Before reading the story
A Traditional Tale?
In the original version of The Three Little Pigs the Wolf is certainly portrayed as the bad guy. We are left in no doubt about that! The three little pigs are innocent and didn't deserve to be treated so badly. I wouldn't trust that wolf if you paid me!!
Can the wolf convince us that he is not really at fault??? How could he persuade us to believe that??
The wolf in this story is trying to PERSUADE us (the readers) to believe his side of the story. You be the judge to see if he does a good job at persuading us.
Reading "The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs"
Read the story.
Then afterwards ....
Who is telling this story? How do you know this? What words are used to tell you who is telling this story? Look at a couple of pages.
When you read the traditional story, who do you feel sorry for?
What is the wolf trying to do in this more modern story?
When you hear his side of the story do you feel differently about the wolf?
Do you believe him? What things does he say or do that make you believe his side of the story or not to really believe him?
What sort of a character is the wolf in this story?
How does it make you feel when the wolf says, "It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw. So I ate it up." or he says, "And do you know what that rude little porker answered?"
Is he as trustworthy as he would like us to believe?
How is the wolf describing the pigs?
Then afterwards ....
Who is telling this story? How do you know this? What words are used to tell you who is telling this story? Look at a couple of pages.
When you read the traditional story, who do you feel sorry for?
What is the wolf trying to do in this more modern story?
When you hear his side of the story do you feel differently about the wolf?
Do you believe him? What things does he say or do that make you believe his side of the story or not to really believe him?
What sort of a character is the wolf in this story?
How does it make you feel when the wolf says, "It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw. So I ate it up." or he says, "And do you know what that rude little porker answered?"
Is he as trustworthy as he would like us to believe?
How is the wolf describing the pigs?
Compare the two stories
Traditional Story
Who tells this story? Who do you feel sorry for in this story? What do the 3 little pigs and the wolf say in this story? Why does the wolf get the blame in this story? |
Modern story
Who tells this story? Who do you feel sorry for in this story? What do the 3 little pigs and the wolf say in this story? Why doesn't the wolf get the blame in this story? (Or do we still not believe him??) |
Identifying the Wolf's arguments
What are some of the arguments put forward by the Wolf to convince us that he really didn't mean to eat the pigs and blow down their houses?
List them on the whiteboard.
If you have time, look at the text and identify some of the words or phrases using persuasive language techniques.
List them on the whiteboard.
If you have time, look at the text and identify some of the words or phrases using persuasive language techniques.
What is Point of View?
This story has been told from the wolf's point of view.
Discuss what we mean by point of view.
If you had told the story from the wolf's point of view, would you have done it differently?
Do you think Jon Scieszka wanted us to believe the wolf or not? Why?
Discuss what we mean by point of view.
If you had told the story from the wolf's point of view, would you have done it differently?
Do you think Jon Scieszka wanted us to believe the wolf or not? Why?