Docsity
Docsity
Prepare for your exams
Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity

Earn points to download
Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan

Guidelines and tips
Guidelines and tips
Sell on Docsity
Sell on Docsity
Docsity AI
Docsity AI
Log inSign up

Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity

Find documents

Prepare for your exams with the study notes shared by other students like you on Docsity

Search for your university

Find the specific documents for your university's exams

Docsity AINEW

Summarize your documents, ask them questions, convert them into quizzes and concept maps

Explore questions

Clear up your doubts by reading the answers to questions asked by your fellow students

Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan

Share documents
download point icon20 Points

For each uploaded document

Answer questions
download point icon5 Points

For each given answer (max 1 per day)

All the ways to get free points
Get points immediately

Choose a premium plan with all the points you need

Study Opportunities

Choose your next study program

Get in touch with the best universities in the world. Search through thousands of universities and official partners

Community

Ask the community

Ask the community for help and clear up your study doubts

Free resources

Our save-the-student-ebooks!

Download our free guides on studying techniques, anxiety management strategies, and thesis advice from Docsity tutors

YERTLE THE TURTLE, Summaries of Voice

University of Washington (UW) - SeattleVoice

Yertle the Turtle was king of the pond. A nice little pond. It was clean. It was neat. The water was warm. There was plenty to eat.

Typology: Summaries

2022/2023

Uploaded on 03/01/2023

ebby
ebby 🇺🇸

4.2

(17)

243 documents

1 / 12

Toggle sidebar

This page cannot be seen from the preview

Don't miss anything!

bg1
YERTLE THE TURTLE
On the far-away island of Sala-ma-Sond,
Yertle the Turtle was king of the pond.
A nice little pond. It was clean. It was neat.
The water was warm. There was plenty to eat.
The turtles had everything turtles might need.
And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed.
They were… until Yertle, the king of them all,
Decided the kingdom he ruled was too small.
“I’m ruler”, said Yertle, “of all that I see.
But I don’t see enough. That’s the trouble with me.
With this stone for a throne, I look down on my
pond
But I cannot look down on the places beyond.
This throne that I sit on is too, too low down.
It ought to be higher!” he said with a frown.
“If I could sit high, how much greater I’d be!
What a king! I’d be ruler of all that I see!”
So Yertle the Turtle King, lifted his hand
And Yertle, the Turtle King, gave a command.
He ordered nine turtles to swim to his stone
And, using these turtles, he built a new throne.
He made each turtle stand on another one’s back
And he piled them all up in a nine-turtle stack.
And then Yertle climbed up. He sat down on the pile.
What a wonderful view! He could see ‘most a mile!
“All mine!” Yertle cried. “Oh, the things I now rule!
I’m the king of a cow! And I’m the king of a mule!
I’m the king of a house! And, what’s more, beyond
that
I’m the king of a blueberry bush and a cat!
I’m Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!
For I am the ruler of all that I see!”
And all through the morning, he sat up there high
Saying over and over, “A great king am I!”
Until ‘long about noon. Then he heard a faint sigh.
“What’s that?” snapped the king, and he looked down
the stack.
And he saw, at the bottom, a turtle named Mack.
Just a part of his throne. And this plain little turtle
Looked up and he said, “Beg your pardon, King
Yertle.
I’ve pains in my back and my shoulders and knees.
How long must we stand here, Your Majesty, please?”
“SILENCE!” the King of the Turtles barked back.
“I’m king, and you’re only a turtle named Mack.”
“You stay in your place while I sit here and rule.
I’m the king of a cow! And I’m the king of a mule!
I’m the king of a house! And a bush! And a cat!
But that isn’t all. I’ll do better than that!
My throne shall be higher!” his royal voice thundered,
“So pile up more turtles! I want ’bout two hundred!”
pf3
pf4
pf5
pf8
pf9
pfa

Partial preview of the text

Download YERTLE THE TURTLE and more Summaries Voice in PDF only on Docsity!

YERTLE THE TURTLE

On the far-away island of Sala-ma-Sond,

Yertle the Turtle was king of the pond.

A nice little pond. It was clean. It was neat.

The water was warm. There was plenty to eat.

The turtles had everything turtles might need.

And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed.

They were… until Yertle, the king of them all,

Decided the kingdom he ruled was too small.

“I’m ruler”, said Yertle, “of all that I see.

But I don’t see enough. That’s the trouble with me.

With this stone for a throne, I look down on my

pond

But I cannot look down on the places beyond.

This throne that I sit on is too, too low down.

It ought to be higher!” he said with a frown.

“If I could sit high, how much greater I’d be!

What a king! I’d be ruler of all that I see!”

So Yertle the Turtle King, lifted his hand

And Yertle, the Turtle King, gave a command.

He ordered nine turtles to swim to his stone

And, using these turtles, he built a new throne.

He made each turtle stand on another one’s back

And he piled them all up in a nine-turtle stack.

And then Yertle climbed up. He sat down on the pile.

What a wonderful view! He could see ‘most a mile!

“All mine!” Yertle cried. “Oh, the things I now rule!

I’m the king of a cow! And I’m the king of a mule!

I’m the king of a house! And, what’s more, beyond

that

I’m the king of a blueberry bush and a cat!

I’m Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!

For I am the ruler of all that I see!”

And all through the morning, he sat up there high

Saying over and over, “A great king am I!”

Until ‘long about noon. Then he heard a faint sigh.

“What’s that?” snapped the king, and he looked down

the stack.

And he saw, at the bottom, a turtle named Mack.

Just a part of his throne. And this plain little turtle

Looked up and he said, “Beg your pardon, King

Yertle.

I’ve pains in my back and my shoulders and knees.

How long must we stand here, Your Majesty, please?”

“SILENCE!” the King of the Turtles barked back.

“I’m king, and you’re only a turtle named Mack.”

“You stay in your place while I sit here and rule.

I’m the king of a cow! And I’m the king of a mule!

I’m the king of a house! And a bush! And a cat!

But that isn’t all. I’ll do better than that!

My throne shall be higher!” his royal voice thundered,

“So pile up more turtles! I want ’bout two hundred!”

“Turtles! More turtles!” he bellowed and brayed.

And the turtles ‘way down in the pond were afraid.

They trembled. They shook. But they came. They

obeyed.

From all over the pond, they came swimming by

dozens.

Whole families of turtles, with uncles and cousins.

And all of them stepped on the head of poor Mack.

One after another, they climbed up the stack.

Then Yertle the Turtle was perched up so high,

He could see forty miles from his throne in the sky!

“Hooray!” shouted Yertle. “I’m the king of the trees!

I’m king of the birds! And I’m king of the bees!

I’m king of the butterflies! King of the air!

Ah, me! What a throne! What a wonderful chair!

I’m Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!

For I am the ruler of all that I see!”

Then again, from below, in the great heavy stack,

Came a groan from that plain little turtle named

Mack.

“Your Majesty, please… I don’t like to complain,

But down here below, we are feeling great pain.

I know, up on top you are seeing great sights,

But down here at the bottom we, too, should have

rights.

We turtles can’t stand it. Our shells will all crack!

Besides, we need food. We are starving!” groaned

Mack.

“You hush up your mouth!” howled the mighty King

Yertle.

“You’ve no right to talk to the world’s highest turtle.

I rule from the clouds! Over land! Over sea!

There’s nothing, no, NOTHING, that’s higher than

me!”

But, while he was shouting, he saw with surprise

That the moon of the evening was starting to rise

Up over his head in the darkening skies.

“What’s THAT?” snorted Yertle. “Say, what IS that

thing

That dares to be higher than Yertle the King?

I shall not allow it! I’ll go higher still!

I’ll build my throne higher! I can and I will!

I’ll call some more turtles. I’ll stack ‘em to heaven!

I need ’bout five thousand, six hundred and seven!”

But, as Yertle, the Turtle King, lifted his hand

And started to order and give the command,

That plain little turtle below in the stack,

That plain little turtle whose name was just Mack,

Decided he’d taken enough. And he had.

And that plain little lad got a bit mad.

And that plain little Mack did a plain little thing.

He burped!

And his burp shook the throne of the king!

And Yertle the Turtle, the king of the trees,

The king of the air and the birds and the bees,

The king of a house and a cow and a mule…

Well, that was the end of the Turtle King’s rule!

For Yertle, the King of all Sala-ma-Sond,

Fell off his high throne and fell Plunk! in the pond!

And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he,

Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.

And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free

As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.

CLAIM/TOPIC SENTENCES

Review: Claim/topic sentences must both offer a hint of the supporting claim that will be talked about in the following paragraph as well as remind the reader of the argument. For example, from the story, Yertle the Turtle, by Dr. Seuss: Dr. Seuss suggests that even the smallest actions undertaken by those belonging to the lowest social class can improve society. He shows this through the action of the lowly turtle Mack. Directions: In the blank provided, assign the claim/topic sentences a number from 5 (strong) to 1 (weak). Then list TWO reasons for assigning the statements that value.

  1. ______Mack burps, which causes the entire pile of turtles to come crashing down.
  2. ______Yertle is very selfish, since he desires to be above all the turtles of his kingdom.
  3. ______Yertle wishes to be king of a “cow,” a “mule,” a “house,” a “bush” and a “cat.”
  4. ______Mack’s small action showcases the large impact that can be made even by lowly members of society.
  5. ______Mack’s little burp disturbs the turtle king’s increasing hold over the society of turtles.
  6. ______Mack, a small turtle in the lower part of the turtle society, disrupts the turtle king’s desire for power by burping.

LEAD-INS

Directions: In the blank provided, assign the Lead-In sentences a number from 5 (strong) to 1 (weak). Then list TWO reasons for assigning the statements that value. Thesis: In “Yertle the Turtle,” Dr. Seuss suggests that even the smallest actions undertaken by those belonging to the lowest social class can improve society. He shows this through the actions of the lowly turtle Mack. Claim/topic sentence: Mack takes action to enrich his turtle society which shows anyone can make a difference.

  1. ______After suffering through Yertle’s demanding behavior: “And that plain little Mack did a plain little thing. He burped! And his burp shook the throne of the king!” (2).
  2. ______Mack, frustrated by Yertle’s demands, decides to take action. He burps, and his burp topples all the turtles stacked on top of him. The narrator describes this scene: “And the plain little Mack did a plain little thing. He burped! And his burp shook the throne of a king!” (2).
  3. ______The narrator comments, “And the plain little Mack did a plain little thing. He burped! And his burp shook the throne of the king!” (2).
  4. ______Mack has finally had enough of his King’s demanding behavior. He refuses to accept Yertle’s command that more turtles must stack themselves on top of one another in order to elevate their King high into the air. The narrator describes how Mack finally takes a stand: “And the plain little Mack did a plain little thing. He burped! And his burp shook the throne of the king!” (2).
  5. ______ “And the plain little Mack did a plain little thin. He burped! And his burp shook the throne of a king!” (2).
  6. ______Yertle is a demanding king who wants to see his entire kingdom, even at the expense of his subjects. Dr. Seuss says, “And the plain little Mack did a plain little thing. He burped! And his burp shook the throne of the king!” (2).

SELECTING STRONG EVIDENCE

EVIDENCE: Evidence is a quote from the novel that supports the claim or claim/topic sentence of the

paragraph. In other words, it is the evidence to show the argument in your claim and thesis is true. The evidence

must clearly support the claim and thesis argument to be strong.

Weak evidence is either:

-unrelated to the claim/topic sentence and doesn’t support the thesis argument

  • is too long and provides unnecessary information that should either be discussed in the lead in or left out…or
  • is too short, making it difficult for the reader to fully see how the evidence supports the argument

For example, from the story, Yertle the Turtle, by Dr. Seuss:

CLAIM/TOPIC SENTENCE: Mack, a lowly turtle at the bottom of the turtle stack, takes action to enrich his turtle society, even

though his action is not extensive or substantial.

BAD EVIDENCE: “Then again, from below, in the great heavy stack, came a groan from that plain little turtle named Mack.”

WHY?: This evidence, or quote, does not explain what Mack’s action is. It also fails to offer how he is capable of

enriching his turtle society. Therefore, it is not related to the claim.

BAD EVIDENCE: “You’ve no right to talk to the world’s highest turtle. I rule from the clouds! Over land! Over sea! There’s

nothing, no, NOTHING, that’s higher than me!”

WHY?: This evidence is a quote from King Yertle. The claim promises to talk about Mack! Therefore, this

evidence does not relate to the claim.

BAD EVIDENCE: But, as Yertle, the Turtle King, lifted his hand and started to order and give the command, that plain little

turtle below in the stack, that plain little turtle whose name was just Mack, decided he'd taken enough. And he had. And that plain

little lad got a bit mad. And that plain little Mack did a plain little thing. He burped! And his burp shook the throne of the king!

WHY?: This quote loses its effectiveness because it is too long. Although the claim is about Mack’s small action,

the only part of the quote that is necessary is the part where Mack takes action. The buildup to Mack’s action can

be described in the lead-in if necessary. Be brilliant quickly!

GOOD EVIDENCE: “And that plain little Mack did a plain little thing. He burped! And his burp shook the throne of the

king!”

WHY?: This evidence supports the argument in the claim and the thesis. It provides evidence that shows Mack

responds with a small act, his burp, and that his burp improves society by “shaking the throne of the king.”

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE

SELECTING STRONG EVIDENCE (CONTINUED)

THESIS: Homer suggests that while a hero’s hubris can give rise to his fame and glory, it can also endanger the

lives of those around him. He shows this when…

Look at the following quotes.

 Feel free to look the quote up if you are not sure what is going on at that point in the story.

 Select which three quotes would be the best evidence for the above thesis. Explain why.

 Then explain why the remaining evidence is weak.

Remember: in order for the evidence to be “good evidence”, it must be a quote from the book that shows

Odysseus

  • engaging in an act that he could brag about later

but also

  • acting in such a manner that those around him could be harmed

1. “The gods were all sorry for him, except for Poseidon, god of the sea, who bore a lasting grudge against him all

the time until he returned” (11).

2. “You are a fool stranger, or you come from a long way off, if you expect me to fear gods. Zeus Almighty be

damned and his blessed gods with him. We Cyclopians care nothing for them, we are stronger than they are” (105).

3. “I say, Cyclops! If ever anyone asks you who put out your ugly eye, tell him your blinder was Odysseus, the

conqueror of Troy, the son of Laertes, whose address in Ithaca!” (110).

4. “If you wish to hear them yourself, make the men tie up your hands and feet and fasten your body tight to the

mast, and then you can enjoy the song as much as you like” (139).

5. “First, she bids us keep away from the Sirens with their wonderful voices and their flowery meadow. I alone

must hear them…but you are to bind me with strong ropes and fasten me upright against the mast, so that I shall

not be able to move” (141).

6. “The men begged me first to let them help themselves to the cheeses and be off…and get under sail. But I

would not listen….I wanted to see [the Cyclops] myself and claim the stranger’s gift” (104).

7. “In dead silence I tied [the sheep] together with twisted withies, which the monster used for his bed. I tied them

in threes, with one man under the middle one while the two others protected him on each side” (108).

8. “My friends, we are not unacquainted with trouble. This is no greater danger than when the Cyclops imprisoned

us in his cave by brute force; we escaped from that place thanks to my courage and my ingenious plan, and I think

we shall live to remember this no less” (142).

PARAGRAPH EXAMPLES

Thesis 1: Homer suggests that when one achieves fame and valor for himself, he always harms his loved ones. This idea is illustrated through Odysseus’s adventures with Polyphemus, Skylla, and Laertes. Odysseus’s search for fame brings unnecessary harm to his crew on the island of Polyphemus. After struggling to help his crew escape from the cave of Polyphemus, Odysseus cannot help but taunt the Cyclops: “How do you like the beating that we gave you,/ you damned cannibal?…[I]f ever mortal man inquire/ how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him/ Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye” (9:521-522,549-551). Odysseus yells these insults in order to capture fame and valor for himself. Here, he is not thinking about his crew and their safety. His desire to let others know how powerful he is leads to Polyphemus’ curse that he “lose all companions, and return/ under strange sail to bitter days at home” (9:584-585). Indeed, after making offerings to Zeus, and having them rejected, Odysseus realizes that Zeus has planned “destruction for [his] ships…/ and death for those who sail them, [his] companions” (9:606-607). Odysseus’s boastful comments lead to his prolonged punishment at sea, but more important, they bring about the destruction of his men. These men, who have entrusted their lives to Odysseus, die because of Odysseus’s desire for fame and recognition. Therefore, Odysseus’s arrogance, and his subsequent search for valor, directly cause the punishment and destruction of those whom he should care for and protect the most. Thesis 2: Homer suggests that although one’s long-term fate may be predetermined by the gods, the way in which one’s fate is fulfilled can be altered by one’s own actions and personal choices. He shows this through Odysseus’ actions with Polyphemus. Odysseus’ actions with Polyphemus show that although one’s long-term fate may be predetermined by the gods, the way in which one’s fate is fulfilled can be altered by one’s own actions and personal choices. Odysseus has used his cunning to plan an escape for his men from the cave of the Cyclops. In this plan, Odysseus blinds Polyphemus, ensures that no other Cyclops will come to help the hurting Polyphemus and also makes certain the Polyphemus does not know his true name, thus saving his men from experiencing any wrath from the gods. However, as Odysseus and his men are sailing away from the Cyclops’ island, safe from any harm, Odysseus “call[s] out to the Cyclops, just to rub it in” and tells the Cyclops that “if anyone, any mortal man, asks you how you got your eye put out, tell him that Odysseus the marauder did it” (Homer 9. 474, 500-502). Here, Odysseus chooses to expose himself to Polyphemus “just to rub it in” and show off his own supposed superiority over the Cyclops. Odysseus’ own hubris exposes himself and his men; his choice to give his real name to Polyphemus then has disastrous consequences. Polyphemus prays to his father, Poseidon, who is the god of the sea. Poseidon is so displeased with Odysseus’ actions that Poseidon curses Odysseus’ journey home, thus lengthening the trip, creating dangerous situations for Odysseus’ men and affecting Odysseus’ fate as the king of Ithaca. If Odysseus had not chosen to reveal his name, Polyphemus and Poseidon would never have known who he was; Odysseus could have made it quickly home. Instead, Odysseus’ desire to reveal himself as “the marauder” alters the course of his fate by prolonging his journey home. Thesis 3: Sophocles suggests that overwhelming pride is the cause of a hero’s downfall. Oedipus has proven himself to be a hero for Thebes in many instances but his overwhelming pride in himself is the flaw that leads Oedipus to his downfall. Oedipus is charged with the task of eradicating the plague from Thebes, which means finding out who killed Laius. In his quest for knowledge, he seeks help from the prophet Tiresias, who informs Oedipus that it was Oedipus who killed the king. Enraged by what he thinks is a false accusation, Oedipus seeks to discredit Tiresias by showing the power of his own actions. Oedipus says, “You offered no answer told you by the birds or the gods. No. I came, know-nothing Oedipus, I stopped the Sphinx. I answered the riddle with my own intelligence – the birds had nothing to teach me” (Sophocles 24). Here, Oedipus boasts of his own accomplishments; he reminds Tiresias of how he was the one to stop the Sphinx and emphasizes that he accomplished this feat individually and without the help of prophecy that Tiresias must rely on. Oedipus uses personal pronouns (like “I” or “my” or “me”) five times, which shows his constant appraisal of and emphasis on his own actions. He calls himself “know-nothing Oedipus,” a name that is meant to showcase Oedipus’s pride about how he has the power and “intelligence” within himself to find solutions and does not need to depend on Tiresias’ gift of insight that was given by the gods. Oedipus’ constant desire to focus on himself and show the individual nature of his power showcases the level of pride with which he views himself. Oedipus’ hubris becomes apparent in the way that he seeks to emphasize the individual and unique nature of his accomplishments.

EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTIONS

Introductions are like “funnels” --- broad at the top and more specific and focused as they go down. Checklist for a Properly “Funneled” Introduction  Try ONE of the “outside idea” funneling techniques  Cite the technique if required using a parenthetical citation  Comment on the relevant portion of the technique in your own words  Use a transition word/phrase  Type out your Thesis Four Good “Outside Idea” Funneling Techniques The following four techniques are good ways to open an essay. They allow the writer to meet his or her goal of beginning the essay by providing the reader with a more general sense of his or her topic and its relevance. This portion of the essay should have NO specific references to the literary text. For the demonstration of each of the following techniques, pretend that your end thesis is: Pulling weeds is a good recreational activity for teens because it gets them outdoors, provides exercise, and gives a feeling of productivity and satisfaction.

  1. Anecdote: Provide a short story (from current events, history, or everyday life) that briefly discusses the topic. The story should be no more than a couple of sentences. While the early morning sun was just touching the tops of the trees, a young girl energetically pushed a lawn mower across her front yard, leaving a neat stripe of felt-like grass behind her. Some friends passing by laughed and pointed, but she just waved as the smile across her face grew bigger. Like so many other teens, she had discovered that yard work can be very fun.

2) Question: Ask a general, rhetorical question about the topic. Note: you should provide a general answer for the question

soon, and be careful of asking too many questions in a row. Does lawn mowing have to be a terrible and torturous chore? There are thousands of teens across the nation who are discovering that lawn mowing and other outdoor chores can actually be quite fun.

  1. Well-Known Quotation: Introduce a single relevant and easily-understood quotation, using some introductory words to ease the reader into your essay (that means your essay should NOT begin with the opening quotation marks). Unless your quotation is one you’ve personally committed to memory, you will need to add a parenthetical citation. You will need to comment on the message of your quotation, leading the reader smoothly to your thesis. Inventor Thomas Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work” (Quotesite.com). In Edison’s estimation, people underestimate the importance and value of tasks that seem “everyday” and mundane. Pulling weeds, a task that often falls to the teenager in the household, is not a particularly glamorous undertaking. Yet it does offer some distinct mental and physical benefits.
  2. Background Information: Give some background information about the topic. While this information should be supportable with facts and data later, in the introduction it should not be too specific and should not give away too much. If it isn’t information you have memorized, you should cite your source using a parenthetical citation. For decades, people have felt that mowing the lawn was a boring and taxing chore to be avoided for as long as possible and then dealt with quickly. In fact, in a 1977 poll run by Teen Weekly, 96.5% of teens polled said that mowing the lawn was “odious” (Teenstats). However, recent developments in mowing technology, as well as a different attitude toward exercise, have changed the perception of outdoor chores for many teens. Similarly, attitudes towards pulling weeds have changed.