Top 6 Best Study Guides on "The Wolf and the Lamb in La Fontaine's Fables" for 9th Grade

* Summary of the text:
Through Buffon’s scientific perspective, the wolf and lamb are portrayed realistically, with their fundamental traits accurately represented. However, La Fontaine’s poetic approach humanizes these animals. By comparing La Fontaine’s representations of the wolf and lamb with Buffon’s scientific observations, author Hippolyte Ten emphasizes the unique artistic characteristics that reflect the writer's personal vision and thoughts.

* Structure: 2 parts

- Part 1 (From the beginning to 'as kind as such'): The lamb in La Fontaine's fable.
- Part 2 (the remainder): The wolf in La Fontaine's fable.

Reading - Understanding the text

Question 1 - Page 41, 9th Grade Literature Textbook: Identify the two sections of this literary analysis and suggest titles for each. Compare the sections to find shared argumentative methods and differing strategies in their development.

Answer

The titles for the two sections:

- The lamb in La Fontaine’s fable.

- The wolf in La Fontaine’s fable. The structure of the argument in both sections is fairly similar, following a three-step progression: - under La Fontaine's pen - under Buffon's pen - back to La Fontaine's pen. In the first part, the lamb is presented through a specific verse, which adds life and appeal to the text.

Question 2 - Page 41, 9th Grade Literature Textbook: On what basis does Buffon comment on the wolf and lamb, and are his observations correct? Why does he omit the “gentleness” of the lamb and the “misery” of the wolf?

Answer

Buffon describes the wolf and lamb from a scientific viewpoint, so his details are based on their real-life attributes.

Question 3 - Page 41, 9th Grade Literature Textbook: What realistic trait did La Fontaine highlight when creating the lamb’s character, and what creative elements did he add?

Answer

La Fontaine chose to place the lamb in a specific situation: facing a wolf by the stream. This setup highlights the lamb’s gentle and timid nature, which is typical of the species. Since this is a fable, La Fontaine anthropomorphizes the lamb, presenting both the lamb and the wolf as human-like characters.

Question 4 - Page 41, 9th Grade Literature Textbook: Wolves appear in several of La Fontaine's fables. Prove that the wolf’s depiction in this specific fable, "The Wolf and the Lamb", doesn’t entirely align with Ten’s interpretation. While Ten views the wolf as somewhat comical (the foolishness of its hunger), it is primarily detestable (the tragic nature of its cruelty).

Answer

The wolf in La Fontaine’s fable is constructed around the natural traits of the animal, specifically its predatory instincts. The author makes two key points: - The wolf is comical (because it is too hungry to catch anything to eat). - The wolf is detestable (because it harms others). In this story, the wolf is starving and scrawny, searching for food. It encounters a young lamb drinking from a stream. The wolf wants to eat the lamb but pretends to have righteous motives, finding an excuse to falsely accuse the lamb and “punish” it. Ten’s interpretation of the wolf is accurate because it encompasses the wolf’s portrayal in all the fables, not just this one. In this particular fable, the wolf can be seen as comical due to its foolishness and hunger (the absurdity of its situation), but its main trait is its villainy, its deceit, and its bullying of the weak (the tragedy of its cruelty).

Basic Knowledge

- Hippolyte Taine (born 1828, died 1893) was a French philosopher, historian, and literary critic, a member of the French Academy, and the author of the influential work 'La Fontaine and His Fables' (1853).

- The text 'The Wolf and the Lamb in La Fontaine's Fables' is an excerpt from Chapter II, Part Two of the above work.

Main Idea of the Text:

By comparing the images of the lamb and the wolf in La Fontaine's fables with the descriptions of these animals by the naturalist Buffon, Taine highlights the key artistic element of literature: the creation of literary imagery.

Suggested Answers to Textbook Questions

Question 1 - Page 41 of the Textbook

Identify the structure of this literary essay and suggest appropriate titles for each part. Compare the works to identify the similarities in reasoning and the differences in approach.

Answer:

The essay is divided into two sections: • 'The voice of the poor little lamb... full of sorrow and kindness...': The image of the lamb in La Fontaine's fables.

• 'The wolf... and the playwright crafting a comedy of stupidity': The image of the wolf in La Fontaine's fables.

- In both sections, Taine analyzes the images of the lamb and the wolf in La Fontaine's fables using a comparative approach with Buffon's observations. The structure of the argument follows a similar pattern in both parts: under La Fontaine's pen - under Buffon's pen - back to La Fontaine's pen, illustrated with specific verses. This approach enhances the liveliness and appeal of the essay.

Question 2 - Page 41 of the Textbook

On what basis does Buffon comment on the sheep and the wolf, and are his observations accurate? Why does he not mention the 'affection' of the sheep or the 'misfortune' of the wolf?

Answer:

Buffon examines the sheep and the wolf from a scientific perspective, so his observations are grounded in reality. He does not mention the 'affection' of the sheep or the 'misfortune' of the wolf because these traits are not representative of these animals in a scientific context. Such attributes are human projections, not appropriate for a scientific study.

Question 3 - Page 41 of the Textbook

How does La Fontaine construct the image of the lamb in 'The Wolf and the Lamb', and what creative elements does he introduce?

Answer:

- The lamb depicted is a young one. The author anthropomorphizes the lamb, making it the focal point of the fable.

- When developing the character of the lamb, La Fontaine emphasizes its natural traits: meekness, timidity, and inability to escape danger.

- Personification is employed, giving the lamb human-like thoughts and speech:

• 'The place where I drink water is more than twenty steps away down here.'
• 'Before I was born?'
• 'I really don’t have any siblings.'

- La Fontaine's portrayal of the lamb is also enriched by the technique of personification. The poet evokes the lamb’s tenderness and kindness, particularly in the maternal bond: 'It is truly moving to see the mother sheep rush to... until the lamb has finished nursing.'

Question 4 - Page 41 of the Textbook

The wolf appears in many of La Fontaine’s fables. Prove that the image of the wolf in this specific fable is not entirely consistent with Taine's interpretation. It can be seen as somewhat laughable (a comedy of ignorance), but primarily, it is despicable (a tragedy of cruelty).

Answer:

The wolf in La Fontaine’s fable is depicted based on its natural instinct as a predator. From this, the author presents two arguments:

- The wolf is laughable (because it cannot find food and is starving).

- The wolf is also detestable because it harms others.

To clarify these points, the wolf’s image in La Fontaine’s fable can be analyzed with the following points:

+ The wolf in the fable is a specific, vivid character (skinny, searching for prey, wanting to devour the young lamb...).

+ The wolf is also personified, much like the lamb, under the creative pen of the poet, in line with the fable’s genre conventions.

- Personification is used to portray the wolf as a cruel tyrant, who, when hungry, uses absurd justifications to accuse others, much like a human:

• 'You spoke ill of me last year...'
• 'If it wasn’t you, it was your brother!'
• 'No one can escape the wolf!'
• 'They told me, I must take revenge.'

- The wolf’s image in La Fontaine’s fables is creatively portrayed with new elements. The wolf is a thief, but one who is miserable and unfortunate. Under La Fontaine’s pen, the wolf becomes a good-for-nothing, always starving.

- The wolf in La Fontaine’s fable is laughable because of its ignorance (a comedy of stupidity), but it is mainly a detestable creature because of its cunning, cruelty, and bullying of the weak (a tragedy of malice).

Key Takeaway:

By comparing the images of the lamb and the wolf in La Fontaine’s fables with Buffon’s descriptions of these animals, Taine emphasizes the distinctive feature of literary creation: the personal perspective and thought processes of the writer.

I. A Few Words About the Author
- Hippolyte Taine, born in 1828 and passed away in 1893.
- Hometown: He was born in Vouziers, France.
- Life and Career:
+ In 1841, at the age of 13, his father passed away.
+ Taine was known as an outstanding student in both natural and social sciences, earning two degrees before he turned 20.
+ In 1853, he completed his doctoral thesis.
+ He became a philosopher, historian, and literary critic, a member of the French Academy of Sciences.
+ Notable Works: He is the author of the significant research work 'La Fontaine and His Fables' (1853).

II. The Work
1. Context of Creation
- The text is an excerpt from Chapter II, Part Two of his famous scientific study 'La Fontaine and His Fables,' first published in 1853 and republished multiple times.
2. Structure
- Part 1: (from the beginning to 'so kind'): The image of the lamb in La Fontaine's fables.
- Part 2: (the rest): The image of the wolf in La Fontaine's fables.
3. Content Value
- By comparing the images of the lamb and the wolf in La Fontaine's fables with Buffon's descriptions of these animals, the author highlights the distinctive feature of literary creation.
4. Artistic Value
- The argument is presented in a well-organized, convincing manner, with scientific evidence and an engaging writing style.

Question 1: To highlight the character traits of the lamb and the wolf in La Fontaine's fables, Taine has:

a) What artistic technique has he used?

b) How does he argue?

c) How does he avoid monotony in the structure?

d) What conclusions does he reach?

Answer:

This exercise is meant to help you understand Taine's literary analysis. Just speak out the key points and write them in your notebook.

To complete this task, carefully read the text, review the reading comprehension questions in the textbook, and reflect on the lessons discussed in class.

Answer each section (a), (b), (c), (d) concisely and selectively, avoiding repetition from the text.

Question 2: Prove the use of personification by La Fontaine (which Taine did not address in his analysis) through the excerpt from 'The Wolf and the Lamb,' based on the following considerations:

a) How are the animals named (individual names or general species names)?

b) What are the thoughts and arguments of the animals (are they real or imagined)?

c) How do the animals express themselves (is it realistic or fictional)?

d) What actions do the animals perform (are they plausible or not)?

e) What is the implied meaning (are they speaking as animals or as humans)?

Answer:

This task extends beyond Taine’s analysis to help you understand La Fontaine’s use of personification when creating animal characters. Taine touches on this topic in another section.

Think through each part (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and write down the key points in your notebook.

To complete this task, carefully read the excerpt from 'The Wolf and the Lamb' in the analysis. You may also read the full fable in the textbook.

Question 3: Memorize the fable 'The Wolf and the Lamb' by La Fontaine, found in the 'Additional Reading' section on pages 41-42 of the textbook.

Answer:

To do well on this task:

- Review which lines are spoken by the narrator, the wolf, and the lamb.

- Practice reading expressively several times with three distinct voices.

- Afterward, memorize and recite the fable with proper expression.

Structure

+ Part 1 (from the beginning to 'so kind'): The image of the lamb in La Fontaine's fables

+ Part 2 (the rest): The image of the wolf in La Fontaine's fables

Question 1 (Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2)

The structure of the essay

+ Part 1 (from the beginning to 'so kind'): The image of the lamb in La Fontaine's fables

+ Part 2 (the remainder): The image of the wolf in La Fontaine's fables

In both sections, the author emphasizes the imagery of the lamb and the wolf in La Fontaine’s poetry, referencing the work of the scientist Buffon on these animals.

- The argument flows in a similar manner in both sections, following a three-part structure: under the pen of La Fontaine and Buffon.

- The writing style makes the analysis lively and engaging.

Question 2 (Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2)

Buffon writes about the sheep and wolf from a scientific perspective, so all details reflect reality.

+ He does not address the affection for the sheep nor the 'misfortune of the wolf'—since these are not typical traits of the animals.

+ These characteristics are human attributions and do not appear in a scientific work.

Question 3 (Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2)

- The author creates the image of the lamb, placing it in a situation where it faces the wolf by the stream.

+ The author selects traits of the lamb and the wolf to express these characteristics.

+ Emphasizing the meekness and timidity of the lamb, typical traits of its species.

+ The author personifies the lamb, turning both the wolf and the lamb into relatable characters.

Question 4 (Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2)

The image of the wolf in La Fontaine’s fables is shaped by the inherent traits of the wolf as a predator.

- The author presents two points:

+ The wolf is laughable (because it is too hungry to find food).

+ The wolf is detestable because it harms others.

+ The wolf in the poem is vividly portrayed (skinny, hunting, wanting to eat the lamb…)

+ The wolf is personified, just like the lamb, in La Fontaine's creative style.

+ This showcases the essence of the fable genre.

- The wolf is pitiable:

+ It looks like a thief, helpless, filthy, and worried, with a thin, bony frame.

+ It is a rogue, constantly hungry and always being beaten.

Meaning and Value

After this lesson, students will:

- Appreciate the uniqueness of La Fontaine's depiction of the wolf and lamb.

- Understand one of the core features of literary works: the distinct perspectives and thoughts of the author are always reflected in their work.

Answer to Question 1 (Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2):

Structure: 2 parts

+ Part 1: (from the beginning to 'so kind'): The lamb in La Fontaine's fables.

+ Part 2: (the rest): The wolf in La Fontaine's fables.

- The similarity in argumentation between the two sections: To highlight the imagery of the two animals (lamb and wolf) in La Fontaine’s fables, the author draws comparisons by referencing Buffon’s writings about the animals.

- The difference in the development of arguments: 'The essay on The Wolf and the Lamb in La Fontaine's fables effectively uses the art of comparison. The two sections serve as contrasting halves: lamb – wolf.'

Answer to Question 2 (Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2):

- Buffon’s observations on the sheep and the wolf are based on their natural traits in social and solitary life, from the perspective of a scientist.

- He does not discuss the “affection” of the sheep or the “misfortune” of the wolf, as these are not fundamental characteristics of the animals.

- La Fontaine’s perspective is that of an artist, shaped by the humanistic aesthetic of art.

- Realistic aspect of the animal: To create the image of the lamb, La Fontaine based it on the animal’s natural traits.

- The poet’s creativity: The poet personifies the lamb, giving it the ability to speak and think like a human, with a remarkable wit in its responses.

Question 4

The wolf in The Wolf and the Lamb is both laughable, portrayed as starving and skinny, desperately searching for food. However, it is also detestable as it attempts to harm the innocent lamb, concealing its true intentions, fabricating excuses to punish the poor creature.

Structure

The structure: 2 parts

- Part 1: (from the beginning to 'so kind'): The lamb in La Fontaine's fables.

- Part 2: (the rest): The wolf in La Fontaine's fables.

Main Idea

By comparing the lamb and wolf in La Fontaine’s fables to Buffon’s scientific writings, the author highlights how the artistic creation reflects the writer’s unique perspective and way of thinking.

A. KEY CONCEPTS

1. Author:

Hippolyte Taine (1828-1893) was a distinguished French philosopher, historian, and literary critic, as well as a member of the French Academy. He spent a significant amount of time studying the fables of La Fontaine. This essay is an excerpt from Chapter II, Part II of his work *La Fontaine and His Fables*, published in 1853.

2. Genre: Fable

A fable is a traditional literary form that often features animals to illustrate moral lessons about human nature. These stories carry profound societal and educational messages, which is why many writers, including Aesop and La Fontaine, have contributed to this genre.

3. Content:

Through a comparison of the lamb and the wolf in La Fontaine’s fables with the scientific observations of Buffon, Taine highlights a central feature of artistic creation: it is deeply influenced by the unique perspective and ideas of the writer.

B. EXERCISES AND SOLUTIONS

Question 1: Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2

Identify the structure of this literary analysis and suggest appropriate titles for each section. Compare the two parts to identify the similarities and differences in their argumentative approaches.

Answer:
Structure:
Part One (from the beginning to “so kind”): The image of the lamb in La Fontaine’s fables.
Part Two (the rest): The image of the wolf in La Fontaine’s fables.
Comparing the argumentation methods and execution:
Similarity: Both sections reference Buffon’s scientific observations for comparison. The analysis is structured as follows: under La Fontaine’s pen, under Buffon’s pen, under La Fontaine’s pen.
Difference: In the first section, when discussing the lamb, the author substitutes the first step with a passage from La Fontaine’s fable. This makes the essay more dynamic.

Question 2: Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2
What basis does Buffon use to comment on sheep and wolves, and are his observations accurate? Why does he not mention the “affection” of the sheep or the “misfortune” of the wolf?

Answer:
Buffon writes about sheep and wolves from a scientific standpoint, emphasizing their essential traits without any emotional bias.
He does not mention the “affection” of the sheep or the “misfortune” of the wolf because these are not inherent traits of the animals. These attributes are human projections, which have no place in the scientific research of Buffon.

Question 3: Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2
How does La Fontaine develop the image of the lamb in *The Wolf and the Lamb*, and what creative choices does he make?

Answer:
In *The Wolf and the Lamb*, La Fontaine focuses on the realistic portrayal of the lamb’s behavior when confronted with its natural enemy, the wolf. He places the lamb in a situation where it encounters a domineering wolf by the stream.
This context highlights the lamb’s gentle, timid nature—traits that are typical of the species. Additionally, La Fontaine humanizes the lamb, giving it human-like qualities alongside the wolf, thereby elevating both animals to fully fleshed-out characters.

Question 4: Page 41, Literature 9, Volume 2
The wolf appears in many of La Fontaine’s fables. Show that the portrayal of the wolf in *The Wolf and the Lamb* is not entirely aligned with Ten’s description. While it can be seen as amusing (the comedy of its foolishness), it is primarily detestable (the tragedy of its cruelty).

Answer:
In La Fontaine’s fables, the wolf frequently appears as a character. When creating the wolf, La Fontaine carefully considered its natural behavior as a predator. In *The Wolf and the Lamb*, the wolf is depicted as a vivid character with a “starving” belly and “skinny bones,” desperately seeking food (comedic foolishness). However, the wolf is primarily portrayed as a despicable, cunning, and arrogant creature that bullies the weak (tragic cruelty). The wolf is anthropomorphized just as the lamb is, under the poet’s creative hand, highlighting the unique characteristics of the fable genre.