What is Moral of a Story?

S2-SA2-0199

Grade Level:

Class 5

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

Definition

What is it?

The moral of a story is the main lesson or teaching that the author wants you to learn from it. It's the important truth about life, good behaviour, or human nature that the story tries to convey.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine your friend always copies your homework and gets good marks, but then fails the final exam because they never learned anything themselves. The moral here could be: 'Honesty is the best policy' or 'Hard work pays off, not cheating.'

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's find the moral of the famous story, 'The Tortoise and the Hare'.

1. **Understand the characters and their actions:** The Hare is fast and overconfident. The Tortoise is slow but steady and determined.
---2. **Identify the main conflict/challenge:** The Hare and Tortoise have a race.
---3. **Observe the outcome:** The Hare takes a nap, thinking he will win easily. The Tortoise keeps going without stopping and crosses the finish line first.
---4. **Think about why the outcome happened:** The Hare lost because of his overconfidence and laziness. The Tortoise won because of his perseverance.
---5. **Formulate the lesson:** The story teaches us that being slow and steady can win the race, and overconfidence can lead to failure.

**Answer:** The moral of 'The Tortoise and the Hare' is 'Slow and steady wins the race' or 'Never underestimate anyone'.

Why It Matters

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Confusing the moral with the plot or summary of the story. | CORRECTION: The plot is 'what happened'. The moral is 'what the story teaches'. Focus on the deeper lesson, not just the events.

MISTAKE: Thinking every story has only one exact moral. | CORRECTION: Many stories can have several related morals, or the moral can be interpreted slightly differently by different people. Look for the main, overarching lesson.

MISTAKE: Stating the moral as a question or a specific event. | CORRECTION: The moral should be a general statement or a piece of advice that applies to many situations, not just the story itself. For example, 'Don't be greedy' is a moral, not 'Why did the fox lose the grapes?'

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: A boy always tells lies to avoid doing chores. One day, when he genuinely needs help, no one believes him. What is the moral of this story? | ANSWER: The moral is 'Liars are not believed even when they tell the truth' or 'Honesty is important'.

QUESTION: A group of friends is planning a trip. Everyone wants to go to a different place and argue constantly. In the end, they don't go anywhere. What moral can be learned here? | ANSWER: The moral is 'Unity is strength' or 'It's important to compromise and work together'.

QUESTION: A new student joins your class. Everyone ignores them because they seem quiet. Later, you find out they are incredibly talented in art and help your class win an art competition. What two morals can be drawn from this? | ANSWER: The morals could be 'Don't judge a book by its cover' and 'Give everyone a chance'.

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which of the following best describes the moral of a story?

The main character's favourite food

The lesson or teaching the story wants to convey

A list of all the events that happen in the story

The number of pages in the book

The Correct Answer Is:

The moral is the underlying lesson or teaching. Options A, C, and D describe other aspects of a story or book, but not its moral.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

In Indian family discussions, elders often share stories from epics like the Ramayana or Mahabharata, or even personal anecdotes, to teach important life lessons to younger generations. For example, a grandparent might tell a story about someone who worked hard and succeeded to instill the moral of 'diligence' in their grandchildren.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

LESSON: A piece of knowledge or instruction gained from experience. | TEACHING: The act or profession of a person who teaches. | ETHICS: Moral principles that govern a person's behaviour. | VALUES: A person's principles or standards of behaviour; one's judgment of what is important in life. | PROVERB: A short, popular saying that expresses a general truth or piece of advice.

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand what a moral is, you can explore different types of stories like fables, parables, and folktales. Learning about these will help you identify morals even more easily and appreciate how different cultures convey life lessons.