Arachne, who lived in Greece during ancient times, was famous for her incredible talent in weaving cloth. She could make the most beautiful cloth in the entire land. However, Arachne was not a modest girl. She would walk through the city boasting about her incredible talents. Arachne would even tell people that she was better at weaving than the revered goddess Athena. Athena was not pleased by Arachne’s boasting. One day, Athena knocked on Arachne’s door. Arachne opened the door to find an old lady dressed in ragged clothes. She did not know she was really looking at Athena in disguise. The old lady pretended to be interested in buying some of Arachne’s cloth. Arachne let the old lady enter. Immediately, Athena, disguised as the old lady, started criticizing Arachne’s weaving, saying she could do much better. Insulted, Arachne challenged the old lady to a weaving contest. After accepting the challenge, Athena emerged from her disguise. Arachne was not at all frightened by the prospect of a weaving competition with Athena; Arachne was completely convinced she would win! Both Arachne and Athena spent hours weaving beautiful cloth. Athena’s cloth was spectacular. She had woven a picture of the gods performing their many wonderful deeds. Arachne’s cloth also portrayed the gods and was equally stunning. However, Arachne’s cloth portrayed the gods at their weakest moments, displaying their worst behavior. Athena was furious. She could not believe Arachne had the audacity to insult the gods. Athena complimented Arachne on her amazing weaving talent and told her she would be justly rewarded for her gifts. Arachne felt her head begin to shrink and watched in horror as six furry legs sprouted from her body. Athena told her to enjoy spending the rest of her days weaving all she wished. Literary Elements Experienced readers refer to plot, setting, character, and point of view when discussing literature to appreciate deep, rich storytelling.
Inference Thoughtful readers will often draw conclusions beyond the facts stated in the story. Inferring based on reasoning and experience helps make a story or work of art more meaningful by looking for clues about the author's or artist's mindset.
Themes Experienced readers can often identify a theme--the meaning, feeling, or message--that may be stated clearly or left hidden by the author for readers to discover.
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AuthorsMrs. Jennifer Hethcox and Mr. Kevin Durden. Archives
January 2017
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