SuitabookThe Sheep-pig
Dick King-Smith
- Reading
- Pause after Babe begins working with the sheep to discuss whether his methods are effective. Afterwards, compare his choices with Fly’s and explore how the ending treats his efforts.
- Themes
- Identity beyond expectations: Babe is a pig who learns sheepdog work and pursues training for sheepdog trials despite not being a sheepdog. The story appears to affirm persistence and the possibility of developing an individual capability rather than accepting limiting assumptions.
- Respectful ways of working: Babe uses manners and conversation with the sheep, while Fly relies more on force and command and believes the sheep are stupid. The contrast invites attention to whether cooperation and respect can be more effective than force, while Fly’s established authority is not simply absent from the story.
- Worth knowing
- Babe’s situation includes being orphaned, being intended as food and facing danger involving the sheep. These elements may merit a little preparation for readers who are sensitive to animal vulnerability or threat.