dramatization and armature

The following is a story by Aesop.

“BUNDLE OF STICKS”

Once there was a farmer with many sons whose sons were always bickering and fighting with each other. One day the farmer called his sons together. He had with him a bundle of sticks tied together.

He commanded each son to take the bundle and break it in half. In turn they tried and failed. The farmer then untied the bundle, handed each son a single stick and told them to break them now. Which they did so with ease.

“You see, my sons,” said the farmer, “if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other, you will be unaffected by all the attacks of your enemies; but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks."

Armature (Moral): In unity there is strength.

Aesop lived nearly 3,000 years ago and his stories are still told. Not only are they told they thrive. They are part of our everyday lives. Everyone knows what we mean when we say someone is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Or if we say someone has sour grapes. Or if we say of someone that he/she is crying wolf. All of these sayings are from Aesop’s stories.

Why have stories told so long ago stuck around? It is because they had something to say about living as a human being in society, and people haven’t changed much since 600 BC. And believe me, as long as there are people, we will have the same problems we have always had.

Aesop’s armatures are often called morals, but whatever you call them, it all boils down to the fact that he had a point. Not only that, but he dramatized his point. The farmer in the “Bundle of Sticks” story demonstrates his point to his sons rather than just telling them. This also demonstrates Aesop’s point to the reader.

Just as with a joke, these short-form stories have no excess elements. Remember that this is true of any well-crafted story, regardless of length.

I included this story to dramatize the ideas of dramatization and armature.