Top 6 Best Essays Analyzing the Frog Character in 'The Frog Sitting at the Bottom of the Well' (Literature 7 - Cánh Diều Textbook)

The fable of 'The Frog Sitting at the Bottom of the Well' cleverly uses animals to subtly comment on human nature. The story portrays the frog's narrow view of the world, seeing only through the small opening of the well, symbolizing how some people with limited knowledge boast arrogantly. The lesson encourages readers to broaden their horizons and avoid arrogance or self-righteousness. Though short, the story is divided into two distinct parts: the first discusses the frog's small world and limited understanding, while the second focuses on the consequences of its arrogance. The story can be summarized as follows: the frog, having lived in the well for so long, believes the sky is as small as the well’s opening, and it considers itself a mighty ruler. After a heavy rain, the well overflows and the frog is pushed out. Unfazed, it arrogantly looks up at the sky, ignoring the surroundings, and is soon crushed by a passing buffalo.

The tale creatively explores the frog's mindset. Why does the frog think so narrowly? It's because it has only ever seen the world from the bottom of a well. To the frog, the sky seems no bigger than the opening of the well, and its limited experience makes it assume that the world is just as small as its well.

Inside the well, only small, insignificant creatures like frogs, crabs, and snails are present. The frog's croaking scares them, and this detail symbolizes how in small, isolated communities, loud actions often lead to exaggerated consequences. Similarly, in the past, when news spread through villages, everyone knew immediately, and local tyrants had unchecked power, terrorizing the people.

In this small world, the frog believes itself to be the king, disregarding others. It has never known any other world, which makes its perspective and knowledge extremely limited. However, the frog is arrogant, assuming it is the most capable. This mindset becomes a habitual flaw.

A sudden change happens when the rain causes the well to overflow, pushing the frog into a new, vast world. Initially, the frog assumes that the earth and the sky are the same as the well, and it continues to act as if it is the ruler. But the earth is vast, and the sky is endless. To survive, the frog must change its perspective. However, the frog’s stubbornness and arrogance lead it to ignore its surroundings, and it meets its demise when a buffalo steps on it. The rain only changed the frog’s surroundings; its death was caused by its own arrogance.

This story serves as a warning: no matter our circumstances, we must strive to expand our knowledge and perspectives. Learning should not be confined to school but should also come from life’s experiences. Life itself is a vast ocean of knowledge and wisdom. We must overcome our limitations and constantly seek to improve our knowledge, as arrogance and self-importance can lead to failure in life and career. The story asks us to reflect carefully and avoid becoming like the frog, thinking the sky is as small as a pot lid.

'The Frog at the Bottom of the Well' is a famous fable from Vietnamese folklore. Through the figure of the boastful frog and humorous events, the author conveys profound lessons about how we perceive life and how we interact with others. The frog in the story is arrogant and uninformed. Living in a shallow well with only small neighbors like crabs and snails, the frog believes it is the biggest and most powerful creature around. Its loud croaks terrify the other animals, which only fuels its arrogance and disregard for everyone else. From the bottom of the well, the frog's view of the sky is as small as the well’s opening, which reinforces its delusion of being the ruler of all. The frog's ignorance and pride mirror the arrogance of people who believe they know it all, yet refuse to learn or broaden their understanding. This delusion not only creates false beliefs about oneself but can also lead to disastrous consequences.

One year, after a heavy rain, the water level in the well rises, and the frog is forced out into the vast world beyond. The outside world is much bigger than it ever imagined, with an enormous sky that dwarfs its previous perception. Yet, the frog’s arrogance and shallow knowledge remain unchanged. As it confidently struts around, it is tragically crushed by a passing buffalo. The frog’s untimely death marks the tragic result of its arrogance — a fitting end for one who refuses to acknowledge their limitations and looks down on others and the world around them.

Through this story, the author emphasizes an important message: the world is vast, and we must continually seek knowledge and improve ourselves. If we remain arrogant, refusing to learn and grow, we may pay the ultimate price, just as the frog did. The fable also teaches us about the importance of adapting to our environment. Living too long in a small, isolated space without external connections can narrow our perceptions and hinder our ability to make objective judgments. In today’s world, we must engage with others and view the world with an open mind and a thirst for learning in order to thrive and adapt.

With vivid metaphors such as the 'frog,' 'sky,' and 'buffalo,' this fable presents a profound and entertaining tale, offering valuable lessons about perception, evaluation, and the attitude one should have in life.

Fables are a unique literary form passed down through generations, and one of the most notable works in this genre is 'The Frog at the Bottom of the Well.' This fable, with its amusing and satirical events, leaves readers with many thoughts to ponder. The frog's perspective on life is shaped by its environment. Living at the bottom of a narrow well, the sky appears tiny and monotonous, a reflection of the frog's limited view of the world. In its mind, the sky is as small as a lid, and this limited perception leads the frog to form skewed ideas about itself and its place in the world.

In its small, confined space, the frog considers itself the ruler, unafraid and unconcerned by any threat. This mirrors the mindset of people in society who are trapped in their own egos, overly self-important, and dismissive of those around them. They live with limited knowledge, relying on their shallow experiences and delusions of superiority. Additionally, the fable critiques individuals who, despite their ignorance, always boast and impose their opinions without considering others or learning from them.

However, the true brilliance of the fable comes when the frog is forced to leave its small world. After a storm, the frog is carried out of the well and exposed to the vast, expansive world beyond. The surroundings, including the sky, are far more expansive than the frog ever imagined, and yet, despite witnessing new, vast realities, the frog’s arrogance remains unchanged. The frog continues to disregard everything around it and is ultimately crushed by a passing buffalo. This tragic fate represents the consequences of refusing to change one's narrow perspective.

The fable offers important lessons: it encourages self-improvement, knowledge acquisition, and openness to change. The frog’s fate serves as a warning to those who remain stuck in their ways, unwilling to grow or learn. It highlights the difficulty of personal transformation, as one’s environment and ingrained beliefs can strongly shape their character. Changing these deep-rooted habits takes time and effort, but it is essential for personal growth and survival.

'The Frog at the Bottom of the Well' is a meaningful tale that imparts valuable lessons about perception, self-awareness, and the necessity of change in one’s life and mindset.

The story of the frog in the well is a witty and intriguing fable. The frog, being a small and insignificant creature, lives in the bottom of a narrow, dark, and enclosed well. Its social interactions are limited to other small creatures like frogs, crabs, and toads.

This isolated environment and the relationships within it have made the frog arrogant and self-important. Its croak echoes only within the well, but the crabs and snails are terrified. Living in such conditions for a long time, its flaws have grown into serious habits. Its perspective is limited, and its worldview is narrow and subjective. From the bottom of the well, the frog believes the sky above it is as small as a lid. Worse still, it sees itself as a ruler, full of pride and superiority, as if it were a king in its own little kingdom. It has grown accustomed to this life in the well, not realizing that it has been 'asleep' in a narrow life for a long time. But then a heavy rain causes the water to overflow, opening the 'door' to a larger world. The frog climbs out of the well, but it retains the same attitude and continues to walk arrogantly. Now on the ground, its view has expanded, yet it still sees the sky as small, still as narrow-minded as before. Despite the vastness of the sky, to the frog, it remains just as insignificant as it was in the well.

Previously, the frog's world was limited to small creatures like crabs, snails, and frogs. Now, on the ground, it encounters much larger creatures, like the 'giant' buffalo. Yet, it remains oblivious, walking arrogantly as if it is still in control. But the price it pays for its arrogance is tragic: it is crushed underfoot by the buffalo. This is a painful and unfortunate end for the frog!

The fable 'The Frog in the Well' uses various metaphors that make the story compelling and meaningful. Along with the frog, there are other creatures like frogs, crabs, and snails, and the mighty buffalo. The well, the sky, and the lid are all symbols. There is also the heavy rain and the frog's death under the buffalo's foot. This mirrors human life, where the story reflects the attitudes, perspectives, and behavior of people.

'The Frog in the Well' teaches us a profound lesson about the importance of expanding our environment, relationships, and viewpoints. When our surroundings change, our perspective and mindset should adapt as well. The moral lesson is clear: people who live in narrow-mindedness and with limited knowledge will suffer the consequences. The fable reminds us to be humble, wise, and not to be overly proud or self-righteous. If we continue to live in the 'frog in the well' manner, we may end up paying a steep price.