THE TALKATIVE TORTOISE

ANALYSIS
(ABEL106: Afro-Asian Literature)

Group 2 (III – ABEL B):

John Villanueva, Jr.

Aileen Mae Cayabyab

Harjie Cruz

Paul Andrew Soliven

Mary Joy Ignacio

Jasmin Joyce Celeste

April Portem

Ms. Christine Iñez B. Aquino

(Instructor)
THE TALKATIVE TORTOISE
Panchatantra Story

ANALYSIS:

I. PLOT

• Exposition
There once a tortoise named Kambugriva lived near a lake with his two swan friends.

• Complication / Rising Action

It was summer and the lake began to dry up, so the swans told the tortoise to go to
another lake in the forest where they can survive.

• Climax / Crisis
The swans came up with the plan to take the tortoise along, so they made tortoise bite
the center of the stick and told not to open its mouth no matter what.

• Falling Action / Reversal

People saw that there was a commotion on the ground about two birds taking tortoise
with the help of a stick, and were mesmerized.

• Denouement / Resolution
In spite of warnings from the two swans, the tortoise opened its mouth and ask “what’s
a commotion all about?” And then it fell to its death.

II. CHARACTERS

 Kambugriva – a talkative tortoise who cannot follow instruction.

 Swans – the tortoise’ friends who warn him for his own good.

III. POINT OF VIEW

• Third-Person Point of View

The narrator is not part of the story and she gives us the information about the situation
happened in the story and insight on a certain characters thought and feelings.

IV. THEME

• “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”

• “One should speak only at the right moment.”

Because of the tortoise hard headed characteristic he forgot about the warnings of the
two swans, not to open his mouth, but then he did and fell to its death.

V. CONFLICT

• Man vs. Self

If the tortoise only thought that the warning is for his own good, he must remember the
warnings of the two swans.

• Man vs. Destiny

VI. ATMOSPHERE / MOOD

 • The mood of the story is tragic wherein the tortoise feel to its own death because of his
hard headed characteristic.

VII. Imagery

• As the story goes on, we absolutely feel sorry for the tortoise for he cannot enjoy their new
home anymore.

VIII. Irony

• Irony of situation was applied in the story where the tortoise and his friends traveled to
survive, but then the tortoise did not survived along the way due to his talkativeness, he fell
to his own death.

VIII. CRITICAL APPROACHES

• Formalism / Formalistic Approach

The story was presented comprising with the literary elements and devices on it.

• Moralistic Approach
The story tells us that in everything we do, we must wait for the right time to enjoy
everything in life.