In this lesson, we will look at how the setting in 'The Fox and the Crow' is used to better drive home the message that we need to beware of flattery. We will look at the physical setting and how animals are used.Beware of Flattery
Aesop was known for his fables, a story with a moral that typically uses animals as the characters. The Fox and the Crow was one of his fables which tells a story about how we need to beware of flattery. A fox sees a crow with a nice chunk of cheese in his mouth. He determines a way to get that cheese, by flattering the crow into singing. As soon as the crow opens his mouth to sing, the cheese drops out of the crow's mouth and into the fox's waiting mouth.
Physical Setting
Not much is said about the physical setting in this story. All that we know is that the crow is in the tree and the fox is on the ground looking up at the crow. This physical setting is an obstacle for the fox. He cannot get to the crow, even if he were to climb the tree, the crow could simply fly away. The crow has the upper ground here. So in order to succeed the fox needs to be creative.
The crow with cheese in its mouth and the fox below
From the outside perspective, this physical setting makes the crow particularly stupid for falling for the fox's ploy. The crow had the upper ground, and the crow didn't need to lose his cheese. But he fell for the ploy and lost his upper ground.
