One possible moral could be not to trust strangers easily. The wolf in the story is a deceiver, and the little girl should be more cautious.
A moral could be that innocence can be both a strength and a weakness. The little girl is innocent, which makes her vulnerable to the wolf's trickery. However, her innocence also gives her an almost naive courage at times. It warns us that in a world full of potential threats like the wolf in the story, we need to balance our innocent view of the world with a healthy dose of wariness.
In 'The Little Girl and the Wolf' by James Thurber, it is a modern take on the classic wolf - little girl encounter. The story likely plays with the expectations set by traditional tales. It might show how the characters deviate from the typical roles, perhaps the little girl is not as naive as in the old stories or the wolf may have some new traits.
One main theme could be the subversion of expectations. Traditional stories set a pattern for how a little girl and a wolf interact, and Thurber's story likely breaks those patterns.
Well, clearly the little girl and the wolf are the main characters. The little girl represents the naive and trusting part of human nature. She goes about her business, not fully realizing the danger that the wolf poses. The wolf, on the other hand, is the symbol of cunning and danger. He tries to use his wits to get what he wants from the girl, making the two characters central to the story's plot and conflict.
The moral could be to be cautious of strangers. Just like the little girl should have been more careful when the wolf approached her. In the story, the wolf was clearly a threat, but the girl might not have been fully aware at first.
The moral is that if you lie repeatedly, people won't believe you when you're actually telling the truth. Just like the little girl who kept crying wolf when there was no wolf, and when the real wolf came, no one believed her.
The moral could be about family bonds. Even though the big wolf and little wolf are different in size and maybe experience, they are still family and support each other. For example, the big wolf might protect the little wolf from danger in the story, showing that family members look out for one another.
In 'University Days' by James Thurber, one can find a humorous take on the college experience. Thurber often uses his unique brand of humor to depict the absurdities that can occur in an academic setting. For example, his descriptions of the relationships between students and professors are filled with comical misunderstandings and idiosyncrasies. This story is not just about the academic learning but also about the social and personal growth that occurs during university days, albeit in a rather satirical way.
The moral is often 'Don't cry wolf' or in other words, don't lie or give false alarms. Because in the story, when the girl keeps lying about the wolf coming, people stop believing her. And when the wolf actually arrives, no one helps her.
The moral could be about not trusting strangers easily. In the story, the girl might face some sort of danger from the wolf which is a stranger. So it warns people, especially children, to be cautious.
Thurber has a great sense of humor in his writing. His short stories often have humorous situations and witty dialogues that make the reader laugh while also thinking. For example, in many of his stories, the characters' misunderstandings lead to comical outcomes. He also has a unique way of creating vivid characters with just a few strokes. In his stories, you can quickly get a sense of who the characters are, what they want, and what their flaws are.