Apologue Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: RL.3.2

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

Short stories, fables, or simple narratives that offer the reader a moral lesson are called an apologue. These types of narratives are often directed through inanimate characters or animals and often include greatly exaggerated details. Framing the scene in such a way often results as a good vehicle to convey a positive moral message. The primary purpose of an apologue is to communicate the moral message. The term is derived from the Greek phrase "apologos" which means narrative. This is a large collection of teacher worksheets that help students explore the use of this literary technique and understand how it serves the author's purpose.

Apologue Worksheets:

Redo Fables - You will rewrite the well known fables using this premise.

Picture to Words - We provide you with a picture and then ask you to develop a narrative that flows with this form.

True or False - Some teachers have told us that they have used this as a quiz and it worked well.

Good Form - We provide you with a short narrative and ask you if it follows this form.

Apologues and Fables - Complete the chart to understand the similarities and differences between between these types of narratives.

What's the Difference? - We explore several related literary techniques and their uses.

Finish It - Use the vocabulary words to complete all of the passages.

Graphics Help - Use the Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two kinds of stories.

All in How - Differentiate between the closely related concepts.

All Relative - What are your thoughts on these techniques?

The Facts - What do you know about how this can be used effectively.

Teaching Tools - How can you learn to use this in your own writing.

Understanding - Listen to a story and see if you can find where this fits best.

Composition - This will walk you through an exercise of creating your own narrative.

Aesop's Fables - You will work through some of the better known works and break them down.

What is an Apologue?

Have you ever read a story that features animals or inanimate objects that possess human actions, motives, and speech? That's an apologue—a fictional tale that tells the account of fictional events to induce moral conduct and convey important lessons to the readers or audience, conceptually through a relation of truth and fiction. Before getting to the nitty-gritty, here's everything you need to know about the origin of Apologue and how it's making waves in modern literature.


Origins

Derived from the Greek phrase apologies, the word Apologue (pronounced: ap-uh-lawg) means "narrative." However, some references show that the word "apologue" in English is derived from the French word of the same spelling, which was borrowed from the Latin word "apologus," which means "tale or fable," used to describe an allegorical story intended to convey a moral, in which animals or inanimate objects take part by communicating in human language.


Uses in Ancient Times

The notable ancient and classical examples of Apologue are that of Jotham's Parable, which dates back to the 13th century BC. This ancient Hebrew story is found in the Book of Judges, part of the Old Testament. However, the most well-known teller of fables or fabulists was Aesop, an enslaved Greek who lived about 600 BC. It is said that enslaved men used tales to make disparaging comments about the powerful or the rich in the early ages. Individuals like this frequently appear in Aesop's fables, such as "The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs," which is about a goose that lays golden eggs.


Examples of Apologue from Aesop's Fables

Demetrius Phalareus created the earliest known collection of fables attributed to Aesop in the 4th century BCE; however, it did not survive until the 9th century CE. The picture of Aesop entertaining the women of Xanthus by Roberto Fontana (1844–1907), which was painted later in the nineteenth century, popularized the topic of Aesop recounting his fables. Aesop is credited with more than six hundred fables, but some of his popular words include:


- The Story of the Tortoise and the Hare
- The Lion and the Mouse
- The Ants and the Grasshopper
- The Dog and the Shadow
- The Fox and the Hedgehog
- The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs


Apologue in Modern Times

Modern writers have adapted the form of the Apologue to suit their own needs and objectives. For example, Joel Chandler Harris recorded traditional tales from nineteenth-century America for his Uncle Remus books. Moreover, Animal Farm, written by George Orwell in 1949 as a warning against communism and authoritarianism, became the most renowned contemporary fable in the modern world. However, the credit for portraying the common person's discomfort in an increasingly sophisticated contemporary world goes to comedians James Thurber and David Sedaris.


In an apologetic speech, the purpose is to provide readers or listeners with a nugget of insight. Or say it is an old style of storytelling that has been passed down through generations around the globe. Even today, authors continue to use apologues to illustrate their points as amusing depictions of human nature. What is your favorite childhood book that serves as a great example of Apologue? Share with the readers in the comments below.