Aesop’s story of the Fox and the Grapes is an interesting piece. There is a lot more to the story than the few words available actually present in my eyes. The first things that I would like point out is that our main character, the Fox, is indeed a fox, and through out human history the fox is metaphorically portrayed as sly and clever. However, this fox is not. If anything this fox is lazy and acceptant of denial. Being the cleverest of the animal kingdom, I wonder if this is not what Aesop had in mind when telling this story. Surely he could have climbed up the trellis on which the grapes grew.
Another question point to this tale is who the antagonist really is. At first the blame is directed towards the grapes, but I think the real enemy of the story is the Fox’s own pride, laziness, and arrogance. Initially he wanted the grapes, but eventually he would turn his nose away from them claiming they were sour.
It’s reminds me of my own life, and how in the past—and probably in the future—I have denied myself the better things in life because they were not easily obtained, e.g., scholarships, positions on athletic teams, or a seat next to the pretty girl who I liked. All of these things I could have had for myself, but because I didn’t apply my natural abilities, like the Fox who is clever, I’ve walked away rejecting the grapes that at first I so hungry for. I wonder if the Fox—like myself—was left as bitter and sour on the inside as he perceived the grapes?
