So what, exactly, is the moral or lesson behind 'If You Give A Mouse A Cookie?

Gather 'round, kiddies, Auntie Gno's got a story for ya. It's a tale of a greedy little mouse who takes and takes and takes some more. It's called "If You Give a Mouse an Inch of Rope".Wait...no, that has a different ending."If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" is today's very special Auntie Gno storytime theater presentation.

You see, when the little mouse is given things--like a cookie--without having to bake that cookie, or shovel sidewalks to pay for the flour and the sugar (remember kiddies, imitation vanilla extract doesn't grow on trees! ), or having to sew clothes for the GAP to earn that cookie as pay, then the mouse will just expect more and more to be handed to him. Now some milk.

Now a mirror. Do you know how much a mirror costs nowadays, kiddies? Auntie Gno's gonna tell ya, because I was just at Pier One, $129.99.

Auntie Gno can't afford that until she makes a few more trips to the blood bank. Then some scissors. And let me tell ya, kiddies, he'd just as soon slit your throat with those shears.

Trust no one, kiddies. Take Auntie Gno's word for it. Then a broom.

Then a nap in a custom bed and luxury bedding. Notice how he's worked "so hard" sweeping that he needs a rest, and then leaves a big mess behind from his "helping". Kiddies, that's what it's like to be married to Uncle Gno.

That's what the man selling you engagement rings won't tell ya. In a way, this story's a cautionary tale about marriage. Ya listening?

Then a story. Then a better look at the story because you're not holding it right, ya stupid b-..... Well now you know another very important lesson - nothing you ever do is good enough in this life. Then paper and crayons.

(as if he could to betta! ) Then a pen to sign it.Figures. Always mine, mine, mine.

Ya know that little mouse is the type of bastahd to make this a legal thing. Always watch out for people who think their art is so important they guard it like they just crapped gold. Puh-lease.

If art is good, it's meant to be shared. Anyway, where was I? Then Scotch "tape".

Mouse code for it's cocktail hour. Trust me, Auntie Gno's seen this before. Next thing you know he'll need that "Scotch tape on the rocks" freshened.

Never trust and alcoholic, kiddies--they use all your ice. He's thirsty. See?

What did Auntie Gno tell ya? Then more "milk". Now Auntie Gno's starting to wonder what's really in that milk.

Then another cookie. Take, take, take. That's what happens when you let people in your home.

Ya darken your doorstep, make people afraid to cross your threshold, kiddies, and ya get a lot more cookies for yourself, ya hear? And then you won't have a drunk mouse staggering your house.So what IS the moral of this book? Let's recap: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 1.

If you want some cookies, go get yourself a job at one of those Taiwanese sweatshops making cardigans for GAP.2. Pier One costs me a friggin' arm and a leg, so I need to make a trip to the bloodbank soon, don't let me forget!3. Never trust anyone 4. Marriage is a pyramid scheme 5.

Nothing ya ever do in life is good enough 6. If something is yours, ya better claim it before another rat bastahd gets their hands on it 7. Most of the people who come into your house are probably alcoholics that'll shake ya down.

Keep yourself crazy and your house uncomfortably cold, and no one'll bug ya or steal your friggin' cookies.

THE END.

What a deceivingly interesting question. I think that there are two morals to this story. The pessimistic moral is that people will always ask for more.At different times and for different reasons, people project different personality characteristics.

One of those characteristics is "the taker". For some folks (and apparently mice), this characteristic is predominant and prevalent most of the time. The mouse in this story doesn't do anything for the boy.

He monopolizes on his giving nature. The optimistic moral of this story is that for a variety of reasons, some people will go to great lengths to please another person.An example of this is the relationship that many people have with their children. While good parents try very hard to teach the importance of empathy, respect, and basic manners, a parent will generally do whatever their children need to grow up happy.

If that means an occasional glass of milk followed by a haircut, so be it. youtube.com/watch?v=ZD8L5alZ-e8 The context of this story could be applied to the community based labor that Mahalo is engaged in. If the mouse represented Mahalo and the boy represented the community base, a parallel line could be drawn.

However, the missing construct in this simile are the rewards that Mahalo provides. Every time we do something good, we're rewarded with feedback, points or Mahalo Dollars. How much more would have the boy done if the mouse rewarded him?

For me it meant just because you give someone something they want, doesn't mean they will always be content with it....they will probably want more and more.... Moral: Don't give (or expect to get) something just because they (you) want it. Wow I was pesimistic even as a child!

Moral: Baking has serious consequences and should never be entered into lightly. Especially when sharing a house with a pushy, ill-mannered rodent.

For me, it was just a way to teach children that any action might have an unexpected result-- so think before you act.

I would lean more towards the propaganda issue with this one. Mice have been known to make do with what they have and not ask for more than what's around them. It's a nice story and teaches you that there will always be some who will ask for more, but mice get the bums rush with this story.

I personally would like to create a children's book called "If You Give a Family of Mice a Loaf of Rye Bread" and see the possibilities!

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.