Students study how fables and allegories impact the structure and purpose of a literary work in this lesson. Students will be able to recognize and evaluate the author's intentions in specific passages. At the end of this lesson,students are able to:
- Determine the features of fables and allegories.
- Analyze the evolution of the allegory.
- Considering the form's goal, hypothesize how the allegory will conclude.
- Determine the archetypes that the allegory employs, then collaborate to develop fresh scenarios, characters, and storylines for each archetype.
- Make a unique character, scenario, or story outline for each of the allegory's archetypes.
- Transform a portion of the allegory into a distinct literary form to show that you understand various literary forms.
- Determine which new form was used, and what the author hoped to achieve, and talk about three consequences of using the new form instead of the original to evaluate their transformation.

- In what ways does text interaction encourage thought and action?

- Allusion: An implied or indirect reference in literature to a familiar person, place, or event. 
- Author’s Purpose: The author’s intent is either to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain people, or to persuade or convince the audience to do or not do something. 
- Fable: Narrative intended to convey a moral. Animals or inanimate objects with human characteristics often serve as characters in fables. 
- Symbolism: A device in literature where an object represents an idea. 
- Theme: A topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work.

- Aesop’s fable “The Fir Tree and the Bramble”
http://www.storyarts.org/library/nutshell/stories/fir.html 
- Aesop’s fable “The Gnat and the Bull” http://www.storyarts.org/library/nutshell/stories/gnat.html 
- a fable from India, “The Lion and the Rabbit” http://www.storyarts.org/library/nutshell/stories/lion.html 
- Aesop’s fable “Belling the Cat” http://www.umass.edu/aesop/content.php?n=3&i=1 
- Aesop’s fable “The Fisherman and the Little Fish” http://www.umass.edu/aesop/content.php?n=8&i=1 
- The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Penguin, 2002.
- copies of Allegory Worksheet (L-L-3-2_Three-Two-One Organizer)

- This lesson's objective is to look at how fable and allegory usage impacts a literary work's structure and purpose.
- Keep an eye on the pupils as they read the fables and point out the traits. Take note of any individuals or groups who may require additional fable review.
- To make sure the groups are on track, pay attention to what they have to say about their assigned focus and their predictions. You can also see if they understand what an allegory is by looking at the completed Allegory worksheet (L-L-4-3_Allegory Worksheet).
- Students will demonstrate their comprehension of the reading and allegory if they can name a pivotal moment from Chapter 5 and explain its significance.
- Give each student feedback on their written assignments.

Explicit instruction, modeling, scaffolding, and active engagement 
W: Go over the structure of the condensed fable and parable, and then work on doing a thorough analysis of an extended allegory. 
H: Assign students to groups where they will examine literary forms and apply their analysis to produce original works. 
E: Have students work in groups to analyze the form of fable and allegory in order to help them take advantage of the experience and knowledge of others as well as practice procedures that they will use in individual assignments. 
R: Give students the chance to go over their homework and expand on the information and abilities they learned in previous classes. 
E: Ask students to assess their work in a paragraph.
T: Give students the chance to show that they comprehend the connection between form and the author's intent on an individual, small-group, and class level.
O: The course expands on prior knowledge of literary forms and offers the chance to investigate the relationship between form and authorial intent. Students can then create and assess their literary works to demonstrate that they understand the connection.

Topic: How do fable and allegory choices impact a literary work's structure and purpose?

"This is a well-known genre of writing. You've been reading fables for a long time. After reading the following fables for a little while, make a list of the traits they all have in common:

The Fir Tree and the Bramble, a fable by Aesop

The Gnat and the Bull, a fable by Aesop

'The Lion and the Rabbit,' an Indian fable."

After giving each group five to ten minutes, have them present their list (e.g., brief, animal characters or other characters from nature, a sharp contrast between the characters, dialogue, or an unstated lesson). Make a circle around the room and identify any individuals or groups experiencing difficulties.

After that, assign the reading "Belling the Cat" to the class and make plans for them to watch the Aesop fable "The Fisherman and the Little Fish" on video.

Ask them to make a list of the same attributes again. Ask one group to give a summary of their ideas, along with some animal characters, dialogue, and the lesson or moral stated at the end. "The author's intention is evident: to impart knowledge, whether or not the lesson is explicitly mentioned."

"In comparison to a fable, an allegory is typically longer and ends without a clear lesson. Rather, the narrative's characters and events convey a deeper moral by representing something greater than themselves. An elaborate metaphor is an allegory. The Pandora Woods, for example, could be interpreted as an allegory for the Amazon rainforest in the film Avatar."

Part 1

Open John Steinbeck's The Pearl and read aloud the first page (before Chapter 1). "What is Steinbeck's recommendation?" (Readers may interpret the story in their own ways and put their own lives into it; the narrative is more than just a story.) "We can observe how allegory is used to influence the characters, plot, and style of storytelling in Steinbeck's story."

For homework, assign students to read Chapter 1 aloud and then make a list of any passages that they think might be allegorized.  After about 25 to 30 minutes, have a discussion and instruct them to add to their list while they hear what their classmates have to say. (For instance, the ant in the sand trap that Kino "watched with the detachment of God"; the Song of the Family, which symbolizes the security of the family's simple morning routine and Kino's love for his wife Juana and their baby Coyotito; the Song of Evil, which is audible upon the appearance of the scorpion that stings Coyotito and poses a threat to the family; the Song of the Family turning "steely" in Kino's mind when Juana insists on doing the unprecedented thing and taking Coyotito to the doctor; and the doctor's self-centered attitude toward the family and their situation).

After reading Chapter 2, assign students to write what they believe the pearl means to Kino and Juana. Gather papers, then ask a few pupils to voluntarily provide their responses. Next, discuss Chapter 2, reminding students to add any other suggestions made by the class. Remind them to concentrate on the parts of the story that are allegoric (the Gulf description, emphasizing how hard it is to tell reality from illusion in the distance; the canoe, symbolizing Kino's ability to make a living; the Song of the Pearl That Might Be, which Kino hears while diving and searching; the fact that Coyotito's bite is getting smaller due to Juana's poultice).

Part 2

Students should read and discuss Chapter 3, which describes the greed that results from Kino's pearl, how the Song of the Pearl and the Song of the Family are combined, the innocent happiness that Juana and Kino experience, and Kino's dreams for his family now that he has the Pearl—a church marriage, new clothes for the family, a harpoon, a rifle, and an education for Coyotito that will assist his family and his people—as well as the strange visits from the priest and the doctor, who pretend to help Coyotito;the night hawks hunting night mice and the school of small fishes being ambushed by the larger ones; the condition of Coyotito shortly after the physician visits him again and Kino's misgivings about him; the doctor's apparent astonishment upon learning of Kino's pearl; Kino's moving the pearl to a new hiding spot following the doctor's departure; the evil music that announces the presence of an intruder, followed by Kino fighting and stabbing him; Juana's frantic request that they part with the pearl immediately because it is evil, and Kino's denial; finally, they both give in to the pearl's allure).

Furthermore, have each group predict how the story will progress from this point on, keeping in mind that it is an allegory and will therefore impart a moral lesson or truth. While the groups are working, move among them and offer assistance as needed. Ask each group to come in and, if time allows, talk about the prediction they believe has the best chance of coming true.

Part 3

Give students Chapter 4 to read. Then, have them write a sentence identifying the most important thing that happens in the chapter and explaining why it matters, especially in relation to the allegory (the pearl buyers' refusal to give Kino a fair price for the pearl, which forces him to decide to travel to the capital, and Juana's desire to get rid of the pearl because she believes it is dangerous because it makes Kino more determined to make the risky journey because he "is a man"). Next, go over the students' ideas. Additionally, find out if the latest chapter has affected their predictions in any way. Ask students to discuss this in groups and create a list of evidence to back up their point of view. Talk about the moral or lesson they believe the allegory will teach as well.

After the students have completed the book, assign them to read Chapters 5 and 6. Then, have the focus groups revise their assessments of the allegory, discussing whether they still believe it to be accurate or whether it needs to be modified. Gather the students' papers after instructing them to write down the lesson or truth they believe the allegory illustrates. After a discussion lasting roughly ten to fifteen minutes, ask students to present their updates. Finally, ask the class to identify any archetypes in The Pearl (character: Kino becomes greedy and renounces it, just like Midas did; Midas cleanses himself in a river; Kino throws the pearl into the sea; some might argue that part of the story is a quest as Kino attempts to sell the pearl; therefore, the theme of the story is the destructive power of greed). 

Allow students to work in groups to finish the Allegory Worksheet (L-L-4-3_Allegory Worksheet). Ask them to complete the chart by adding any details they may know regarding the part that each character plays in The Pearl could be included in the allegory (e.g., Kino: Everyman, fighting for a better life for his family and striving against forces he only vaguely understands; Juana: the devoted wife and mother, brave in protecting her family; Coyotito: innocence and his parents' hope for the future; the doctor: avaricious and predatory, willing to take advantage of others for his gain; the Pearl: the family's bright future and the center of others' avaricious interest; the Song of the Family: at the start of the story, a symbol of the family, cozy and comforting; the Song of Evil, which warns the family when danger is approaching and is heard when it does so with the doctor; Kino's neighbors, who are a mixed bag of support and disapproval for Kino and Juana depending on the wind; and the town's residents, who despise Kino and are envious of him because he has the Pearl).

Part 4

The final product is only one page long and is quite concise. It should have a paragraph assessment that explains the intent behind the creation(s), identifies the form(s) utilized, and lists three consequences (at least) of choosing that specific form over the creation's original novel or allegory form. Inform students that they must complete one of the following tasks for their portfolio as their final project:

Decide which element (plot, character, or circumstance) of The Pearl to change. That is, they will select an alternative format, one that they have studied in this unit (for example, two quatrains, a set of haiku charting Pearl's transformation, a free verse piece discussing a theme from the story, a short quest or odyssey tale, or a character sketch of an archetypal character that illustrates the influence and effects of character traits).

Write a page featuring a character you've chosen from The Pearl in the present tense.
Prepare a list of ten questions you would like to ask a character in The Pearl and set up an interview with them.
Compose an obituary for a character from The Pearl.
Write a "trip tik" that consists of three important events, or sketch a noteworthy occasion in The Pearl.

Extension:

If students are prepared to read something more advanced than the requirements, they can read Animal Farm by George Orwell, "Secrets of the Wizard of Oz," or any other book mentioned in the Related Resources.