Question

On day, a fox chased a frightened rabbit from under a bush. The rabbit ran fast and escaped. As the fox returned home, a passing traveler said, "Aren't you ashamed to let a little rabbit get the better of you?" "Don't forget," replied the fox, "that I was only chasing my supper. The rabbit was running for its life!"
What is the theme of this passage?

What details support the theme?

Answer 1

Answer:

The theme seems to be something along the lines of, "perspective can make a world of difference."

Explanation:

In the passage, the main realization point is just after a passing traveler shares their perspective. The traveler did not seem to think about the fact that for the contrasting lives of a fox and a rabbit, both have trials and tribulations throughout life, only some are greater than others. The fox needs to eat, so catching his supper would mean a great deal to him. However, the rabbit would be running away tos ave his own life, which I can confidently say would mean a great deal more than one meal. Each character in the story is faced with the topic of perspective, and that is the exact message the passage is trying to get through to the audience. This passage is a perfect example of what is known as a fable. Fables include a short story, consisting of few characters that often tend to be animals, with the purpose of sharing an important theme or lesson. A consistant theme throughout fables is perspective, so I would say this is a good example of just that.