Stories and fables often teach us lessons while being fun and entertaining. Jack and the Beanstalk is a classic example of this kind of story. It starts off a with a poor boy named Jack and his mom living in a house outside of town. To make money and get food for the coming year, Jack's mom tells him to sell their cow for seeds to plant. Jack goes into town but ends up giving his cow to an old man for 3 “magic” beans. Jack comes home and tells his mom, but his mom is so disappointed that she bursts out crying. Jack gets disappointed in himself and ends up throwing the beans outside the window in frustration. The next day the beans have sprouted into a giant beanstalk that goes into the sky. Jack climbs the beanstalk to find a massive castle and a giant in it, who supposedly eats children. He also sees a golden goose that lays golden eggs. Seeing this opportunity to get money for his family and make his mother happy again, Jack takes the goose from the giant and escapes. Once he gets down from the beanstalk, he cuts down the beanstalk. Now he has enough money to buy back the family cow and support his mom. Then as usual “they all lived happily ever after.”
This story has been around for more than 200 years and was published by Benjamin Tabart back in 1807. Most fables are meant to scare children into following rules and listening to adults. For example, Little Red Riding Hood tries to teach kids not to trust strangers. However, Jack and the Beanstalk is different as it shows people more of the lesson to take opportunities in front of you. It is unlike most fables which often show people who steal others' possessions getting punished such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears or the Three Pigs. Even though throughout the story, the Giant is said to eat children, an apparent attempt to make kids fear the antagonist of the fable. When Jack steals from the Giant through a home invasion, who had previously done nothing wrong to Jack, we see the Giant as evil. Some people think the reason for this is to teach children risk and reward. This idea that people should take risky opportunities for known as well as unknown benefits that could come out of it. For instance, Jack’s mom took the risk of raising a child as a poor widow. I think that the reason for this is the rise of industrialization and newer types of businesses. With the Industrial Era on the horizon, I think writers wanted to teach people about business and profits and to take opportunities wherever there are, showing even the smallest of children to take risks for money. Back then, children worked long hours in factories for barely anything; this fable teaches kids to take this opportunity to make money, even if it is stressful and dangerous, just like Jack when he decides to take the golden goose. No matter if it is to take the opportunity to get jobs at factories or to invest in businesses, I think that the morals of Jack and the Beanstalk were to promote business and to get people on board with taking risks with new companies.
Jack & the Beanstalk
JULY FABLE by Dexter Hom
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