Aesop Androcles And The Lion

The passages taken from, “Androcles and the Lion,” by Aesop demonstrate how the experiences you have in life, affect your responses in future situations. The play features a poor slave Androcles, who, while running from his master, runs into a lion who he viewed as a beast. The lion, however, was only looking to Androcles for help, to get the thorn out of his paw. Androcles gets over his fear of the lion and removes the thorn. His one decision to help the lion, later helps him in a life-threatening situation. The lions actions throughout the play impact the actions of both Androcles’ and the Emperor, as the actions of Androcles and the Emperor impact the lions actions. Androcles first responded to the lion with fear demonstrated by his first initial reaction … to run away. However, he was so tired from running to escape his master that he couldn’t gain …show more content…
In the beginning of the play, Androcles removed a thorn from the beasts paw and the lion then “fawned upon Androcles and showed, in every way that he knew, the whom he owed the relief….” (Aesop 1). This lion remembered this small act of kindness and remembered Androcles years later when they were put in the same arena to fight to the death. The lions mood instantly because gentle and child-like when seeing Androcles, which is the reason why he walked out alive. However, the lion became violent when the Emperor spoke harshly towards the two, but refused to attack when Androcles was between the two. The Emperor stated proudly how he was not afraid, yet commanded, “Keep between us,” to Androcles in an unspoken attempt to hide from the lion (Aesop 6). The lion responds positively to positive situations which makes everyone feel safe, and it responds violently and negatively to situations it deems threatening which puts the lives of others at