What is a Moral of a Story?

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Grade Level:

Class 4

NLP, Law, History, Social Sciences, Literature, Journalism, Communication

Definition

What is it?

The moral of a story is the important lesson or message that the story teaches you about life. It's the main takeaway that helps you understand right from wrong, or how to behave in different situations.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine a story where a boy always finishes his homework on time. Because of this, he gets good marks and his teacher praises him. The moral of this story is that being disciplined and completing your tasks on time leads to good results.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's find the moral of the story: 'A thirsty crow saw a pot with little water. It couldn't reach the water. It then picked up small pebbles, one by one, and dropped them into the pot until the water level rose, and it could drink.'
---1. Identify the main problem: The crow is thirsty but cannot reach the water.
---2. Observe how the character solves the problem: The crow doesn't give up. It thinks of a clever idea (using pebbles) and works hard.
---3. See the outcome: The crow succeeds in drinking water and quenching its thirst.
---4. Connect the problem-solving and outcome to a life lesson: The crow's actions show that with effort and smart thinking, you can overcome difficulties.
---ANSWER: The moral of the story is 'Where there is a will, there is a way,' or 'Never give up and use your intelligence to solve problems.'

Why It Matters

Understanding morals helps you learn valuable life lessons without having to experience everything yourself, like how lawyers understand justice from past cases. It helps journalists tell stories that make people think, and improves your ability to communicate important messages clearly in any job.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Confusing the plot (what happens) with the moral (the lesson). | CORRECTION: The plot is the sequence of events. The moral is the deeper meaning or teaching you get from those events.

MISTAKE: Thinking every story has only one exact moral. | CORRECTION: While many stories have a clear main moral, sometimes different people can find slightly different, but related, valuable lessons depending on their perspective.

MISTAKE: Stating the moral as a simple fact from the story. | CORRECTION: The moral should be a general truth or principle that can apply to many situations, not just what happened to the characters.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: A fox saw some grapes hanging high. He tried to jump and reach them many times but failed. He then walked away saying, 'These grapes must be sour anyway.' What is the moral? | ANSWER: It's easy to despise what you cannot get, or 'Sour Grapes'.

QUESTION: A shepherd boy cried 'Wolf!' twice for fun, making villagers rush to help. The third time a real wolf came, he cried 'Wolf!', but no one believed him. What is the moral? | ANSWER: A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.

QUESTION: Two friends were walking through a forest when they saw a bear. One friend quickly climbed a tree. The other friend lay on the ground, pretending to be dead, as bears don't attack dead things. The bear sniffed him and left. The friend in the tree asked, 'What did the bear whisper to you?' The friend on the ground replied, 'It told me to never travel with a friend who deserts you in danger.' What are two morals from this story? | ANSWER: 1. A friend in need is a friend indeed. 2. Always think quickly and smartly in dangerous situations.

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which of these is NOT a moral of a story?

Honesty is the best policy.

Slow and steady wins the race.

The rabbit ran fast.

Look before you leap.

The Correct Answer Is:

Options A, B, and D are general life lessons or principles, which are morals. Option C is a simple statement of an event from a story, not a lesson.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

In daily Indian news, journalists often report stories that carry a moral, like tales of people overcoming poverty through hard work, or community efforts to clean a river. These stories aim to inspire and teach citizens about important values, similar to how ancient parables taught lessons through simple narratives.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

LESSON: A piece of knowledge or instruction. | MESSAGE: A communication containing information, news, or advice. | TAKEAWAY: An important point or piece of information to remember. | PRINCIPLE: A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior. | WISDOM: The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment.

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Next, you can explore 'How to identify the theme of a story.' While a moral is a specific lesson, a theme is a broader idea or subject that a story explores, and understanding both helps you appreciate literature even more.