Godfather Death Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm (Germany)

v  Plot

       The story begins with a father looking for a godfather for his thirteenth child. He refused God and the Devil to be the godfather and chose Death for the said position. When the boy was of age, his godfather gave him a herb as a gift and told him that when he is called to a patient’s bedside, he will appear and if he is standing at the sick man’s head, he can cure him using the herb and if he stood at the foot, then it was Death’s turn. Many years passed and the child became a famous doctor. One of his patient is the king where Death stood at the foot. The doctor then reversed the position of the bed and gave him some of the herb. Death got angry but still gave him a chance but then the doctor cheated again because of the princess. By this time, Death brought him to a cave and showed him his remaining light of life. When he saw his life light nearly dying, he requested to light a new one and Death take this as an advantage for his revenge so he purposely fumbled and the light went out. The doctor sank to the ground and had himself fallen into the hands of death.

ü  Conflict

·         The conflict in the story is when a man is out in the streets desperately searching for someone to be Godfather for his newborn child.

ü  Climax

·         The climax of the story is when the doctor disobeyed his godfather Death for the second time and his godfather decided to take him to a cave where he can see the light of life of the mankind and his remaining candle light.

ü  Denouement

·         The denouement of the story is when Death allows the little candle to go out and the doctor sank to the ground and had himself fallen into the hands of death. And the story ends with Death's triumphing over the doctor.

v  Characters

ü  Protagonist:

·         Godson/Doctor- the thirteenth child of the father and the godchild of death.

·         Poor man- the father who looks for a godfather for his child.

·         God- the first person the father ask to be the godfather.

·         Devil- the second person to be asked as the godfather.

·         Death- the godfather of the doctor.

ü  Antagonist:

·         Godson/Doctor- for his self-desire of wealth and fame.

v  Setting

ü  Time- Time of Kings and Queens

ü  Location- woods, castle and cave

v  Theme

       The theme of the story is good vs. evil where the godfather death is the good and the godson himself is the evil because he cheated his godfather.

v  Point of View

       The point of view in the story is third person because the narrator is not a participant in the story and focuses on the character of the Son.

v  Conflict

       The conflict in the story is man vs. himself for the doctor struggles with himself for his being greedy to fame and power that will be provided to him if he will cure the king and the princess.

v  Symbol

       The symbol used in the story is the candle which represents the light of life of the mankind.

v  Moral Lesson

       We cannot cheat death and also, we should help wholeheartedly and not because of fame and power.