A Literary Criticism of "The Three Little Pigs" Through a Mythilogical Lense

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Every enduring object or idea lasts because ordinary people focused on their goal and ignored the temptation of taking the easy path that leads to failure. History illustrates that great feats require arduous labor and wise preparation. During World War II, the Allies attacked a less than fully prepared German defense in Normandy on D-Day, which became a foothold in Europe for the Allies. The Chinese spent over 1,700 years developing the 3,700 mile-long Great Wall that successfully protected their country from Mongol invaders. The key difference in the outcomes of these events lies in the determination and preparation of the opposing sides. In the end, the more prepared side exploited the shortcomings of its opposition. Many writers have gained inspiration from the effects strong wills have had on human history, and the fruit of one forgotten author has remained a staple example of the benefits of labor since the Mid-Nineteenth Century.

The story of “The Three Little Pigs” (Disney Enterprises, 311-320) juxtaposes the beneficial rewards of hard work against the damaging effects of excessive leisure. The Germans (the foolish pigs) did not take the time to move enough troops to defend Normandy (the straw and stick houses) from the Allies (the wolf). In contrast, the Chinese (the wise brother) built the Great Wall (the brick house) which provided sufficient defense against the Mongols (the wolf). These two situations parallel “The Three Little Pigs” because in each case, the side that fully prepared survived while the side that did not prepare failed. This outcome is universal throughout history and throughout the world because every human can learn and grow from their experiences and failures.

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...People respond to the three pigs because either they have been in the pigs’ position, or they are ready to learn from the pigs’ experience. Everyone faces his own personal “wolf” that bares its teeth and threatens to blow away his foundation, but “The Three Little Pigs” offers hard work and determination as a solution to any problem that seems insurmountable. Proper preparation prevents poor performance regardless of the situation, and the three pigs show that sometimes, a poor performance might be the last one.

Works Cited

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. New York: Gramercy, 1979. Print

Disney Enterprises, Inc. “Three Little Pigs.” Disney’s Storybook Collection. First Edition. Nancy Parent. New York: Disney Press, 1998. 311-320. Print

"Matthew 7:24-27." New Scofield Study Bible. Ed. C. I. Scofield. Oxford: Oxford Univ, 1987. 1330. Print.

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