Fables, Parables, and
Fairy Tales
Mrs. Bonifay
OCS English I
Genre
• Different types of stories can be
classified according to genre.
• Genre is a particular type or category
of literature.
• Examples of genre include fairy tales,
science fiction, biographies, legends,
and fables.
Fables
• Fables are short stories, many times
using animals as characters
(anthropomorphism).
• Fables illustrate a lesson or moral.
• The Lion and the Mouse and The
Tortoise and the Hare are examples of
fables. Both were written by Aesop, a
famous author of fables.
Fables
Parables
• Parables are stories that teach a basic
truth or religious principle.
• Parables usually involve ordinary people
who are faced with a moral decision.
• Many folktales from all cultures are in
the category of parable.
• Examples of a parable are The Boy Who
Cried Wolf and The Good Samaritan.
Parables
Fairy Tales
• A fairy tale is a story, usually for
children, involving fantastic forces
and beings (such as fairies, wizards,
and goblins) in which improbable
events lead to a happy ending.
• Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are
examples of fairy tales.
Fairy Tales
Modern Day Fables
• Many of Dr. Seuss’ books are considered
modern-day fables. For example, Yertle the
Turtle would be a fable about the right to
freedom for all creatures.
• George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a more complex
fable-like book, also about freedom,
specifically independent thought, truth, and
justice.
• Both use animals as the main characters. The
animals are given human qualities
(personification).
Modern Day Fables