Post 100 words (more or less) providing your interpretation of the story told at the end of chapter 4,
House of the Spirits, about the fox and the chickens. The story is metaphorical. What is it about (not just chickens and a fox) and how do you feel about it?
I think that the story is a metaphor for an uprising, or the strength of a united community. On their own each chicken would not be able to stop the fox from stealing their eggs just as one person would have a difficult time changing the ruling body over them. But when all chickens group together to battle the fox, they succeed in removing him from power. This story could either be refering to communism or thugs/gangs. If I had to pick one I would guess the story is talking about communism because the character that brings it up is (apparently) familiar with soviet ideas and writings. There are also strong ties to the Russian Communist uprising, the fox could be seen as the Tsar and the rich ruling class, they are strong and sly. The numerous poor could be seen as the chickens because they are numerous and weak, due to hunger and disease.
ReplyDeleteThis relates to the 7 pages of the story, because the begining was talking about how the nitrate soil of the North was no longer producing and the unemployeed workers were gathering about the city. A large mass of poor in an area of few rich- I think in the context of the tale the Clara character was trying to ensure that the poor, "chickens" were appeased thru charity so that an uprising could be avoided. If the Fox did not steal, there would be no need for the chickens to attack the fox.
[15] Taken in context of pages assigned, old man Pedro Garcia told Pedro Tercero the story to inspire him to take a stand. Obviously intelligent, Pedro Tercero (a hen) is being undermined by a fox. Full of ideas and thirst for knowledge, Pedro Tercero could successfully use the advice from the old man and create a group of hens to stand up to the fox in the future. Though it seems silly on the surface, I feel that it could be a motivational story for anyone; it is the story of the underdog. Though no one would expect one hen to defeat a fox, banding together would make the hens victorious.
ReplyDelete[12] To me the story of the hen, chickens and fox taught a valuable lesson. The hens in the story I feel represented Clara and her daughter Blanca. They always went and visited the poor and took things to them. The chickens represent the poor to me. They really didn't do much to protect themselves and help their cause. When Clara and Blanca went to visit the poor Blanca said, "I agree that we should all have the same opportunity, but those people don't even try. Its very easy to stretch out your hand and beg for alms." (regrading the poor) Just like the chickens they didn't try to defend themselves, they relied on others too help. They had the hens help them. It wasn't matter of rich or poor but it was a matter of strong and weak. The hens fought as one and they beat the fox. So I learned it doesn't matter what a person's background is, or how rich or poor they are. It matters how hard a person tries and does things for there self.
ReplyDelete[6] The story of the chicken and the fox can have many different meanings. Although now that I think about it I can come up with many underlying themes, when I was first reading it one thing came to my mind. I think that the grandfather told this story to give Pedro Tercero faith that he can stand up to others, although he is poor. I think in this story the chickens represented poor people, and the fox represented the rich. The chickens (poor people) need to stand up to the fox (rich people) and show them what they are made of, and that they are the same as them. I also think that this was the main underlying theme to the story because Blanca did not understand it, and just laughed it off since she is rich. But, Pedro Tercero did not laugh about it since he is poor, he understood what his grandfather was trying to tell him, and that’s why he was up all night thinking about it.
ReplyDelete[17] When Pedro Garcia told his grandson Pedro Tercero and Blanca the story about the fox breaking into the chicken coop every night he wasn’t just telling them some random story. I think he was trying to compare it to what was going on in Tres Marias with Esteban Trueba and the tenant farmers. Esteban Trueba was the fox, he had been untouched by the economic crisis that the rest of the country was dealing with and he was a powerful man who doesn’t think that the peasants should share in the upper class’s wealth. He and the rest of the upper class own the farms that the peasants work on. He doesn’t want to change their situation. Pedro Garcia and the rest of the peasants are the chickens. They have been ruled and stepped on by Esteban Trueba and they want change. The reason he tells his grandson this story is because he doesn’t want him to think he has to let people walk all over him or control him. He wants him to learn to stand up for himself and to not fall prey to those that think they are more powerful. If the people of Tres Marias work together they can get the change they want and they can take down Esteban Trueba. I really enjoyed this story and everything that it represented.
ReplyDelete[23] The story of the hens and the fox can be interpreted in many ways. There was a great deal going on in Tres Marias during this time, so Pedro Garcia could have been implying several lessons in one story to Blanca and Pedro Tercero. I feel that Pedro Garcia told this story in order to inspire Pedro and Blanca. I think he was implying that while right now they may be hens, they can one day become a fox, or at least take a stand against the fox. Pedro Garcia was trying to instill in Pedro Tercero and Blanca hard-work and determination. Obviously, the story had little effect on Blanca who found the story particularly amusing. Pedro Tercero seemed to understand the story and really take it to heart. I think the metaphor is a wonderful story and can be applied to many aspects of life, even in today’s society.
ReplyDelete[11] The story of the hens and the fox can be interpreted in different ways, depending on the reader. I felt that the hens represented the poor and the fox represented the upper class. Just as what was going on in Tres Marias. The population of the poor is far more than the population of the upper class. The upper class is the fox because they continue to survive and eat at the expense of the poor. The poor are represented by the chickens. The poor may be born weak and destined to be failure. However, when they come together and fight for a cause, they become strong, just as the hens did against the fox. The coming together of the hens represents revolution and justice. Old Pedro Garcia told this story in order to inspire Blanca and Pedro. He taught them that one may be weak, but collectively a group is more powerful.
ReplyDeletePedro Garcia tells Blanca and Pedro Tercero the story of how the hens joined forces to confront a fox who comes into the chicken coop every night to steal eggs and eat the baby chickens. In this story, the hens represent the people of Tres Marias in how they, like chickens who produce eggs for people, work to produce crops. Everything they work for goes to Esteban who controls the countryside. The fox in the story would represent Esteban who has complete control over the people of Tres Marias. His arrival in Tres Marias brought about great change; however, his disrespect toward the women of the town caused him to become very unpopular. I would agree with Jessica and Sammantha in saying that Pedro Garcia wanted to inspire Pedro Tercero to take a stand against Esteban.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the last paragraph of the reading about the fox and the chicken, I thought there were different interpretations of the reading 134 – 141. In the beginning of the reading, I thought that Esteban thought that the rich were the foxes, the hens were Clara and Blanca, and the poor were the chickens. The felt that the rich were the foxes they didn’t want to make a change to help the poor. They felt that the poor needed to take care of themselves in the situations they got themselves in. Clara and Blanca, although part of the rich category, they had a heart to help the poor. They set aside their time and risked their lives to take care of the poor. The chickens were considered to be the poor. They were helpless and dependent on others during the time of the epidemic. The other part of the reading I got from the chicken and the fox was when Pedro was trying to save his daughter. He went to the doctor and was turned down for treatment of his daughter and said that he should have brought her sooner. I felt that Pedro was the chicken and the doctor was the fox although Pedro was more of a fox. He had the knowledge and could stand up to others.
ReplyDelete[24] This story goes back to the argument between Esteban Trueba and Clara about Justice. Clara felt that the poor who were suffering needed Justice, not charity, but Esteban viewed the situation completely different. Esteban believed they have justice, being he felt everyone had the same opportunities. He believed that they are poor and homeless because they are lazy and weak. So in the story I believe that Esteban represents the fox, and the poor homeless represent the hens. Alone, a hen cannot stand up against a fox, but as a group the hens can become strong and protects themselves. So the meaning of the story is that the weak can become powerful against those who are trying to take advantage of them, whether that is the wealthy or even the government.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this selection, I believe that this story is about the lesser man overcoming and defeating the powerful “rich” men. The hens represent the lower class people who are constantly undermined by the upper class individuals. However, with a determined group of individuals(hens), they were able to rise up and defeat the powerful men(fox). I think this goes to show that the weak can rise above low expectations and “defeat” the people that look down upon them. By not laughing, Pedro Tercero demonstrated that he understood the story as more than just a metaphor and realized how he could apply it to his own life. I feel that this story is a very strong example of the less fortunate being able to outsmart and conquer the people who are in power.
ReplyDelete[16] After reading the story about the chicken and the hens I interpreted the story in two ways. I felt that the hens were the people working on the lands of Tres Marias and the fox was the owner, Esteban. Pedro Garcia was telling Pedro Tercero that although he may be a hen if he keeps preaching to the other workers (hens) about justice that they would one day be able to overthrow Esteban (fox). On page 136-137 it talks about the poor needing justice, this is what Clara believed. Esteban, on the other hand did not see it this way. He didn’t think it was fair for the people who work less to get the same amount. He said it wasn’t about the rich and poor, but rather the strong and the weak. One fox maybe strong when faced with a few hens, but when there is an abundance of hens, the fox will not win. The other interpretation I came up with was Esteban being the fox, the chickens being the young girls and the hens being the chickens’ parents. Esteban would go out late at night and find a young girl, who eventually would end up pregnant. When the baby was born Esteban would deny that he was the father and would not allow the baby to carry his last name. I think that by Esteban not allowing these children to carry his name will eventually catch up to him. In Tres Marias your last name is everything. The poor are Garcia and the rich are Trueba. I think the babies that Esteban fathered will take over saying that they deserve some of the profits since they are his children or the parents will demand that Esteban give them justice and compensation for the children Esteban abandoned. Eventually the lower class people will be able to seize power from the upper class and finally get the justice they deserve. I think this is a good story that can be applied to many situations.
ReplyDelete[20] The story of the fox and the hens makes me think of those who push for things to change while others just watch as time passes and take for themselves. The hens are the group that want things to change and the fox keeps going on doing what it pleases only for him not caring how the hens feel about what he's doing. The hens react to defend themselves, eggs, and chicks to go against the fox. You can replace the fox with people or a group (government) taking what they want without caring about the consequences. The hens are the people (average citizens) who fight against the government for change to better their life.
ReplyDelete[5] The story of the fox and the hens is a strong metaphor that reflects both the situation at Tres Marias and the whole country. The fox represents the upper classes that hold the wealth and power, and the chickens represent the poor working class that are powerless against the rich unless they work together. Blanca’s reaction to the story, laughing it off as an impossibility, reflects the typical reaction of the ruling class to any idea of a successful peasant revolt, as the elite considered these lower classes not intelligent enough to pose a threat. On the other hand, Pedro Tercero’s reaction of intense contemplation of the idea shows that this kind of revolt is a viable possibility as these people are in fact capable of working together, which serves as intense foreshadowing of events later on in the novel. To me, this story serves an example of how any great change must be made, and this metaphor can also be applied to the American revolution and other uprising throughout the world, not just revolutions in Latin America.
ReplyDelete[14] In my opinion the story of the chickens and the fox is a metaphor reflecting the economic collapse of the nitrate fields in Tres Marías and also throughout Chile, leaving thousands destitute and on the streets. The chickens represent the poor working class citizens while the fox represents the wealthy class. The wealthy class, the fox, has power and control over the poor working class, the chickens. But when the chickens come together and rebel, they defeat the fox. I think the story is showing that the poor people should not have to do whatever the rich want and if they are always treated as inferiors and never as equals, then they will revolt in order to be heard. I enjoyed the story and I think it also serves as an example of the changes that came about in Latin America during the neocolonial period and the Cold War era as more Latin American countries revolted and earned their independence, boosted their economies, and the prejudice directed at Latin Americans by other world powers.
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ReplyDelete[2] [2] In the excerpt in House of Spirits, Pedro Tercero questions his elders, and likes the teachings of Marx, the story Pedro Garcia tells can be translated that the hens are like Pedro-- just the average citizen of a nation. The fox is the government. The hens are more powerful than the single fox. This can mean that the average citizens, like Pedro, are tired of being bullied by the government who doesn't really care for them, and are eventually going to stand up against them for what they need and want resulting in revolution. I feel that its an interesting foreshadowing of what possibly may happen with Pedro in the book.
ReplyDelete[19]My interpretation of the story is that there is strength in numbers and as long as a community is united in taking care of each other they will survive and be stronger than if they act as individuals.
ReplyDeleteThis story could serve as an important example for the under privileged people of Latin America. The fox represents the government who likes to overpower and control the hens, the people. For many years different groups have tried to overpower the government of Latin America for one reason or another. For most groups it was their own personal gain instead of the benefit of the entire community. Since the hens banded together to protect and help everyone they were successful in their mission since they had strength in numbers.
[10] In the reading Blanca and Pedro Tercero are told a story by Pedro Garcia. In this story a group of hens ban together to protect their chicken coop from a greedy fox. I believe that the fox represents the upper class that takes from the lower class. In my opinion the hens represent the lower class. Pedro Garcia was trying to teach Blanca and Pedro Tercero with this story. He was trying to show them that the lower class needed to unite to fight the upper class that constantly was overpowering the lower class. The fox can only be defeated if the hens come together, they are powerless if they do not work together.
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ReplyDeleteIt was clear to me after reading this selection that the argument at the start of the story was about Justice. In the eyes of Esteban the people of the lower class, or poor people, had no need for justice because everyone in the world has equal opportunities. Esteban believed that the poor people were just too lazy to do something about their situation. Clara on the other had thought the opposite. Clara thought that the poor people did not need clarity they needed justice against the rich men. In my eyes the fox represents the "rich men" or Esteban, and the hens were the "poor people" or Clara. The story itself to me represented the power in numbers. Alone a hen could not stand up to a fox, but if the hens work together or n numbers they could fight back. This represents the weak rising up against the people trying to control them. They cannot do it alone; they must work together for a common goal.
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ReplyDelete[22] After reading the story about the hens and the fox in the House of the Spirits, I knew it was not just some tale the grandfather was telling the children. This was a metaphorical story which had meaning about the topics that were going on around them. The fox represented the rich, where they thought they could do anything and be anything they wanted and push the weaker people around. The hens represented the poor, who were lazy and 'stupid' and didn't know much about their surroundings. A lone hen could not defeat the fox (one poor person could not out-do the rich) but if they banded together, they could prove a point. The hens worked together to prove to the fox that they were not as stupid as he thought. Which is easy to see that if the poor would band together, they could easily prove to the rich that there is more to them than just stupidity and laziness.
ReplyDeleteThe story about the fox and chicken, was very clearly correlated to the poor and rich. Or in the beginning of the reading the sick and the wealthy whom could stay healthy. The Fox in the story represented the rich man, and the hens represented the poor people. For the most part the rich men are out numbered compared to the collective poverty ridden communities. While Esteban believed the poor were poor because they choose not to do anything about their problem, while the hen's when they stood up together to fight the fox. All this could only lead to assume if the poor all stuck together and fought for what they wanted they could achieve the same success that the hen's did.
ReplyDeleteYou all understand the story which is about the rich and the poor. In the seven pages that precede Pedro Garcia telling the story, we see arguments from Clara and Esteban about the meaning and use of charity as well as justice. Pedro Tercero has a third perspective on charity and justice, but it is not developed in these seven pages. Nevertheless, begin to think about the legitimacy of the chickens standing up against the fox in relation to the poor standing up against the rich. Esteban Trueba incessantly calls the poor "lazy" and dumb. Do you see any lazy poor people in the book? What is Estaban's evidence? Indeed the peasants of Tres Marias are missing something. What are they missing? What are the unemployed missing? Think about "justice." What would it look like for the peasant women at Tres Marias, or the nitrate workers freezing in the city? How might justice be attained?
ReplyDelete[8] I feel that the story has an obvious connection to the ideas of uprising and rebellion. Time after the time, the chickens were suffering an injustice. After the endured enough, they stood up to the big, mean fox and threw him out so they could live a better life. The chickens, in connection to Latin America, represent all the rural and city working classes who were lorded over by militias and governments, who are represented as the fox. What I find interesting is how Blanca and Pedro reacted to the story, both very differently. The story inspired Pedro, who is a lower class “chicken,” he started to think new thoughts. Blanca, who is from a “fox” class family, was argumentative, believing the lower class was too dumb to organize. An ideal she, most likely, learned from her father and higher class upbringing.
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