Reading Notes: Babbitt Jataka Tales Part B

These reading notes are over The Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt. The elephant girly-face story was interesting. The main character is like a sponge, taking in the thoughts and opinions of everyone that passes by. I think showing the dynamic nature of character reactions throughout every story is actually a very useful way to carry the story forward. At its core, characters affecting each other's emotions are the core of every story. This story brings this down to the bare bones and uses the elephant as an extreme case of people doing exactly what is suggested to them. If you talk about kindness and demonstrate kindness than everyone around you will do the same.
I will say there is very little character development in the Jataka's, which I actually kind of like. The simplicity of the stories is like a narrative way to simply teach a lesson. It reads a little like poetry, all punchline and minimal set up.
Why the Owl is Not King of the Birds is kind of like an origin story of a discord in nature that people had observed (at least that is what I am guessing). Feuds have strength in stories because the conflict arises out of human emotion and pride rather than any specific situation. This makes them longer lasting. Discussing the tendency of characters to sacrifice their wellbeing to protect their ego is a longstanding and important theme.
Also, the usage of simple animals to teach is effective because the story really becomes about the content instead of the characters themselves.

Owl by Mark Coleman on Flickr