The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Question

K. Reiter

A shepherd boy sat on the hillside, watching the village sheep day after day. One day, he was bored and decided to amuse himself. So, he called out as loudly as he could, “Wolf! Wolf! There’s a wolf coming after the sheep!”

The village people came sprinting up the steep hill to save the sheep. However, when they arrived, they did not find a wolf. The shepherd boy laughed at the sight of the villager’s angry faces.

The villagers warned the boy, “Don’t cry wolf when there is no wolf!” The villagers climbed back down the hill, still angry about the boy’s lie.

Later that day, the shepherd boy was bored again, so he decided to amuse himself again. He sang out, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is going to eat the sheep.”

Again, the villagers sprinted up the hill to save the sheep. When they arrived, they did not find a wolf. The shepherd boy grinned in delight as the villagers grumbled to themselves.

The villagers warned the boy once again, “Don’t cry wolf when there is no wolf.” They stomped back down the hill.

Later that evening, the shepherd boy was tending the sheep when he noticed a hungry wolf creeping about. He leaped to his feet and sang out, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is going to eat the sheep.” He waited for the villagers to come help him save the sheep from the big wolf, but no one came.

The villagers thought the boy was trying to fool them again, so they just sat and listened to his cries. At sunset, the villagers wondered why the boy had not come back down the hill with the sheep. They ventured up the hill only to find the shepherd boy loudly weeping under the tree. He explained that a vicious wolf had appeared and attacked the sheep. He, alone, was not able to save them. The villagers sat in disbelief at what they had heard. They hoped that the shepherd boy had learned a valuable lesson that day.
Question
How does the narrator’s point of view influence how the events are described?
Responses
A By describing the villagers’ anger, the narrator shows how much they dislike the wolf.By describing the villagers’ anger, the narrator shows how much they dislike the wolf.
B By describing his daily work, the narrator creates sympathy for the shepherd boy.By describing his daily work, the narrator creates sympathy for the shepherd boy.
C By focusing on the shepherd boy’s actions, the narrator highlights how he loses people’s trust.By focusing on the shepherd boy’s actions, the narrator highlights how he loses people’s trust.
D By focusing on the villagers’ actions, the narrator shows how kind and caring they are.By focusing on the villagers’ actions, the narrator shows how kind and caring they are.
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Answer 1

The most accurate response to how the narrator’s point of view influences how the events are described is:

C: By focusing on the shepherd boy’s actions, the narrator highlights how he loses people’s trust.

This option best captures the overall theme of the story: the boy’s repetitive false alarms lead to his eventual isolation and loss of trust when he is genuinely in danger. The narrative emphasizes the consequences of his actions and the resultant impact on his relationship with the villagers.