A Little Boys Temper
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said "Well done, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one."
You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.
Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.
1. Generic Structure Analysis
A. Abstract
Somebody may have himself out of control. Everybody has a temper and emotion in his/herself. When someone can control the temper, the other may be unable to control it. The story above will be an inspirational story for those who have a bad temper, illustrated by a boy.
B. Orientation
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.
In the Orientation the writer introduces the participants, their character, and the situation. What the father done in the text is the background of the anecdotal text
C. Crisis
The boy hammers one nail every time he gets mad. He manages to decrease the number of the nail gradually which means that he is starting to control his temper. Then his father told him to pull the nail every time the boy is able to control his anger until all the nails are pulled out.
D. Incident.
His father shows the boy that the fence that he nailed is not the fence before he nailed it. Anger will result nothing but disadvantages. His father illustrated the condition by telling him about putting a knife to a man.
E. Coda
Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.
In the coda the writer stated the moral value of this story.
2. Language Feature Analysis
1) Using exclamation words ; well done!
2) Using imperative ; look at the holes in the fence
3) Using rhetoric question ; do you know what?
4) Using action verb ; put, pull, look, etc
5) Using conjunction of time ; next, then, finally
6) Using simple past tense ; e.g.: The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down.
3. Implementation as a teaching material
A Little Boys Temper
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said "Well done, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one."
You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.
Make sure you control your temper the next time you lose your temper you will regret later.
