History Main / AnAesop

* BrokenAesop: The events of the story undermine or flat-out contradict the moral.
** CluelessAesop: Mishandling a serious life lesson because a full explanation of the topic is too complex or adult for the audience, language, and tone of the work (e.g. a NoHuggingNoKissing cartoon tries to discuss sexual assault).
** DoNotDoThisCoolThing: A story meant to demonstrate that X is bad unintentionally [[MisaimedFandom makes X look really, really cool]].
** LostAesop: You get the sense you were supposed to learn ''something'', but you're not sure what.

* PhilosophicalParable: A piece of moral philosophy in the form of a story.

Ironically, the Greek storyteller [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop Aesop]] probably doesn't deserve the dubious honor of having this trope named after him. In their original forms these stories likely did ''not'' end with heavy-hitting moral {{anvil|icious}}s. The listeners (for Aesop would have been an oral storyteller) were probably left to sort out the meaning for themselves; the one-liner morals (such as "slow and steady wins the race") were likely tacked on by modern compilers, and were often used as rhetorical devices by later orators to make a point.

* DissonantAesop: When the moral of a story falls flat due to conflicts with the fantastical or technologically advanced nature of the worldbuilding.

* TeachHimAnger: Being angry is a justified response to a bad situation, however, you must still control yourself before you do something you regret.

* SubvertedSuspicionAesop: A subversion of the StockAesop [[SuspicionAesop "don't judge a book by its cover"]]; where Alice instinctively dislikes the newcomer Bob, is told to calm down and "give him a chance", but ultimately is vindicated when Bob proves to be a scumbag. This happens often enough that it gets its own trope.

* SubvertedSuspicionAesop: A subversion of the StockAesop "don't judge a book by its cover"; where Alice instinctively dislikes the newcomer Bob, is told to calm down and "give him a chance", but ultimately is vindicated when Bob proves to be a scumbag. This happens often enough that it gets its own trope.

** FantasticAesop: A work of SpeculativeFiction delivers an Aesop which is not applicable in the real world.

** FantasticAesop: A work of SpeculativeFiction attempts to deliver an Aesop with a metaphor for some RealLife issue, but the details of the setting undermine the intended message (e.g. "Death is a part of life" in a world where [[Main/DeathIsCheap resurrection is possible]])

A lot of kids' shows go out of their way for this, especially Creator/{{Disney}}-animated shows. Writers often call it the "Object Lesson", and write the episode around it. This is particularly noticeable in programs made in UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates during [[TheSeventies the late 1970s]] through [[TheNineties the early 1990s]], as the FCC at the time[[note]]pushed by a relentless group of MoralGuardians called "Action for Children's Television"[[/note]] required that [[EdutainmentShow all children's television shows have "educational" content]], and this was the simplest way to meet its requirements.

Ironically, the Greek storyteller [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop Aesop]] probably doesn't deserve the dubious honor of having this trope named after him. In their original forms these stories likely did ''not'' end with heavy-hitting moral [[AnvilOfTheStory anvils]]. The listeners (for Aesop would have been an oral storyteller) were probably left to sort out the meaning for themselves; the one-liner morals (such as "slow and steady wins the race") were likely tacked on by modern compilers, and were often used as rhetorical devices by later orators to make a point.

* AnvilOfTheStory: The moral is obvious and not at all subtle.
** {{Anvilicious}}: The delivery of the moral has no nuance nor finesse; it lands on the audience's heads with all the subtlety of an [[AnvilOnHead anvil]].
** SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: The importance of the message justifies its {{Anvilicious}} presentation.

* SafeDrivingAesop: A lesson presented, usually through dictation or fear, about why we should all drive like our grandmas in the passenger seat.

* SpecialAesopVictim; A character who ends up dying or severely injured to reinforce an Aesop for a VerySpecialEpisode.

* {{Aesop/Other}}

* FantasticAesop: A moral which is appropriate for characters in SpeculativeFiction (e.g. "Don't raise the dead") but which has no RealLife application except metaphorically.

[[AC:Aesops in General]]

** {{Anvilicious}}: The moral lands on the audience's heads with all the finesse of an [[AnvilOnHead anvil]].

* EatingAesop: An Aesop about the dangers of skipping important meals.

* HardTruthAesop: A moral that is unexpected and defies conventional wisdom (but may be good advice nevertheless).