What are the main themes in best known jataka stories?

The Buddha is a very common character as these are stories about his past lives. He often takes on different forms, like an animal or a human in various occupations. Animals are also common characters. For example, the wise monkey or the noble elephant. These animal characters usually represent certain virtues or vices. Then there are kings and princes. They are often in a position of power and are used to show how power can be used for good or bad depending on the character's actions.

One popular children's Jataka story is 'The Monkey King's Self - sacrifice'. In this story, the Monkey King shows great leadership and selflessness to protect his troop. Another is 'The Elephant and the Dog'. It teaches about friendship and acceptance as the elephant befriends a little dog in the story. And 'The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking' which warns about the danger of excessive chatter.

There is a Jataka tale about a deer. This deer was very beautiful and gentle. In the story, the deer had a magical ability. It could understand the language of other animals. One day, it helped a lost bird find its way home by using this special ability. The deer showed great compassion in this story.

Jataka stories are ancient Buddhist tales. They originated to teach moral and spiritual lessons through engaging narratives.

Madness is another theme. For example, in 'The Black Cat', the narrator's descent into madness is vividly depicted as he first loves and then brutally harms his pet cat due to his own deteriorating mental state.

One main theme is the struggle against social norms. For example, in the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, they faced the strict social rules about gender roles and family - arranged marriages. Their love was pure but couldn't be accepted in the society at that time.

One of the main themes is slavery. It shows the complex relationships within a slave - owning society. The power dynamics between slaves and slave owners are explored, as well as the different ways slaves resisted or coped with their situation.

In many of these stories, love is a common theme. For example, in 'The Gift of the Magi', it's about selfless love between a husband and a wife. Another theme is the human condition. 'The Lottery' shows how people can blindly follow traditions, which is part of the complex human nature. Also, survival is a theme, like in 'To Build a Fire' where the man is fighting for his life in the cold.

Responsibility is also a key theme. There are stories where characters learn to take responsibility for their actions. For instance, if they make a mistake, they own up to it and try to make amends, which shows the importance of being accountable for what we do.

Another theme might be courage. There could be stories where the main character has to face their fears and do something brave. For instance, a story of a person standing up against an unjust rule in their community, which is a great display of courage.