiously attributed. For this reason, several well-known fables, which Aesop almost certainly didn’t originate, have been omitted, such as the fable of the dog in the manger and the fable of the wolf in sheep’s clothing (both of which only appeared after Aesop).

1. ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’.

A hare was making fun of a tortoise for moving so slowly. The tortoise, tiring of the hare’s gibes about how slow he was on his feet, eventually challenged the hare to a race. ‘I’ll race you, hare,’ he said; ‘and I bet I’ll win the race.’ The hare agreed to this challenge, and a fox was found who set the course of the race and to judge who had won at the end. When the race started, the hare bounded off in front, making good progress. He was so far ahead of the tortoise that he decided he could afford to stop and have a rest. The tortoise was so far behind that a little rest wouldn’t hurt!

However, the hare fell fast asleep, and as he lay sleeping, the tortoise continued to plod along at his slow pace. In time, he reached the finish-line and won the race. When the hare woke up, he was annoyed at himself for falling asleep. So he ran off towards the finish-line as fast as his legs would carry him, but it was too late, as the tortoise had already won.

The moral of this tale has become proverbial: slow and steady wins the race. But this is by no means the only moral message to be divined from it, as we’ve discussed in our analysis of the fable .

2. ‘The Fox and the Hedgehog’.

A fox, after crossing a river, got its tail entangled in a bush, and couldn’t move. A number of mosquitoes, upon seeing the fox trapped, settled upon him and enjoyed a good meal, feasting upon the fox’s blood, the fox unable to swish them away with his trapped tail. A hedgehog that was strolling by took pity on the fox and went up to him.

‘You are in a bad way, neighbour,’ said the hedgehog; ‘shall I help you out by driving off those mosquitoes who are sucking your blood?’ ‘Thank you, Master Hedgehog,’ said the fox, ‘but I would rather you didn’t.’ ‘Why not?’ asked the hedgehog. ‘Well, you see,’ the fox replied, ‘these mosquitoes have had their fill; if you drive these away, others will come with fresh appetite and bleed me to death.’

3. ‘The Frogs Asking for a King’.

Thinking that a King of that sort was an insult to their dignity, they sent to Jupiter a second time, and begged him to take away the sluggish King he had given them, and to give them another and a better one. Jupiter, annoyed at being pestered in this way, sent a Stork to rule over them. No sooner had the Stork arrived among them than he began to catch and eat the Frogs as fast as he could.

What’s the moral of ‘The Frogs Asking for a King’? One moral that’s often supplied is: ‘When you seek to change your condition, be sure that you can better it.’ Another might run: be careful who you’re voting for when making political decisions.

4. The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs’.

A man and his wife owned a goose which laid a golden egg every day. They considered themselves very lucky to possess such a rare bird, and they began to wonder just how much gold the goose must have inside it.

So they cut open the goose, killing it. However, to their disappointment, they discovered that the inside of the bird was like any other goose and was not made of gold. In killing the goose that laid the golden eggs, they had deprived themselves of a regular source of gold.

The moral of ‘The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs’ is fairly obviously that greed is bad: if the man and his wife had not been motivated by avarice, or greed for more gold, they would not have cut open the goose and thus they would not have deprived themselves of a smaller, though regular and steady and reliable, source of income from their special bird.

5. ‘The Fox and the Grapes’.

One hot summer’s day a fox was strolling through an orchard when he came to a bunch of grapes that were ripening on a vine, hanging over a lofty branch. ‘Those grapes are just the things to quench my thirst,’ said the fox. Drawing back a few paces, the fox took a run and a jump, but just missed the bunch of grapes. Turning round again he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again and again the fox tried to jump up and reach the juicy grapes, but at last had to give it up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying: ‘Oh well, I am sure they are sour anyway.’

What is the moral of the fable of the fox and the grapes? It is easier to despise what you cannot get. This fable gave rise to the common expression ‘sour grapes’, which, although often used to denote any sour or bitter mood, can also more specifically denote the idea of having liked something, which one has gone off (turned sour, if you will) because one is unable to obtain it.

Discover more from Interesting Literature

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Type your email…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Easy Classroom Set Up With our Free Email Course!

35 Best Aesop’s Fables (Free Printables)

The moral of the story is …

For thousands of years, people have been sharing Aesop’s fables to prove a point or teach a moral. Find our favorite tales to share with students, plus get ideas and free printable Aesop’s fables for the classroom!

Get the full text of each fable as a free printable to use with your students by filling out the form.

What are Aesop’s fables?

• How to use Aesop’s fables in the classroom
• List of Aesop’s fables

According to legend, Aesop was an enslaved man living in Greece around 600 BCE. He was famed as a storyteller and shared dozens of short tales with listeners, each with a moral message about right and wrong or explaining some facet of human behavior. For a long time, Aesop’s fables were passed on as part of oral tradition. Eventually, the fables were written down, with new ones added that had become part of the collection.

Many of Aesop’s fables use animals as the main characters, making these tales especially relatable to children. They’re also very short, usually making their point in just a paragraph or two. Some of the morals don’t hold up as well today, especially those about “knowing your place” or “not trying to be friends with your betters.” But most are still applicable to our current society, and so these fables live on.

How can teachers use Aesop’s fables in the classroom?

There are many ways to use Aesop’s fables with your students, no matter what age. For younger students, they make excellent short reading passages. You can use them to teach sequencing, reading comprehension, and more reading skills.

You can do a lot more with these tales, though. Try some of these ideas:

• Guess the moral: Read the story with students, and have them identify the moral.
• Act them out: Have students write a short skit and act out one of Aesop’s fables for the class.
• Give examples: Try to find real-life examples of stories or experiences that have similar morals.
• Write a story: Tell another short story with the same moral.
• Points of view: Rewrite a fable from another character’s point of view, and see if it changes the moral of the story.
• Compose a poem: Turn a fable into a poem, or even a song.
• Debate the moral: Ask students to decide whether the moral is still relevant in today’s world.
• Extend the story: Use the fable as a starting point, and write a longer story fleshing out the characters and their experiences.
• Examine the characters: Look at the animals chosen as characters in a specific fable. Would the story change if the animals were different?
• Illustrate the fable: Draw a picture to go along with the story.
• Create a comic strip: Illustrate the fable as a graphic story in several panels.
• Try a STEM challenge: Use stories like “The Crow and the Pitcher,” “The Bundle of Sticks,” or “Belling the Cat” to design a STEM challenge for students.

List of Aesop’s Fables for the Classroom

Here’s a selection of some the most popular of Aesop’s fables, ones that have stood the test of time with morals that are still relevant today. For the full text of Aesop’s fables, visit the links and grab the free printables!

The Fox and the Grapes

Moral: We often belittle what we cannot have.

When a fox is unable to reach some beautiful grapes hanging from a high branch, he consoles himself by saying the grapes were probably sour anyway. (This is why we say it’s “sour grapes” when someone is bitter about something they don’t have.)

Get the printable: The Fox and the Grapes

The Lion and the Mouse

Moral: It always pays to be kind.

A lion spares a mouse’s life in exchange for the mouse’s promise to help the lion if he’s ever in trouble. Later, the mouse finds the lion caught in a trap and frees him by chewing on the ropes.

Get the printable: The Lion and the Mouse

The Owl and the Grasshopper

Moral: Don’t be taken in by insincere flattery.

A sleepy owl is irritated by a singing grasshopper who refuses to quiet down. She praises his singing and lures him in, then gobbles him up.

Get the printable: The Owl and the Grasshopper

The Thirsty Crow

Moral: A little thought can help solve almost any problem.

A crow wishes to drink water from a pitcher, but the water is too low and the opening too narrow. So the crow drops in pebbles until the water reaches the top, and then takes a drink.

Get the printable: The Thirsty Crow

The Tortoise and the Hare

Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.

When a tortoise challenges a hare to a race, the hare is sure he’ll win by a mile. But the overconfident hare lies down to take a nap, and the tortoise passes him by.

Get the printable: The Tortoise and the Hare

The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Moral: People who deceive may come to harm through their own lies.

When a wolf dresses as a sheep to lure away trusting lambs, he finds himself in trouble when the shepherd mistakes him for a sheep.

Get the printable: The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

The Dog and His Reflection

Moral: When you’re greedy, you can lose what you already have.

A dog carrying a bone sees his reflection in the water. He thinks he sees a dog with a bigger bone and jumps into the water to get it, losing the bone he already had.

Get the printable: The Dog and His Reflection

The Fox and the Crow

Moral: Beware of insincere flattery.

A fox tricks a crow into dropping a delicious piece of cheese by flattering her until she starts to sing.

Get the printable: The Fox and the Crow

The Bundle of Sticks

Moral: There is strength in numbers.

A man challenges his quarreling sons to break single sticks, which is easy, or a bundle of sticks all at once, which none of them is able to do.

Get the printable: The Bundle of Sticks

Belling the Cat

Moral: Coming up with a good idea may be easy, but putting it into action is much harder.

A group of mice brainstorm ways to outsmart a cat. One mouse suggests hanging a bell around the cat’s neck so they can hear it coming, but no one wants to volunteer for the job.

Get the printable: Belling the Cat

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Moral: It’s better to live simply and safely than to take great risks for things you don’t need.

A town mouse looks down on a country mouse for her simple life. When the country mouse comes to town, she finds fancier food, but there’s danger around every corner.

Get the printable: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

The Ants and the Grasshopper

Moral: There’s a time for work and a time for play.

A grasshopper mocks a group of ants for storing away food instead of playing in the summer sun. But the ants know the grasshopper will be sorry come winter.

Get the printable: The Ants and the Grasshopper

The Two Goats

Moral: Don’t let stubbornness lead you into misfortune.

Two goats refuse to take turns crossing a narrow log over a chasm, and instead meet in the middle and fall into the roaring stream far below.

Get the printable: The Two Goats

The Hungry Heron

Moral: Don’t be too picky, or you might not get anything at all.

A heron refuses to eat any smaller fish, holding out for a huge one. But then they all swim away, leaving him with nothing.

Get the printable: The Heron

The Fox and the Goat

Moral: Look before you leap.

A fox falls into a well, then tricks a goat into jumping in too. The fox jumps on the goat’s back and escapes, leaving the goat behind.

Get the printable: The Fox and the Goat

The Boy and the Filbert Nuts

Moral: Don’t attempt to do too much at once.

A boy tries to get nuts from a container, but grabs too many and can’t get his fist out because it’s too full of nuts.

Get the printable: The Boy and the Filbert Nuts

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Moral: If you lie, you might not be believed even when you tell the truth.

A shepherd boy tricks the villagers into thinking a wolf is attacking the sheep. When the wolf actually does show up, the villagers ignore his real cries for help.

Get the printable: The Boy Who Cried Wolf

The Sheep and the Pig

Moral: It’s easy to be brave when you’re not in real danger.

A group of sheep make fun of a squealing pig being carried away, but the pig points out that he’s going to the butcher, while the sheep are only carried off to be sheared.

Get the printable: The Sheep and the Pig

The Boys and the Frogs

Moral: What’s fun for you might hurt someone else.

A group of boys skipping stones across a pond are surprised when some frightened frogs speak up and ask them to stop.

Get the printable: The Boys and the Frogs

The Leap at Rhodes

Moral: Actions speak louder than words.

A man who boasts about a massive leap he once made is challenged to prove his story by jumping once again.

Get the printable: The Leap at Rhodes

The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bats

Moral: Don’t be a fair-weather friend.

When the birds and the beasts battled, the bats took the side of whoever was winning at the time. Later, the birds and the beasts both decided to drive out the bats for their deceit.

Get the printable: The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bats

The Rooster and the Jewel

Moral: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

A rooster scratching in the dirt for corn is annoyed when he finds a precious jewel instead, because he cannot eat the jewel.

Get the printable: The Rooster and the Jewel

The Travelers and the Sea

Moral: Don’t get carried away by hopes before you know the truth.

Two people walking along the shore see something floating out at sea. They imagine it to be a ship full of treasures, but when it reaches shore, it’s just a log.

Get the printable: The Travelers and the Sea

The Wolf and the Lion

Moral: What you win unfairly, you may lose unfairly.

A wolf steals a lamb from a flock, but a lion steals it from him before he can eat it. When the wolf complains, the lion points out he’s no worse than the wolf himself.

Get the printable: The Wolf and the Lion

The Bear and the Bees

Moral: It’s better to bear a small injury in silence than take revenge and endure a much greater one.

A bee stings a bear trying to get at its honey. The bear gets angry and tears apart the hive, provoking the bees into stinging him over and over.

Get the printable: The Bear and the Bees

The Dog in the Manger

Moral: Don’t begrudge others what you can’t have or use yourself.

A dog lying in a manger (feed box) refuses to let the cows eat the hay, even though the dog himself doesn’t want or need it.

Get the printable: The Dog in the Manger

The Cat, the Rooster, and the Young Mouse

Moral: Don’t judge people by appearance alone.

A young mouse meets a rooster and a cat for the first time, and decides the rooster is more dangerous due to his pointed beak and the bright-red comb on his head.

Get the printable: The Cat, the Rooster, and the Young Mouse

The Peacock and the Crane

Moral: It’s better to value something useful over something beautiful.

A peacock brags about his beautiful colors, but the plain-colored crane simply flies off high and far away—something the peacock cannot do.

Get the printable: The Peacock and the Crane

The Goose and the Golden Egg

Moral: Greed can cause you to lose what you already have.

A man has a goose who lays a golden egg each day. But he wants to get rich faster, so he cuts the goose open, killing it and losing all future eggs.

Get the printable: The Goose and the Golden Egg

The Milkmaid and Her Pail

Moral: Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.

A milkmaid dreams of all the things she’ll buy with the money from her pail of milk, including eggs for hatching young chickens. But then she drops the bucket and spills the milk, and her dreams are dashed.

Get the printable: The Milkmaid and Her Pail

Moral: Possessions are only worth what we make of them.

A man buries his money in the garden instead of spending it, but a thief digs it up and steals it. A passerby notes that he might as well just bury rocks in the garden if he’s not going to spend the money.

Get the printable: The Miser

Two Travelers and a Bear

Moral: Beware a friend who deserts you when you’re in trouble.

Two men meet a bear in the forest. One climbs up a tree, leaving the other to face the bear alone. Both survive, but the man on the ground knows he can no longer trust his friend.

Get the printable: Two Travelers and a Bear

The Cat and the Old Rat

Moral: Don’t be fooled by the same person twice.

A group of mice is fooled by a cat over and over, but a wise old rat knows better than to trust him.

Get the printable: The Cat and the Old Rat

The Fighting Roosters and the Eagle

Moral: Pride goes before a fall.

Two roosters fight to see who’s the strongest, but when the winner stands on the roof to proclaim his victory, an eagle swoops in and carries him away.

Get the printable: The Fighting Roosters and the Eagle

The Gnat and the Bull

Moral: Sometimes we’re not as important as we think we are.

A gnat rests on a bull’s horn for a few minutes. He apologizes to the bull for the inconvenience, and the bull says he hadn’t even noticed the gnat was there.

Get the printable: The Gnat and the Bull

Get your free Aesop’s fables printables!

Just share your email address for instant access to full-text printable versions of all the Aesop’s fables on this list.

How do you use Aesop’s fables with your students? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group .

Plus, 50 irresistible free short stories for kids , you might also like.

10 Greek Myths Every Student Should Know

These myths surface in our culture again and again. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

• You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
• You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
• You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
• A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

What Are Fables?

Definition and Examples

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

A fable is a fictional narrative meant to teach a moral lesson.

The characters in a fable are usually animals whose words and actions reflect human behavior. A form of folk literature, the fable is also one of the progymnasmata .

Some of the best-known fables are those attributed to Aesop , an enslaved man who lived in Greece in the sixth century BC. (See Examples and Observations below.) A popular modern fable is George Orwell's Animal Farm (1945).

From the Latin, "to speak"

Examples and Observations

Variations on the fable of the fox and the grapes.

• "A famished fox saw some clusters of ripe black grapes hanging from a trellised vine. She resorted to all her tricks to get at them, but wearied herself in vain, for she could not reach them. At last she turned away, hiding her disappointment and saying: 'The Grapes are sour, and not ripe as I thought.' "MORAL: Revile not things beyond your reach."
• "A fox, seeing some sour grapes hanging within an inch of his nose, and being unwilling to admit that there was anything he would not eat, solemnly declared that they were out of his reach." (Ambrose Bierce, "The Fox and the Grapes." Fantastic Fables , 1898)
• "A thirsty fox one day, in passing through a vineyard, noticed that the grapes were hanging in clusters from vines which were trained to such a height as to be out of his reach. "'Ah,' said the fox, with a supercilious smile, 'I've heard of this before. In the twelfth century an ordinary fox of average culture would have wasted his energy and strength in the vain attempt to reach yonder sour grapes. Thanks to my knowledge of vine culture, however, I at once observe that the great height and extent of the vine, the drain upon the sap through the increased number of tendrils and leaves must, of necessity, impoverish the grape, and render it unworthy the consideration of an intelligent animal. Not any for me thank you.' With these words he coughed slightly, and withdrew. "MORAL: This fable teaches us that an intelligent discretion and some botanical knowledge are of the greatest importance in grape culture." (Bret Harte, "The Fox and the Grapes." The Improved Aesop for Intelligent Modern Children )
• "'Exactly,' said one of the party they called Wiggins. 'It is the old story of the fox and the grapes. Did you ever hear, sir, the story of the fox and the grapes? The fox one day was . . .' "'Yes, yes,' said Murphy, who, fond of absurdity as he was, could not stand the fox and the grapes by way of something new. "'They're sour,' said the fox. "'Yes,' said Murphy, 'a capital story.' "'Oh, them fables is so good!' said Wiggins. "'All nonsense!' said the diminutive contradictor. 'Nonsense, nothing but nonsense; the ridiculous stuff of birds and beasts speaking! As if any one could believe such stuff.' "'I do--firmly--for one,' said Murphy." (Samuel Lover, Handy Andy: A Tale of Irish Life , 1907)

"The Fox and the Crow," from Aesop's Fables

• "A crow was sitting on a branch of a tree with a piece of cheese in her beak when a Fox observed her and set his wits to work to discover some way of getting the cheese. "Coming and standing under the tree he looked up and said, 'What a noble bird I see above me! Her beauty is without equal, the hue of her plumage exquisite. If only her voice is as sweet as her looks are fair, she ought without doubt to be Queen of the Birds. "The Crow was hugely flattered by this, and just to show the Fox that she could sing she gave a loud caw. Down came the cheese and the Fox, snatching it up, said, 'You have a voice, madam, I see: what you want is wits.' "Moral: DO NOT TRUST FLATTERERS"

"The Bear Who Let It Alone": A Fable by James Thurber

• "In the woods of the Far West there once lived a brown bear who could take it or let it alone. He would go into a bar where they sold mead, a fermented drink made of honey, and he would have just two drinks. Then he would put some money on the bar and say, 'See what the bears in the back room will have,' and he would go home. But finally he took to drinking by himself most of the day. He would reel home at night, kick over the umbrella stand, knock down the bridge lamps, and ram his elbows through the windows. Then he would collapse on the floor and lie there until he went to sleep. His wife was greatly distressed and his children were very frightened. "At length the bear saw the error of his ways and began to reform. In the end he became a famous teetotaler and a persistent temperance lecturer. He would tell everybody that came to his house about the awful effects of drink, and he would boast about how strong and well he had become since he gave up touching the stuff. To demonstrate this, he would stand on his head and on his hands and he would turn cartwheels in the house, kicking over the umbrella stand, knocking down the bridge lamps, and ramming his elbows through the windows. Then he would lie down on the floor, tired by his healthful exercise, and go to sleep. His wife was greatly distressed and his children were very frightened. "Moral: You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward." (James Thurber, "The Bear Who Let It Alone." Fables for Our Time , 1940)

Addison on the Persuasive Power of Fables

• "[A]mong all the different ways of giving counsel, I think the finest, and that which pleases the most universally, is fable , in whatsoever shape it appears. If we consider this way of instructing or giving advice, it excels all others, because it is the least shocking, and the least subject to those exceptions which I have before mentioned. "This will appear to us, if we reflect in the first place, that upon the reading of a fable, we are made to believe we advise ourselves. We peruse the author for the sake of the story, and consider the precepts rather as our own conclusions, than his instructions. The moral insinuates itself imperceptibly, we are taught by surprise, and become wiser and better unawares. In short, by this method a man is so far over-reached as to think he is directing himself, whilst he is following the dictates of another, and consequently is not sensible of that which is the most unpleasing circumstance in advice." (Joseph Addison, "On Giving Advice." The Spectator , Oct. 17, 1712)

Chesterton on Fables

• " Fable is, generally speaking, far more accurate than fact, for fable describes a man as he was to his own age, fact describes him as he is to a handful of inconsiderable antiquarians many centuries after. . . . Fable is more historical than fact, because fact tells us about one man and fable tells us about a million men." (Gilbert K. Chesterton, "Alfred the Great")
• Aesop's Fable of the Crow and the Pitcher
• Complete List of John Steinbeck's Books
• Moral vs. Morale: How to Choose the Right Word
• Fairy Tales and Fables Printables
• Chinese Fable Stories With Morals
• Aesop's Fable of the Bundle of Sticks
• Children's Stories About Being Yourself
• The Biblical Reference in The Grapes of Wrath
• 100 Unusual Animal Group Names
• 'The Grapes of Wrath' -- The Importance of the Title
• Aesop's Fable: "The Frogs and the Well"
• Children's Stories About Hard Work
• John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath"
• A Fable by Mark Twain
• What is a Main Clause in English Grammar?
• 5 Easy Summarizing Strategies for Students

Helpful Links

Random Fable

Aesop's Fable Categories

Gods and Goddesses

Miscellaneous

Aesop's Fables

Aesop was a Greek storyteller born in approximately 620 BCE. Tradition says he was born as a slave, but developed a real talent for fables that were used to teach truths in a simple, understandable way. While Aesop was revered for his abilities, it is almost certain that many of the fables attributed to him were actually written by countless people over the ages.

More information about Aesop and his life can be found at the Wikipedia page devoted to him .

There are currently 258 fables on our site. To discover the breadth of Aesop's fables, pick one of the categories at the left. You can also view a random fable , if desired.

If you know of a fable we have missed, drop us a line and let us know.

About | Privacy | Contact Aesop's Fables is a service of Sharon Parq Associates, Inc. Copyright © 2024 by Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.

A Fable and Its Moral Teaching Essay (Article)

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

A long time ago, the cat was a wild animal. The cat did not live in the village, as it is common nowadays. The cat lived alone and was constantly searching for a friend. One day, the cat met the crow, which was also desperate for friendship. Consequently, the cat and the crow agreed to be friends. They lived, talked, ate, and slept together. They became extremely fond of each other and could spend countless hours together discussing their well-being. One day, the crow said to the cat, “lets us go for a walk.” The cat promptly replied, “Yes, we will go for a walk, and then cook our supper and sit by the fire.” Hence, they walked away from the house, up and down a hill and into the dark, thick forest. As they were walking, they met a rat, which was notorious for being wicked and mischievous. The rat hated the crow, so he made some magic and killed him. The cat became very angry and delusional and wanted a friend, but now he was lonely. Later on, the cat followed the rat and became friends.

One day, the cat and the rat worked in the garden. They worked all day and were pretty hungry and exhausted. They made a lovely meal, and as they were eating, the rat said to his friend, “we work very hard, but we have no money. We are not rich.” The rat proposed that he knew of a place on the other side of the hill where they could steal many cows, sell them, and become rich. The cat agreed though reluctantly. Hence, the following day they woke up exceptionally early in the morning and headed to the hill. They walked a long way through bushes and shrubs but eventually they arrived safely. Unfortunately, as they were about to steal the cows, the animals bellowed alerting the villagers who severely punished the cat and the rat. After the ordeal, the cat vowed never to have friends again. Moral: people should take time before making friends as well as be aware of their morals and principles. Through such actions, an individual’s character will not be compromised, and such scenarios as what the cat went through would be avoided.

• “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway: Analysis of Literature Tools
• “Library Ethics” by Jean L. Preer
• Adolescent Egocentrism and Personal Fable
• Ethical Perspectives and Interpretation on the Fables
• Schizophrenia and Delusional Disorder
• "Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne Review: Characterization of O'Connor and Hawthorne
• "American Encounters" by Angela L. Miller, Janet C. Berlo, and Others
• Race Issues in the 'Invisible Man' by Ralph Ellison
• The Story ‘This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona’ by Sherman Alexie
• Realism and Naturalism in American Literature
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, January 14). A Fable and Its Moral Teaching. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-fable-and-its-moral-teaching/

"A Fable and Its Moral Teaching." IvyPanda , 14 Jan. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/a-fable-and-its-moral-teaching/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'A Fable and Its Moral Teaching'. 14 January.

IvyPanda . 2022. "A Fable and Its Moral Teaching." January 14, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-fable-and-its-moral-teaching/.

1. IvyPanda . "A Fable and Its Moral Teaching." January 14, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-fable-and-its-moral-teaching/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "A Fable and Its Moral Teaching." January 14, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-fable-and-its-moral-teaching/.

Free Fable Graphic Organizer

Fables are an excellent genre of writing that has served a purpose in literacy and society for thousands of years. 

Fables were originally created as short stories intended to teach children a message or moral through great storytelling.  Almost everyone is aware of the story of “The boy who cried wolf” and any child can make the connection from the story that consistent lying will cause you grave harm.

Aesop is the undisputed master of the Fable and he created hundreds of them using animals as key characters to portray certain human traits.

The reason a fox is referred to as cunning or the lamb as a perpetual innocent victim comes from Aesop’s fables.

This tool assists students to create engaging fables based upon the model we have been using for generations.  It is best printed in a larger format so as your students can visually represent their ideas alongside written ones and is completely free and available here.

The fable planning tool is part of a massive 90 page unit of work around fables.  It has been incredibly popular (read the reviews.) and is available as a premium product here.

Kevin has worked in education for over two decades. He has a Masters degree in Educational Technologies and runs two companies providing educational content to schools, students and teachers.

Similar Posts

42 Fun Spelling Activities for Grades 3 – 6

Say hello to our free narrative writing checklists

Awesome Dear Santa Letter Template Freebie

25 Awesome Emoji Writing Prompts for students

Free Printable Postcard Template

Free Explanation Writing Checklist and Rubric

Fable For Tomorrow Essays

A fable for tomorrow, popular essay topics.

• American Dream
• Artificial Intelligence
• Black Lives Matter
• Bullying Essay
• Career Goals Essay
• Causes of the Civil War
• Child Abusing
• Civil Rights Movement
• Community Service
• Cultural Identity
• Cyber Bullying
• Death Penalty
• Depression Essay
• Domestic Violence
• Freedom of Speech
• Global Warming
• Gun Control
• Human Trafficking
• I Believe Essay
• Immigration
• Importance of Education
• Israel and Palestine Conflict
• Leadership Essay
• Legalizing Marijuanas
• Mental Health
• National Honor Society
• Police Brutality
• Pollution Essay
• Racism Essay
• Romeo and Juliet
• Same Sex Marriages
• Social Media
• The Great Gatsby
• The Yellow Wallpaper
• Time Management
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Violent Video Games
• What Makes You Unique
• Why I Want to Be a Nurse
• Send us an e-mail

How to Watch The Fable Online Free

By Ritika Singh

Viewers are wondering how to watch The Fable online for free. So, here we are with all the streaming details.

Directed by Ryōsuke Takahashi and Daisuke Nakajima, The Fable is a Japanese animated series. It revolves around the thrilling journey of a legendary hitman Fable. He soon undergoes training and emerges as the world’s best assassin. However, as he starts attracting legal authorities his crime family suggests he go into hiding for a year. The series premiered on April 7, 2024, opening to favorable reviews from critics and viewers.

How to watch The Fable streaming online

You can watch The Fable via Hulu.

Hulu is an American subscription-based streaming service that offers a wide array of TV shows, movies, and original content.

Viewers can watch and stream The Fable via Hulu. Set up an account or sign up on the platform’s official website.

How to watch The Fable online for free legally?

You can watch The Fable for free via Hulu.

The Fable is available to stream on Hulu. The platform offers a 30-day free trial while signing up for an account.

What is The Fable about?

The series begins with the introduction of Fable, an assassin working in a high-ranking crime syndicate. He gains legendary status as a killer who can finish people within six seconds. As years pass, he starts attracting the attention of the police, which worries his handler. His boss orders Fable to hide in Osaka for a year, living as a civilian without committing any murders. However, Fable’s peaceful holiday turns dangerous as he faces off against his enemies.

The series features voice-overs of Jun Fukuyama as Jackal Tomioka, Hanazawa as Misaki Shimizu, Miyuki Sawashiro as Yoko Sato, Kana Akio Otsuka as Takeshi Ebihara, Kazuyuki Okitsu as Akira Sato, Kenjiro Tsuda as Kenji Kojima, and others.

A writer who believes in writing simple yet creative stories which appeals every section of the audience. Ritika is a movie and series buff who enjoys watching content from mainstream to niche with a specific liking towards Hindi Cinema. There is a firm opinion that good movies can make lives better.

Share article

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Edgar Allan Poe — Edgar Allan Poes Silence A Fable

Edgar Allan Poes Silence a Fable

• Categories: Edgar Allan Poe Silence

About this sample

Words: 572 |

Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 572 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

I. Introduction

Ii. analysis of the theme of silence in "silence - a fable".

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof Ernest (PhD)

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 534 words

3 pages / 1536 words

2 pages / 874 words

2 pages / 1022 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Cask of Amontillado," is a masterful work of fiction that has enthralled readers for decades. One of the most striking aspects of the story is its mood, which is dark, foreboding, and filled [...]

The Tell Tale Heart, written by Edgar Allan Poe, is a classic tale of suspense and horror. One of the key elements that makes this story so compelling is the effective use of symbolism throughout. In this essay, I will explore [...]

The mood of a literary work plays a crucial role in conveying the author's intended message and engaging the readers. Edgar Allan Poe, a master of Gothic fiction, carefully crafts a chilling and suspenseful atmosphere in his [...]

Edgar Allan Poe, a renowned American writer and poet, is known for his macabre and Gothic tales that continue to captivate readers worldwide. However, the circumstances surrounding his death in 1849 remain shrouded in mystery [...]

The theme of escape has long been regarded as a powerful and timeless one in various works of literature, and in poetry more specifically. Escapism is a dominant and prevailing topic in poetry as it reveals an alternative [...]

“The Raven”, is a poem written by Edgar Allen Poe that was published on January 29, 1845. With this publication Poe was immensely praised for his work, even though, for many years, he had already been established as a journalist [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

George Clooney: I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee.

By George Clooney

Mr. Clooney is an actor, director and film producer.

I’m a lifelong Democrat; I make no apologies for that. I’m proud of what my party represents and what it stands for. As part of my participation in the democratic process and in support of my chosen candidate, I have led some of the biggest fund-raisers in my party’s history. Barack Obama in 2012 . Hillary Clinton in 2016 . Joe Biden in 2020 . Last month I co-hosted the single largest fund-raiser supporting any Democratic candidate ever, for President Biden’s re-election. I say all of this only to express how much I believe in this process and how profound I think this moment is.

I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he’s faced.

But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe “ big F-ing deal ” Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.

Was he tired? Yes. A cold? Maybe. But our party leaders need to stop telling us that 51 million people didn’t see what we just saw. We’re all so terrified by the prospect of a second Trump term that we’ve opted to ignore every warning sign. The George Stephanopoulos interview only reinforced what we saw the week before. As Democrats, we collectively hold our breath or turn down the volume whenever we see the president, whom we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question.

Is it fair to point these things out? It has to be. This is about age. Nothing more. But also nothing that can be reversed. We are not going to win in November with this president. On top of that, we won’t win the House, and we’re going to lose the Senate. This isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and Congress member and governor who I’ve spoken with in private. Every single one, irrespective of what he or she is saying publicly.

We love to talk about how the Republican Party has ceded all power, and all of the traits that made it so formidable with Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, to a single person who seeks to hold on to the presidency, and yet most of our members of Congress are opting to wait and see if the dam breaks. But the dam has broken. We can put our heads in the sand and pray for a miracle in November, or we can speak the truth.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Understanding the Definition of a Christian: Beliefs, Practices, and Identity

This essay about the definition of a Christian explores the core beliefs, practices, and identity of followers of Jesus Christ. It highlights the foundational doctrine of the Trinity, the importance of the Bible, and the moral teachings centered on love for God and neighbor. The essay discusses the significance of communal worship, the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist, and the role of evangelism. It also touches on the diversity within Christianity and the challenges of living out one’s faith in a pluralistic society. Ultimately, being a Christian involves accepting Jesus as Savior, embodying his teachings, and participating in the Christian community.

How it works

In the broad spectrum of religious beliefs, Christianity stands out not only for its historical significance but also for its profound impact on the moral and cultural fabric of societies around the world. At its core, the definition of a Christian encompasses both the acceptance of certain theological principles and the embodiment of specific practices and moral values.

To understand what it means to be a Christian, it is essential to explore the foundational beliefs, the lived experiences, and the identity that shapes a follower of Christ.

A Christian fundamentally is someone who adheres to the teachings of Jesus Christ. This adherence is rooted in the belief that Jesus is the Son of God who was sent to Earth to redeem humanity from sin through His death and resurrection. This belief is encapsulated in the doctrine of the Trinity, which describes God as one being in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Acceptance of this doctrine is a cornerstone of Christian faith, distinguishing it from other monotheistic religions.

The Bible, particularly the New Testament, is the primary source of Jesus’s teachings and the apostolic writings that guide Christian belief and practice. Christians believe that the Bible is divinely inspired and serves as the ultimate authority in matters of faith and conduct. Regular reading, study, and meditation on the Scriptures are common practices among Christians aimed at understanding God’s will and applying it to their daily lives.

Beyond doctrinal beliefs, being a Christian also involves a commitment to living according to the moral and ethical teachings of Jesus. Central to these teachings is the commandment to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. This dual commandment underscores the importance of both vertical and horizontal relationships: a personal relationship with God and a compassionate relationship with others. Acts of kindness, charity, and service are seen as expressions of this love, reflecting the character of Jesus.

Another vital aspect of Christian identity is participation in communal worship and the sacraments. Regular attendance at church services, where believers gather for prayer, worship, and fellowship, reinforces the sense of community and shared faith. The sacraments, particularly Baptism and the Eucharist (or Holy Communion), hold significant spiritual meaning. Baptism symbolizes the believer’s identification with the death and resurrection of Jesus, marking their entry into the Christian community. The Eucharist commemorates the Last Supper, where Jesus shared bread and wine with His disciples, symbolizing His body and blood sacrificed for humanity’s salvation.

Moreover, Christians are called to evangelism, the practice of spreading the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ. This can take many forms, from personal conversations and acts of service to organized missionary efforts. Evangelism is driven by the belief that all people need to hear and respond to the message of Jesus to experience salvation and a transformed life.

The diversity within Christianity, with its various denominations and traditions, also enriches the understanding of what it means to be a Christian. While core beliefs remain consistent, practices and expressions of faith can vary widely. For instance, the liturgical worship of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy differs from the more spontaneous and contemporary services of many Protestant denominations. Despite these differences, the shared belief in Jesus Christ as Savior unites Christians across these diverse traditions.

In contemporary society, being a Christian also involves navigating the challenges of living out one’s faith in a pluralistic and often secular environment. This can involve engaging in ethical debates, advocating for social justice, and striving to embody Christian principles in all areas of life, including work, politics, and family.

In conclusion, the definition of a Christian is multifaceted, encompassing a blend of theological beliefs, ethical practices, and communal identity. At its heart, being a Christian means accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, striving to live according to His teachings, and participating in the life of the Christian community. This identity shapes not only the spiritual lives of believers but also their interactions with the broader world as they seek to reflect the love and grace of Christ in all they do.

Cite this page

Understanding the Definition of a Christian: Beliefs, Practices, and Identity. (2024, Jul 16). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-the-definition-of-a-christian-beliefs-practices-and-identity/

"Understanding the Definition of a Christian: Beliefs, Practices, and Identity." PapersOwl.com , 16 Jul 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-the-definition-of-a-christian-beliefs-practices-and-identity/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Understanding the Definition of a Christian: Beliefs, Practices, and Identity . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-the-definition-of-a-christian-beliefs-practices-and-identity/ [Accessed: 16 Jul. 2024]

"Understanding the Definition of a Christian: Beliefs, Practices, and Identity." PapersOwl.com, Jul 16, 2024. Accessed July 16, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-the-definition-of-a-christian-beliefs-practices-and-identity/

"Understanding the Definition of a Christian: Beliefs, Practices, and Identity," PapersOwl.com , 16-Jul-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-the-definition-of-a-christian-beliefs-practices-and-identity/. [Accessed: 16-Jul-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Understanding the Definition of a Christian: Beliefs, Practices, and Identity . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-the-definition-of-a-christian-beliefs-practices-and-identity/ [Accessed: 16-Jul-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

The Gunman and the Would-Be Dictator

Violence stalks the president who has rejoiced in violence to others.

Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

When a madman hammered nearly to death the husband of then–House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Donald Trump jeered and mocked . One of Trump’s sons and other close Trump supporters avidly promoted false claims that Paul Pelosi had somehow brought the onslaught upon himself through a sexual misadventure.

After authorities apprehended a right-wing-extremist plot to abduct Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Trump belittled the threat at a rally. He disparaged Whitmer as a political enemy. His supporters chanted “Lock her up.” Trump laughed and replied , “Lock them all up.”

Fascism feasts on violence. In the years since his own supporters attacked the Capitol to overturn the 2020 election—many of them threatening harm to Speaker Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence—Trump has championed the invaders, would-be kidnappers, and would-be murderers as martyrs and hostages. He has vowed to pardon them if returned to office. His own staffers have testified to the glee with which Trump watched the mayhem on television.

Now the bloodshed that Trump has done so much to incite against others has touched him as well. The attempted murder of Trump—and the killing of a person nearby—is a horror and an outrage. More will be learned about the man who committed this appalling act, and who was killed by the Secret Service. Whatever his mania or motive, the only important thing about him is the law-enforcement mistake that allowed him to bring a deadly weapon so close to a campaign event and gain a sight line of the presidential candidate. His name should otherwise be erased and forgotten.

It is sadly incorrect to say, as so many have, that political violence “has no place” in American society. Assassinations, lynchings, riots, and pogroms have stained every page of American political history. That has remained true to the present day. In 2016 , and even more in 2020, Trump supporters brought weapons to intimidate opponents and vote-counters. Trump and his supporters envision a new place for violence as their defining political message in the 2024 election. Fascist movements are secular religions. Like all religions, they offer martyrs as their proof of truth. The Mussolini movement in Italy built imposing monuments to its fallen comrades. The Trump movement now improves on that: The leader himself will be the martyr in chief, his own blood the basis for his bid for power and vengeance.

Christopher R. Browning: A new kind of fascism

The 2024 election was already shaping up as a symbolic contest between an elderly and weakening liberalism too frail and uncertain to protect itself and an authoritarian, reactionary movement ready to burst every barrier and trash every institution. To date, Trump has led only a minority of U.S. voters, but that minority’s passion and audacity have offset what it lacks in numbers. After the shooting, Trump and his backers hope to use the iconography of a bloody ear and face, raised fist, and call to “Fight!” to summon waverers to their cause of installing Trump as an anti-constitutional ruler, exempted from ordinary law by his allies on the Supreme Court.

Other societies have backslid to authoritarianism because of some extraordinary crisis: economic depression, hyperinflation, military defeat, civil strife. In 2024, U.S. troops are nowhere at war. The American economy is booming, providing spectacular and widely shared prosperity. A brief spasm of mild post-pandemic inflation has been overcome. Indicators of social health have abruptly turned positive since Trump left office after years of deterioration during his term. Crime and fatal drug overdoses are declining in 2024; marriages and births are rising. Even the country’s problems indirectly confirm the country’s success: Migrants are crossing the border in the hundreds of thousands, because they know, even if Americans don’t, that the U.S. job market is among the hottest on Earth.

Yet despite all of this success, Americans are considering a form of self-harm that in other countries has typically followed the darkest national failures: letting the author of a failed coup d’état return to office to try again.

One reason this self-harm is nearing consummation is that American society is poorly prepared to understand and respond to radical challenges, once those challenges gain a certain mass. For nearly a century, “radical” in U.S. politics has usually meant “fringe”: Communists, Ku Kluxers, Black Panthers, Branch Davidians, Islamist jihadists. Radicals could be marginalized by the weight of the great American consensus that stretches from social democrats to business conservatives. Sometimes, a Joe McCarthy or a George Wallace would throw a scare into that mighty consensus, but in the past such challengers rarely formed stable coalitions with accepted stakeholders in society. Never gaining an enduring grip on the institutions of state, they flared up and burned out.

Trump is different. His abuses have been ratified by powerful constituencies. He has conquered and colonized one of the two major parties. He has defeated—or is on the way to defeating—every impeachment and prosecution to hold him to account for his frauds and crimes. He has assembled a mass following that is larger, more permanent, and more national in reach than any previous American demagogue. He has dominated the scene for nine years already, and he and his supporters hope they can use yesterday’s appalling event to extend the Trump era to the end of his life and beyond.

The American political and social system cannot treat such a person as an alien. It inevitably accommodates and naturalizes him. His counselors, even the thugs and felons, join the point-counterpoint dialogue at the summit of the American elite. President Joe Biden nearly wrecked his campaign because he felt obliged to meet Trump in debate. How could Biden have done otherwise? Trump is the three-time nominee of the Republican Party; it’s awkward and strange to treat him as an insurrectionist against the American state—though that’s what Trump was and is.

David Frum: Biden’s heartbreaking press conference

The despicable shooting at Trump, which also caused death and injury to others, now secures his undeserved position as a partner in the protective rituals of the democracy he despises. The appropriate expressions of dismay and condemnation from every prominent voice in American life have the additional effect of habituating Americans to Trump’s legitimacy. In the face of such an outrage, the familiar and proper practice is to stress unity, to proclaim that Americans have more things in common than that divide them. Those soothing words, true in the past, are less true now.

Nobody seems to have language to say: We abhor, reject, repudiate, and punish all political violence, even as we maintain that Trump remains himself a promoter of such violence, a subverter of American institutions, and the very opposite of everything decent and patriotic in American life.

The Republican National Convention, which opens this week, will welcome to its stage apologists for Vladimir Putin’s Russia and its aggression against U.S. allies. Trump’s own infatuation with Russia and other dictatorships has not dimmed even slightly with age or experience. Yet all of these urgent and necessary truths must now be subordinated to the ritual invocation of “thoughts and prayers” for someone who never gave a thought or uttered a prayer for any of the victims of his own many incitements to bloodshed. The president who used his office to champion the rights of dangerous people to own military-type weapons says he was grazed by a bullet from one such assault rifle.

Conventional phrases and polite hypocrisy fill a useful function in social life. We say “Thank you for your service” both to the decorated hero and to the veteran who barely escaped dishonorable discharge. It’s easier than deciphering which was which. We wish “Happy New Year!” even when we dread the months ahead.

Adrienne LaFrance: Thoughts, prayers, and Facebook rants aren’t enough

But conventional phrases don’t go unheard. They carry meanings, meanings no less powerful for being rote and reflexive. In rightly denouncing violence, we are extending an implicit pardon to the most violent person in contemporary U.S. politics. In asserting unity, we are absolving a man who seeks power through the humiliation and subordination of disdained others.

Those conventional phrases are inscribing Trump into a place in American life that he should have forfeited beyond redemption on January 6, 2021. All decent people welcome the sparing of his life. Trump’s reckoning should be with the orderly process of law, not with the bloodshed he rejoiced in when it befell others. He and his allies will exploit a gunman’s vicious criminality as their path to exonerate past crimes and empower new ones. Those who stand against Trump and his allies must find the will and the language to explain why these crimes, past and planned, are all wrong, all intolerable—and how the gunman and Trump, at their opposite ends of a bullet’s trajectory, are nonetheless joined together as common enemies of law and democracy.