narrative essay on look before you leap

look before you leap

Meaning | Synonyms

• to make sure that everything is alright before doing something important which you cannot revert
• to think of the consequences of one’s actions before taking them
• to imagine the likely effect before making crucial verdict
• to calculate the possible consequences before taking immense action

Example Sentences

• You better check out the costs that you will have to incur through the duration of this lawsuit before filling it. It is always better to look before you leap .
• I had asked him to look before he leaped when he was planning to buy those stocks. Look what he has got himself into now!
• The girl rally should have looked before she leaped into this marriage!
• My children know very well to look before they leap into such business deals. They have learnt about the business from the best after all, me!
• The family was asked to look before they leap into buying this house. People in the village say that it is haunted by the ghost of the lady that lived here many years back.
• It is better to look before you leap when taking such political stands these days. You never know who is on your side and who will cause you harm for it.

The phrase has been the moral of the story for many child stories including Aesop’s fable which was about a fox which fell into a well and since he was unable to climb out he convinced a goat to jump in.

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‘look before you leap’ means:

• be successful

‒ Sazzad Hossain November 24, 2018

It is true because I am having experiences

‒ Bhagya August 7, 2018

What's on your mind?

Before , Important

Similar Idioms

• spick and span
• scrape the bottom of the barrel

Look before you leap

What's the meaning of the phrase 'look before you leap'.

Check that you are clear what is ahead of you before making a decision that you cannot go back on.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Look before you leap'?

The intuitive notion that this phrase derives from the undeniable wisdom of checking a fence before jumping over it on horseback appears to be misguided. Such behaviour is and was common enough amongst riders to have been given a name, that is, ‘craning’. Nevertheless, the proverb as first recorded refers specifically to the rashness of leap unpreparedly into marriage. This proverb is first recorded in John Heywood’s A Dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe tongue , 1546:

And though they seeme wives for you never so fit, Yet let not harmfull haste so far out run your wit: But that ye harke to heare all the whole summe That may please or displease you in time to cumme. Thus by these lessons ye may learne good cheape In wedding and all things to looke ere ye leaped

Just because you’ve become a young man, now, There’s still some things that you don’t understand, now. Before you ask some girl for her hand, now, Keep your freedom for as long as you can, now. My mama told me, “You better shop around”.

The history of “Look before you leap” in printed materials

Trend of look before you leap in printed material over time

Related phrases and meanings

Browse more phrases, about the author, gary martin, phrases & meanings, how did we do.

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• English Language
• 1992 WAEC English La...

1992 WAEC English Language Theory Narrate a story to illustrate the warning: Look before you leap.

Narrate a story to illustrate the warning: Look before you leap.

Explanation

.                                     LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP        Maria Kobina was the first daughter of her parents. She was loved by her parents who did everything to keep her happy by giving her all she demanded. Her parents relied on her to lead other children in the family with good examples to follow.        Maria was sent to school because her parents believed in education. After the completion of her primary education, they sent her to a boarding school. Her parents used to visit her in the school always. They took proper care of her by providing everything she needed so that Maria could face her studies seriously.        In school, Maria had a friend called Julie who came from a very poor family. Julie lacked so many things. Though Julie was an indigent student, she was satisfied with what her parents could provide for her. In the first three years of Maria's stay in school, Julie was her only intimate friend while others were just mere classmates.        When Maria got promoted to SS2, her attitude and outlook changed. She started going to parties with some wayward girls who were her classmates. At one of the parties, she met Festus and they became lovers. Unknown to Maria, Festus was a houseboy to a rich man who entrusted him with all his belongings, including his fleet of cars. Festus always claimed that he was the only son of the rich man and because he always visited Maria in one flashy car or the other, Maria got infatuated with him.        One day, Maria informed Julie, her friend, whom she had almost neglected, about her love affair with Festus. Julie warned her friend against mistaking superficial love for a genuine one. Maria failed to listen to Julie's advice and before long she got pregnant for Festus. When-she told Festus that she was pregnant, it was too late and the pregnancy could not be aborted. Maria kept her pregnancy in secrecy and none of her friends and teachers could detect that she was pregnant because she always tucked out her blouse to conceal the pregnancy.        When the pregnancy was about five months old and both the students and teachers became aware, Maria went to see Festus in his master's house. "Let us run away to my parent's home and we will be there until you are delivered of the baby Festus suggested. Maria wondered whether the rich man's house was not the home that Festus was talking about. Do you mean that I should come and stay here in your father's house in the same town where my parents and mates will find me out?" Maria asked in confusion "In my parents home in a village in Cross River State", Festus replied. It was after Festus' reply that Maria now realised that she had been deceived to believe that Festus was the son of the rich man. She wept bitterly and regretted that she had not looked before leaping.

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Look before you leap

“Look before you leap” is a common English proverb. It’s used to remind someone to take their time before making a decision. 

The proverb uses a metaphor , comparing making a decision to physically jumping into the unknown. But, after taking the time to “look,” that jump becomes far less dangerous. The phrase may be used in a variety of situations, including among friends, family members, etc. It may not be the most appropriate or professional-sounding phrase to use in some settings. That being said, “look before you leap” is well understood by most English speakers.

Explore Look before you leap

• 1 “Look before you leap” Meaning 
• 2 Origins 
• 3 When To Use “Look before you leap” 
• 4 Example Sentences
• 5 Why Do Writers Use “Look before you leap?”
• 7 Related Proverbs 

“Look before you leap” Meaning 

“Look before you leap” is a simple proverb that reminds those who hear it to consider all their options before making a choice, especially an important one.

If you “look” or consider everything around you before you “leap” or make a decision, then you’re more likely to make the correct one and not do something you’re going to regret. Once you’ve considered all the possible outcomes of a scenario, it’s easier to deal with whatever comes, as well as decide if those outcomes are something you’re willing to face. 

It’s easy to consider the metaphor in the opposite direction as well. If you don’t look before you leap, it’s possible that you metaphorically land on something or somewhere that’s dangerous or not what you expected. 

Origins 

The phrase “look before you leap” has an unknown origin. This is not uncommon for proverbs and idioms . Many originated centuries ago in stories, speeches, and conversations that are lost to time.  Some have suggested that this proverb may have its origins in stories such as Aesop’s fables and other moralizing tales. This is possible considering that other well-known proverbs also originated in similar sources. The phrase was first noted in ‘A Dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe tongue,’ as cited by Phrases. In this context , it read: 

And though they seeme wives for you never so fit, Yet let not harmfull haste so far out run your wit: But that ye harke to heare all the whole summe That may please or displease you in time to cumme. Thus by these lessons ye may learne good cheape In wedding and all things to looke ere ye leaped

In this example, the phrase is almost exactly in the same form that it’s used in today. This is quite remarkable as, more often than not, proverbs and idioms change over time. 

When To Use “Look before you leap” 

It’s possible to use “look before you leap” in a wide variety of situations. For example, one might use it among friends, family members, or alongside close colleagues. As with most proverbs, it’s best used in more colloquial conversations rather than in professional settings. Although this is not the most casual of all proverbs, it likely won’t have a place in an academic paper or within a business meeting or related scenario. 

When among friends, one might use this phrase to remind someone about to make a rash decision that it may benefit them to “look before they leap.” This proverb can be a catchall. Because it’s so vague, it can apply to a wide variety of situations. For example, the phrase could be used when one person is about to quit a reliable job out of anger. A friend might tell them to “look before they leap” and make sure they’ve considered the fallout of losing that job. Or, in another situation, you might use the phrase to remind a family member that it might not be in their best interest to bring up a contentious topic at dinner. It’s better to “look before you leap” and be prepared to deal with a fight that might break out. 

Example Sentences

• You better look before you leap or you may end up somewhere you didn’t want to be. 
• Look before you leap or you risk suffering unknown consequences. 
• It was only because I took the time to look before I leaped that I survived at all. 
• I was about to quit my job when I realized I should probably pause and look before I leaped. 
• My mother always told me that it was important to look before you leap and I did just that. 

Why Do Writers Use “Look before you leap?”

Writers use “look before you leap” in the same way and for the same reasons that it’s used in everyday conversation . The phrase could be incorporated into a dialogue between two characters or used within a narrator ’s inner dialogue . For example, they might be observing a scene and comment that one person is going to need to look before they leap if they want to make any good decisions in a difficult situation. 

People use “look before you leap” in order to remind someone that they need to take the time to consider their actions before taking them. If they don’t, they risk leaping and encountering something they weren’t prepared for. 

The phrase “look before you leap” has an unknown origin. It may have originated within a fable or other moralizing story. It is a fairly simple idea that would easily fit within a short tale aimed at children. 

“Look before you leap” is an example of a proverb . It is a short, moralizing saying that tries to teach the listener something. In this case, it is trying to teach someone to consider their actions before taking them. This includes what outcomes are going to result. 

It’s important to look before you leap because if you don’t, you might discover something upon your landing that you didn’t expect. The proverb suggests that this is going to be something negative. 

Related Proverbs 

• “ A penny saved is a penny earned .”
• “ A stitch in time saves nine .”
• “ Every cloud has a silver lining .”
• “ Good things come to those who wait .”
• “ The early bird gets the worm .”
• “ You can’t have your cake and eat it too .”

Home » Proverbs » Look before you leap

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Baldwin, Emma. "Look before you leap". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/proverb/look-before-you-leap/ . Accessed 30 August 2024.

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• Learn English /

Look Before You Leap Meaning with Examples, Synonyms

• Updated on  
• Jul 18, 2024

The phrase “look before you leap” is an idiomatic expression that advises someone to carefully consider the possible consequences or risks before taking action.

It suggests that it is wise to assess the situation or gather information before making a decision or embarking on a new endeavor.

Also Read: Back Against the Wall Meaning, Examples, Synonyms

This Blog Includes:

Usage with examples, synonyms and similar words to look before you leap, fish out of water meaning quiz.

The meaning of the idiom is basically to think before taking action. Also, be aware of the consequences of one’s actions considering the situation.

Essentially, it emphasizes the importance of caution and forethought.

Mentioned below are some examples where you can use the idiom look before you leap:

• Look before you leap into a new job without knowing what you’re getting into.
• Remember, Susan, look before you leap and ensure you can afford the mortgage payments for this year.
• Look before you leap and make sure you thoroughly analyze the risks and projected returns before committing your funds.

Also Read: Fish Out of Water Meaning with Examples, Synonyms

However, mentioned below are a few synonyms and related words to look before you leap:

• Think before you act
• Measure twice, cut once
• Look before you jump
• Consider the consequences
• Take heed before proceeding

Before investing in a new business venture, it’s essential to:

• look for answers
• research thoroughly
• look before you leap

Answer: look before you leap and thoroughly research the market and potential risks involved.

Also Read: Useful Idioms

The meaning of the saying “Look before you leap” is to consider the consequences before taking any action.

The meaning of a leap is springing or jumping through the air from one point to another.

We should always consider the consequences of any action that we are about to take. Hence, the saying, look before you leap.

You gain insights and a clear perspective of where you want to be in life and having faith in yourself, you can take a leap in life.

This was all about the idiom look before you leap meaning and examples. We hope this blog has provided all the necessary information. To advance your grammar knowledge and read more informative blogs, check out our  Learn English  page and don’t forget to follow  Leverage Edu .

Vaishnavi Shukla

Vaishnavi has 2+ years of experience in SEO and Content Marketing. She is highly proficient in English, possessing exceptional language skills and a deep understanding of English grammar and communication. Currently working on Ed Tech, Finance, Lifestyle, and other niches. All her works are infused with love for writing!

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Lapham’s quarterly, look before you leap.

Seeing what’s right in front of us in portraits from the past.

By Patricia A. Matthew

Monday, November 04, 2019

Portrait of Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth , by Peter Lely, c. 1671. The J. Paul Getty Museum , Los Angeles. Digital image courtesy the Getty’s Open Content Program.

Louise-Renée de Kéroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth, is the subject of fifteen portraits in London’s National Portrait Gallery. She is alone in fourteen of them. Her curly hair, often parted to suggest that she’s not wearing a wig, is her defining feature. There is a wanton quality to how it’s arranged, lush and flowing even when it is carefully coiffed. In some of the portraits it seems as if the duchess, mistress to a king, has thrown on clothing only for modesty’s sake. Her expensive gowns and robes are simply draped over her shoulders rather than completely fastened and buttoned up. Born to a noble family in Brittany, she was one of Charles II’s mistresses but proved her loyalty to France by passing on information she gained in Charles’ courts back to Louis XIV’s.

In the one National Portrait Gallery painting where the duchess is not alone she stands next to a black child. A curatorial note suggests the little girl is primarily there as a status symbol. There are other paintings of the duchess at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, and scattered across other collections and galleries. It seems, however, that there is only one other painting where the duchess shares the frame. The Duchess of Portsmouth with an Attendant Carrying a Jewel Box , attributed to British portraitist Godfrey Kneller, currently hangs in philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah and New Yorker editorial director Henry Finder’s New York City apartment. The other figure in the painting, the attendant of its title, is also black and female.

Without the dress and pearls, the black child in the National Portrait Gallery painting might be mistaken for a boy. Her hair is cut close to her scalp, and there’s nothing delicate about her features. She looks quite young and has dark brown skin. Her face, turned up toward the duchess and smiling, is round. The green of her elegant dress complements the shrubbery just behind the duchess. Her single strand of pearls might, at first glance, seem incongruous—not just because she’s black but because she looks so young. Child figures dressed this opulently aren’t rare, but their style of dress is normally a sign not only of the class they were born into but of their future wealth as well. When we see little white girls of this period dressed this elegantly, we understand that they are adorned members of wealthy families, where they are being cultivated to participate in and contribute to the family’s wealth through marriage and the production of male heirs. The young black girl wearing the pearls, who is offering the duchess a piece of coral and pearls in a shell, is an object herself to be collected, owned, and displayed. The duchess has her arm around the girl and is looking at the viewer.

The attendant in the other painting is older than her National Portrait Gallery counterpart, on the cusp of womanhood. The space around her and the duchess is heavily draped, with only a patch of blue sky to suggest a world outside. The duchess leans on a pedestal; the attendant, slight and brown, stands next to her. Her dress is elegant and the same red hue as the ribbon in the duchess’ hair. Her ears are decked out in pearls. The rouge on the attendant’s cheeks is the same shade the woman next to her wears. Her hair covering is arranged in the same way as the duchess’ and adorned with a red jewel. Autumnal colors dominate the painting. Everything about the young black woman suggests that she is not only an “attendant” but an accessory and an extension of the duchess’ image. Their expressions are even similar. The attendant, however, is not looking directly at the duchess. She stares at a point beyond the viewer’s line of vision, and we have no clear indication where her gaze lands. Everyone I’ve asked about the focus of her gaze has a different opinion about where it is directed. Wherever the attendant is looking, her countenance does not show the same adoration present on the little black girl’s face in the National Portrait Gallery painting.

I first saw the painting of the duchess when I attended a benefit one spring evening in 2018 at Appiah and Finder’s home. Depending on where you are in the apartment, it’s possible to see the duchess without even knowing the attendant is there. I first saw the painting from such an angle, not noticing the attendant until later in the evening. Trying to figure out that gaze and her expression—serene rather than adoring—sent me back to look at the painting with questions for Appiah not about the painting’s central figure but about the young woman by her side.

I n the past six years or so, I’ve become accustomed to seeing black figures in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century paintings in ways that countered my early training in art history, both in formal classes and in regular visits to museums and galleries. My art history education was more along the lines of H.W. Janson’s History of Art , which rarely included images of black people, than the multivolume The Image of the Black in Western Art . Figures like the attendant have made me reassess race and portraiture in art history, especially in the era literary scholars refer to as the Romantic period, which stretched from about 1790 to 1830.

Logistically speaking, this reexamination is an easier task now than it would have been even ten years ago with more art historians and critics, especially black ones, offering essential contexts and raising questions that move black figures from the margins to the center of art history, as in Charmaine A. Nelson’s Representing the Black Female Subject in Western Art and Simon Gikandi’s Slavery and the Culture of Taste . Kay Dian Kriz’s Slavery, Sugar, and the Culture of Refinement has become a sort of bible, explaining the story behind paintings like Johann Zoffany’s The Family of Sir William Young , which I first saw on the cover of the Oxford University Press edition of Maria Edgeworth ’s Belinda I used in graduate school. The 1801 didactic novel tells the story of the rather uninspiring Belinda Portman’s adventures on the marriage market and the married women helping her sort through the tensions between duty and desire. The cover of the Oxford edition features a detail from the Zoffany painting of a black servant helping a white figure onto a horse, which reflects a thread in the narrative about the black servant of a West Indian suitor Belinda meets in the novel.

The cover was my first sign that the Romantic period was not as homogeneous as my professors had taught me in both college and graduate school. The Zoffany painting currently hangs in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, and the curatorial note in the museum is telling in what it elides. Young’s family is the subject of the painting, and he is described as having “interests” in the West Indies, a euphemism that refers to the sugar plantation he owned. His investment in slavery is made clearer on the museum’s website, which goes into some detail about Young’s participation in the slave trade. Something is still missing, however. Although every other figure in the painting is accounted for by name and relationship, both the vague note in the museum and the more explicit online version mention the black figure in the painting without offering any information about who he is. This in itself isn’t remarkable. Servants are rarely identified in paintings, whether they are white or people of color. Yet the black figure is acknowledged only as a signifier of Young’s “interests in the West Indies.” The absence of any information about him stung when I saw the painting in person this summer.

Until the Belinda book cover, the paintings I encountered in college and graduate school that featured black figures were as limited and repetitive as the few black writers assigned. The only British Romantic-era text I was assigned that featured a black figure on the cover was The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, which tells of his enslavement in childhood, after being kidnapped from his Igbo village and transported to Barbados, and buying his freedom. The covers of his autobiography usually feature one of two portrait images: a portrait by Daniel Orme that probably features Equiano and one that is probably Ignatius Sancho, born on a slave ship around 1729 and painted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1768. The men are interchangeable as a stock black figure. Similarly, the etching of Phillis Wheatley was the only pre–twentieth-century depiction of a black female I knew as a student. Digitization of museum collections and exhibits that focus exclusively on race and portraiture have pulled me more deeply into a broader study of Romantic-era portraiture and how it reflects and contributed to England’s abolitionist movements; as I work out a coherent narrative for these paintings, seeing the attendant required me to step back and think of black women in portraits before and beyond abolitionist debates.

When I went to see the painting again one fall afternoon a few months after the party, Appiah and I wound up having a wide-ranging conversation during my visit. He told me about different pieces in the apartment (the first portrait he showed me was a gift from his mother), and we talked about the technical and political aspects of the painting of the duchess—representing dark skin on canvas, the way that race and status are at play in its composition, the temporal and spatial geography that underscores how black figures appear in art. We discussed what identity means when it comes to unnamed figures in art and what they suggest about what black studies scholar and humanities professor Christina Sharpe calls “the asterisked histories of slavery, of property, of thingification, and their afterlives” in her book In the Wake: On Blackness and Being . What this has meant for me is working out what narratives about black figures in England emerge once we move beyond token images.

V isiting the Yale British Museum of Art’s 2014 exhibition Figures of Empire: Slavery and Portraiture in Eighteenth-Century Atlantic Britain transformed what had been mild curiosity into a more urgent set of questions. I was puzzled and mostly amused when Broadview Press’s 2002 edition of Emily Brontë ’s Wuthering Heights arrived with a Moor on the cover—not the desolate landscape I’d been accustomed to since first reading the book in high school but an actual black figure. The 2008 Broadview edition of the anonymously authored The Woman of Colour: A Tale , edited by Lyndon J. Dominique, has a woman of color on the cover, but I was so fascinated by the story that it didn’t register as significant. The Yale exhibit, however, included portraits, busts, books, and other artifacts showing that, rather than a painting here or there, there was an entire universe of black figures that, when taken together, tell a story about Britain, protest, taste, and gender politics. The attendant with her self-possessed pose and gaze fits into that world.

The Attendant would have been painted in the mid-seventeenth century, before the abolitionist debates in Britain were gathering strength. The attendant’s gaze and self-possession are very different from that of other portraits I’ve seen of black figures with white figures. Take the black woman in the 1760s portrait of Lady Elizabeth Keppel painted by Edward Fisher after Sir Joshua Reynolds. In this portrait the black figure is kneeling in much the same way as the black girl offering the duchess pearls in the National Portrait Gallery painting. Here the offering is a garland, with Keppel positioned between the black figure and a statue of Hymen, the god of marriage. The curator notes that Fisher lists the black woman simply as “negro” and that the presence of Hymen reminds the viewer that Keppel was a bridesmaid in the wedding of George III and Charlotte. I first saw the portrait in Amma Asante’s 2013 film Belle , about the nieces of the famous judge William Murray, 1st earl of Mansfield, and the different paths they take to marriage. (Critic Wesley Morris described the film as “California roll Jane Austen , a class drama loaded with political and romantic filler.”) Belle sees the painting early in the movie, and it foreshadows her particular marital conundrum. As Mansfield’s niece, she is expected to marry a member of the gentry, but as a woman of color, she is less socially appealing than her white cousin to the men in their social set. Her explanation of what marriage means to women brings to mind how white women like Mary Wollstonecraft compared the institution to slavery. “It seems silly—like a free negro who begs for a master,” Belle tells her suitor. The analogy works for her because she is Mansfield’s niece and possesses an inheritance from her white father. The composition of the painting is a reminder of a more common fate for black women. The white figure’s proximity to Hymen in the painting affirms her connection to marriage, a complicated institution for the black woman at her feet. Despite the opulence of the black figure’s clothing (the curatorial note explains the dress might have been a hand-me-down), marriage for the black woman either would have been denied outright or, as it was later in the West Indies, promulgated as a way to extend enslavement in the years up to and immediately following the 1807 Act of Parliament abolishing the transatlantic slave trade in the British Empire.

Yet both the attendant and the black woman in Fisher’s painting are depicted with more dignity than black women in etchings circulating in the late eighteenth century as the call for abolition increased in urgency. In Scottish caricaturist Isaac Cruikshank’s violent and satirical 1792 print The Abolition of the Slave Trade , the black woman at the center of the sketch is on a ship, suspended upside down and nearly nude with a cloth doing little to offer her modesty, while three nude black women huddle together at the back of the ship.

In the late 1790s, William Blake illustrated John Stedman’s Narrative of a Five Years’ Expedition Against the Revolted Negroes of Suriname, from the Year 1772–1777, Elucidating the History of That Country and Describing Its Productions with engravings , including one titled Flagellation of a Female Samboe Slave , that were so graphic and violent that eighteenth-century readers considered the book an antislavery treatise. The depictions of black women in these paintings are never neutral, either showing them in service to individuals (in the genteel portraits) or toward explicitly political ends (in the violent etchings).

S tedman’s Narrative includes the story of Johanna, which also was published separately as Narrative of Joanna, an Emancipated Slave . Blake illustrated her with one breast bared, far removed from explicit scenes of violence; the image is closer in tone to the illustrations in Maria Edgeworth’s 1804 short-story collection Popular Tales . This collection of didactic stories, written for young people, walks a careful line between teaching virtue without telling too much about vice. It includes a story called “The Grateful Negro” whose politics about subduing enslaved people with empty mercy is offensive to twenty-first-century readers and whose clunky, didactic prose must have chafed at the good taste of any nineteenth-century reader. A graduate professor gave me a late nineteenth-century edition of the stories printed by Cox Brothers and Wyman Printers in London. It includes an illustration of a scene featuring Clara, a black woman, tending to Caesar, the titular grateful negro who wants to marry her. She is presented in a domestic tableau that suggests that, despite her skin color and status, she is like many an ideal Englishwoman—compassionate, competent, and responsible for a peaceful home.

In 1826 Amelia Opie wrote about the horrors of sugar production in her poem “The Black Man’s Lament; or, How to Make Sugar.” The verse also was intended for children: “Who dares an English peasant flog?…Who sheds his blood? treats him like a dog?” Illustrations accompanying the poem depict enslaved women and men working side by side in sugar production, but Opie’s lines bring to mind a 1725 painting in the Yale exhibit of an elegantly attired girl in a garden with a dog and a person of color that was originally titled A Young Girl with a Dog and a Page . Pointing out that the dog and the “page” wear the same collar, the curators list the title as A Young Girl with an Enslaved Servant and a Dog . They not only correctly identify the page as enslaved (the collar would have been locked with a key held by someone else) but change the order so that the human is listed before the animal. The composition is familiar: both the enslaved man and the dog are staring at the young, white girl.

The most notable exception to such depictions is the painting of Dido Elizabeth Belle next to her cousin Elizabeth Murray, attributed to David Martin. These two women stand side by side as peers, both beautiful and both beautifully attired. This painting inspired Belle , the saccharine period romance that not only places the responsibility of the abolitionist movements on the shoulders of a woman of color behaving perfectly in every scene but also makes it seem like black and white women faced comparable obstacles to marital bliss in the eighteenth century. They didn’t, but Dido’s place in the Mansfield household is reflected by the agency the artist captures in the painting of her.

If the duchess’ attendant is looking off in the distance, Dido Elizabeth Belle is staring right at the viewer. It seems as if something or someone has amused her. And yet the artist (originally thought to be Zoffany) connects her to a world different than the one she was raised in, one that her cousin safely enjoys. While it’s true that Dido, the daughter of Royal Navy officer John Lindsay Murray and the enslaved Maria Belle, is standing next to her white cousin, looking at the viewer, she remains tied to the legacy of her mother’s position. She is wearing a turban with a feather and carrying a basket of fruit, a reminder that, although she has been raised in Britain as an heiress and a gentlewoman, she remains connected to labor. Her cousin, with flowers in her hair, is simply holding a book, a sign of leisure and not industry in the eighteenth century.

A cross from the attendant and the duchess, Appiah and Field have placed Portrait of a Gentleman with a Young Servant , a painting from the late 1730s attributed to Charles Phillips. The servant, a young man of color, is standing next to someone who, according to Appiah, might be Sir George Thomas, a governor of the Leeward Islands in the eighteenth century. The attendant on the other side of the room is black, but Appiah pointed out the young man in this painting could be Indian. Neither the attendant nor the servant is identified except by their skin color and status. We don’t know their names. Of course, names for black people were fluid—given, assigned, and reassigned for the convenience of those they were forced to serve—and their place in society would have been even more unstable. Appiah and I were less interested in the portrait’s primary figure than we were in the young man who probably made the trip with him from the Leeward Islands to England. The young man’s fate inevitably would change after the moment trapped in the suspended reality of paint. Sir Thomas would die, and the servant would be listed as property to be inherited, sold, or sent someone else. “People have to rediscover who they are,” Appiah said pointedly.

Working to make sense of asterisked lives represented in these paintings is not about discovery and rediscovery; looking backward at the various ways that black female figures circulate and are put to use is more than just filling in some gap in our understanding of the period. It also teaches us how we view the use of black figures today. It teaches what to see and how to read it. When I saw the attendant the first time, I was leaving the party. She stopped me, and I uttered some word of surprise. The second time I saw her, I asked Appiah if other visitors had asked about her. I’m always curious to know if other people see black figures who are clearly present but often ignored. He said they hadn’t, and we agreed that it might be because of where the viewer needs to be situated in order to even notice her. “You see her,” Appiah said, “when you get there.”

Contributor

Patricia A. Matthew

Patricia A. Matthew is an associate professor of English at Montclair State University, where she teaches courses on British Romanticism and the history of the novel. She is the editor of  Written/Unwritten: Diversity and the Hidden Truths of Tenure  and is currently writing a book about gender, sugar, and British abolitionist literature. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

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Fables of Aesop

A complete collection of Aesop's Fables

The Fox and The Goat

Aesop Fables / 5 July 2016 by DaBoss

A Goat and Fox went into a deep well to drink. Neither could get out alone. The Goat was talked into helping the Fox who then left the Goat on his own. Look before you leap.

Eliot/Jacobs Version

A Fox fell into a deep well from which he could not get out. A Goat passed by shortly afterwards, and asked the Fox what he was doing down there.

“Oh, have you not heard?” said the Fox; “there is going to be a great drought, so I jumped down here in order to be sure to have water by me. Why don’t you come down too?”

The Goat thought well of this advice, and jumped down into the well.

The Fox immediately jumped on her back, and by putting his foot on her long horns managed to jump up to the edge of the well. “Good-bye, friend,” said the Fox, “if you had brains equal to the number of hairs in your beard you would not have jumped down without a way back up.”

Aesop For Children

A Fox fell into a well, and though it was not very deep, he found that he could not get out again. After he had been in the well a long time, a thirsty Goat came by. The Goat thought the Fox had gone down to drink, and so he asked if the water was good.

“The finest in the whole country,” said the crafty Fox, “jump in and try it. There is more than enough for both of us.”

The thirsty Goat immediately jumped in and began to drink. The Fox just as quickly jumped on the Goat’s back and leaped from the tip of the Goat’s horns out of the well.

The foolish Goat now saw what a plight he had got into, and begged the Fox to help him out. But the Fox was already on his way to the woods.

“If you had as much sense as you have beard, old fellow,” he said as he ran, “you would have been more cautious about finding a way to get out again before you jumped in.”

Look before you leap.

Townsend version

A fox one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape. A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the Fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise, the Fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to descend. The Goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape. “If,” said he, “you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards.” The Goat readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying himself with the Goat’s horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat upbraided him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, “You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape.”

Samuel Croxall

A Fox having tumbled, by chance, into a well, had been casting about a long while, to no purpose, how he should get out again; when, at last, a Goat came to the place, and wanting, to drink, asked Reynard, Whether the water was good! Good! says he; ay, so sweet, that I am afraid I have surfeited myself, I have drunk so abundantly. The Goat, upon this, without any more ado, leapt in; and the Fox, taking the advantage of his horns, by the assistance of them, as nimbly leapt out, leaving the poor Goat at the bottom of the well, to shift for himself.

THE APPLICATION

The doctrine taught us by this fable is no more than this, that we ought to consider who it is that advises us, before we follow the advice. For, however plausible the counsel may seem, if the person that gives it is a crafty knave, we may be assured that he intends to serve himself in it, more than us, if not to erect something to his own advantage out of our ruin.

The little, poor, country attorney, ready to perish, and sunk to the lowest depth of poverty, for want of employment, by such arts as these, draws the ‘squire, his neighbour, into the gulph of the law; till, laying hold on the branches of his revenue, he lifts himself out of obscurity, and leaves the other immured in the bottom of a mortgage.

Thomas Bewick (The Fox and The Goat)

A Fox having tumbled, by chance, into a well, had been ineffectually endeavouring a long while to get out again, when, at last, a Goat came to the place, and wanting to drink, asked Reynard whether the water was good? Good! said he, aye, so sweet, that I am afraid I have surfeited myself, I have drank so abundantly. The Goat, upon this, without more consideration, leapt in; when the Fox mounted upon his back, and taking the advantage of his horns, bounded up in an instant, and left the poor simple Goat at the bottom of the well to shift for himself. Upon the Goat’s reproaching him for his perfidy, Ah, Master Goat, said he, you have far more hairs in your beard than brains in your head.

APPLICATION.

Credulitv may be said to be the child of ignorance, and the mother of distress. A wise man will not suffer himself to be imposed upon by slender artifices and idle tales; but the credulous man is easily deluded, and subjects himself to numberless misfortunes. He is ever the dupe of designing knaves, and of needy adventurers, who are always intent upon serving themselves at the expence of others. They fasten upon opulent men of weak minds, as the objects of delusion, and for this purpose, tempt them with proposals of apparently advantageous schemes, which they have ready made out, to entice their victims to embark along with them. By credulity, they hope to establish their own fortune, and provided this be done, they care not, even if the ruin of their unsuspecting associates follow. It will likewise ever be found that when an honest man and a knave happen to become partners in the same common interest, the latter, whenever necessity pinches, will be sure to shift for himself, and leave the former in the lurch.

Jefferys Taylor

A FOX by chance, and not design, Into a well did tumble; So it fell out, that he fell in, Which made poor Reynard grumble.

A goat that wish’d to quench his thirst; Approach’d the well with haste; But seeing the fox had got there first, Ask’d how he liked the taste.

“How?” said the fox, “these waters are Delicious, I assure ye; So wholesome too, that if you were Now dying, they would cure ye.”

Deceived by this vile fellow’s clack The silly goat descended; So Reynard jumping on his back, Got out, as he intended.

When we take the advice of a rogue, who can tell But ’twill end like the goat jumping into the well?

JBR Collection

Fox and a Goat once journeyed together. The Goat was a simple creature, seldom seeing beyond his own nose; while the Fox, like most of his kind, was a master of knavery. They were led by thirst to descend a deep well, and when they had both drunk freely, the Fox said, “Now, master Goat, what shall we do? Drinking is all very well, but it won’t get us out from here. You had better rear up against the wall; then, by the aid of your horns, I can get out, and, once out, of course I can help you.” “By my beard,” said the Goat, “that’s a good plan. I should never have thought of that. How I wish I had your brains, to be sure!” The Fox, having got out in the way described, began to rail at his companion. “Make the most of your patience, old fellow,” said he, “for you’ll need it all. If you had had half as much brains as beard, you would never have gone down there. I am sorry that I can’t stay longer with you, but I have some business that must be seen to. So, good-bye.”

L’Estrange version

A fox and a goat went down by consent into a well to drink, and when they had quench’d their thirst, the goat fell to hunting up and down which way to get back again. Oh! says Reynard, never trouble your head how to get back, but leave that to me. Do but you raise your self upon your hinder legs with your fore-feet close to the wall, and then stretch out your head: I can easily whip up to your horns, and so out of the well, and draw you after me. The goat puts himself in posture immediately as he was directed, gives the fox a lift, and so out he springs; but Reynard’s bus’ness was now only to make sport with his companion instead of helping him. Some hard words the goat gave him, but the fox puts off all with a jest. If you had but half so much brains as you have beard, says he, you would have bethought your self how to get up again before you went down.

A wise man will debate every thing pro and con before he comes to fix upon any resolution. He leaves nothing to chance more than needs must. There must be no bantering out of season.

Gherardo Image from 1480

Hircus et Vulpes in Puteo

Vulpes et hircus, sitientes, in quendam puteum, ut sitim extinguerent, descenderunt. Verum enim post potum, cum egressum circumspiceret hircus, vulpes ei comiter ait, “Bono sis animo! Nam quid saluti nostrae opus sit, probe animadverti. Si enim rectus stabis et pedibus anterioribus cornibusve muro adhaerebis, tuas ergo scapulas cornuaque conscendens exibo. Cumque egressa fuero, te manu comprehendens, hinc desuper traham.” Huic hircus prompte deservivit. Vulpes, suo exsultans egressu, circa os putei hirco alludebat. At dum hircus illam incusat sibi pacta haud servasse, ei facete vulpecula inquit, “Si ea, hirce, sapientia praeditus esses quo pilorum ornatu istaec tua barba referta est, non prius in puteum descendisses quam egressum pensiculate vidisses.”

"Traditional Market"- Narration for a theme : Look before you leap

skinbag 1 / 2   Oct 9, 2012   #2 Shopping with my mother in traditional market has become a nightmare for me recently. - Recently, shopping in Traditional market with my mother has become a nightmare. Eh, I don't know. Your choice. For a long time, Traditional market which locates in the central of the town is always the first choice for our Saturday routine. - Located in the town's central, going to Traditional market is the first thing we do for our Saturday routine. It is because Saturday is the most prosperous that almost all vendors from different areas will gather at among other weekdays. - Because Saturday is the most prosperous day...(Continue here) I don't understand the sentence here... However, something happened last Saturday when we last paid a visit to the market. Hm, seems decent. :3 The market was still full of noisy sounds. The vendors shouted loudly to attract customers. Stinky smell of fish mixed with the fragrance of newly-picked flowers. The blood stain of the animals was the normal scene when people stopped by the meat booths. - The familiar scene of bloodstain from animals was seen with people stopping by the meat booths. Suddenly, we noticed that a strange stand that we had never saw seen it before at the end of the road. There were many pieces of colorful cloths hanging around , (hanging around what?) along with a painted wooden board painted two words that read "Magic Cloths". We stood in front of the stand and surprisingly enough, the vendor amazed us by turning those cloths into vests or and scarves without sewing. With the vendor's expressive language, my mother and I undoubtedly decided to buy bought ten pieces of cloths undoubtedly . When we unwrapped them at home and tried as the same as what the vendor did, what we found out it was merely a fraud. They are were no more than just pieces of cloth with beautiful patterns. We lost one thousand because of the our carelessness. Until now, those "Magic Cloths" hanging in my room keep reminding us of this mistake without thinking twice. Hopefully, this didn't butcher your writing, cuz that's the last thing I want to do. It is totally up to YOU if you want to use what I edited... If not, that's completely fine. :3 Hoped I helped.

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LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

Once a fox was roaming around in the dark. unfortunately, he fell into a well. he tried his level best to come out but all in vain. so, he had no other alternative but to remain there till the next morning. the next day, a goat came that way. she peeped into the well and saw the fox there. the goat asked "what are you doing there, mr. fox" the sly fox replied, "i came here to drink water. it is the best i have ever tasted. come and see for yourself." without thinking even for a while, the goat jumped into the well, quenched her thirst and looked for a way to get out. but just like the fox, she also found herself helpless to come out. then the fox said, "i have an idea. you stand on your hind legs. i'll climb on your head and get out. then i shall help you come out too." the goat was innocent enough to understand the shrewdness of the fox and did as the fox said and help him get out of the well. while walking away, the fox said, "had you been intelligent enough, you would never have got in without seeing how to get out." that's why we say, "look before you leap". the end...

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Beware Of Shrewd Neighbours

Never gift a thing useless to you, learn to be guided by your own self, least sufferers complain most, the cat scan, straying away is always risky, discover colorful world +.

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How to Write a Personal Narrative: A Step-by-Step Guide

“As I sat down to write this article, memories flooded back, each one a brushstroke in the painting of my past…”

That could be the beginning of your personal narrative. Writing it lets you turn your memories and experiences into stories that click with others. This type of writing goes beyond school assignments or essays for college applications; it’s a chance to get really good at sharing your life's events in ways that matter. 

In this article, we're going to explore what personal narratives are all about and guide you through a simple seven-step process to create your own. You’ll learn how to pull out moments that make your story stand out and how to tweak your writing until it’s just right. We’ve got practical examples for you to follow along, making sure you have everything you need to tell your story. 

What is a Personal Narrative?

A personal narrative is a way to tell your own story. It's a style of writing that puts your experiences front and center, inviting readers into your world. Teachers often assign personal narratives to encourage free, expressive writing. 

The personal narrative definition is wider than academic settings, though. . These narratives can also show potential employers who you are beyond your resume. At its core, writing a personal narrative is a form of storytelling, using a first-person perspective to bring real-life tales to life. Whether it's for a grade, a job, or just for fun, it's about getting your story out there.

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Let our experts refine your personal narrative, making sure every detail shines and your story is both clear and impactful.

How to Write a Personal Narrative: Steps

In this section, we'll break down the process into manageable steps, starting with how to zero in on the right topic that speaks about who you are.

Step 1. Choosing a Personal Narrative Topic

The first step in crafting your personal narrative is picking the perfect topic. It should be something meaningful to you, something that has not just happened, but also shaped who you are or has a significant story behind it. Here’s how to frame your personal narrative ideas:

• Story Arc : Your narrative is like a mini-movie. Start with setting the scene, build up to the main event, and wrap up with a reflection. For example, if you’re writing about your first solo travel experience, begin with your initial feelings, describe the challenges you faced, and end with what you learned about yourself.
• Thematic Focus : Instead of moving through time, center your narrative around a central theme. Maybe it’s about resilience, and you could link different times you had to be resilient, ending with a major life challenge.
• A Day to Remember : Sometimes a single day can tell a lot about you. Pick a day that was particularly memorable and unpack it from start to finish. Maybe it was a seemingly ordinary day that brought unexpected lessons or joys.

Step 2. Working on Your Personal Narrative Outline

When putting together your personal narrative, starting with a solid outline can help keep your story on track. Here's how you can lay it all out:

• Introduction: Kick things off with a hook that grabs attention, like an intriguing question or a vivid snapshot of a key moment. Set the scene and introduce the main theme.
• Setting and Characters : Give a good sense of where your story is unfolding and who's involved. Paint a clear picture of the backdrop and the key people.
• Plot Development : Lay out the events in the order they happened, or group them around major themes. Build up to your main event, adding conflicts or challenges as you go.
• Climax : This is the high point of your story, where everything comes to a head. Make it a moment that has the most impact.
• Resolution : Wrap up the main storyline, showing how things settled down after the climax.
• Reflection : Spend some time reflecting on what happened. Share what you learned or how you changed because of the experience.

If you're looking for help crafting your personal narrative, consider checking out some legit essay writing services to get professional guidance.

Step 3. Writing the First Draft of Your Personal Narrative

Now let’s move on to the fun part! Don't worry about getting everything perfect right away — the first draft’s goal is to let your story flow naturally:

• Start with Your Hook: Revisit the introduction you outlined and flesh it out. Begin with the attention-grabbing sentence that will make readers want to continue.
• Let the Story Unfold: Follow your outline, but allow yourself some flexibility. As you write, new memories or details may come to mind. Embrace them! Think about what you saw, heard, and felt during these moments. Were you sitting in a sunlit room, listening to the hum of a busy street outside? Maybe you felt the chill of an autumn breeze? 
• Stay True to Your Voice: This is your story, so let your unique voice shine through. Whether you're humorous, reflective, or serious, maintain a consistent tone that feels authentically you. Keep the tone conversational and straightforward, as if you’re telling this story to a friend. 

Once the first personal narrative draft is done, set it aside for a bit before revisiting it with fresh eyes.

Step 4. Revising Your Personal Narrative

Once the first personal narrative draft is done, set it aside for a bit before revisiting it with fresh eyes:

• Tighten Up the Story : As you go through your draft, focus on making everything clear and to the point. If you’ve talked about how nervous you were before a big event more than once, try to combine those thoughts into one powerful sentence that really captures how you felt.
• Keep Your Tone Consistent : Make sure your voice stays the same throughout the story. If you start off with a casual, conversational tone, like saying, “I couldn’t shake the nerves before my big test,” stick with that style instead of suddenly becoming formal later on.
• Adjust the Pacing : Pay attention to how smoothly your story flows from one part to the next. When you’re describing a key moment, like meeting someone important or going through a major experience, give it the detail and time it deserves. Let those moments develop naturally without rushing.
• Enhance Your Descriptions : Make your imagery more vivid to help the reader visualize your story. For example, instead of just saying, “The room was noisy,” you could say, “The room buzzed with excited chatter.” These small tweaks can make your story feel more alive and engaging.

Step 5. Adding Personal Touches

As you polish your personal narrative, focus on making it uniquely yours. You can include personal reflections on your experiences. For example, if you’re writing about a challenging project, discuss not just the struggle but how it impacted you personally and professionally.

Besides, add unique details that only you can share. Instead of generic descriptions, use specific anecdotes or sensory details, like how the scent of freshly baked cookies from your grandmother's kitchen made you feel nostalgic.

Last but not least, incorporate dialogues or direct quotes from people involved in your story to add authenticity and depth. For instance, if your mentor gave you advice, include their exact words to capture the moment’s impact. This approach will help you understand how to write a personal narrative that is both engaging and deeply personal.

Not sure where to begin? You can always buy a narrative essay from experts who can help shape your story.

Step 6: Editing for Clarity and Style

When you’re editing your personal narratives, the goal is to make sure everything flows smoothly and makes sense. Here’s how to get it just right:

• Clarify Your Message: Check for any parts of your story that might be a bit confusing. If you talked about being excited about a project and then suddenly shifted to its challenges, make sure to connect these thoughts clearly. For instance, you might rephrase it as “I was excited about the project, but I soon faced some unexpected challenges, like tight deadlines.”
• Simplify Complex Sentences: Break down long or complicated sentences. Instead of saying, “My enthusiasm for the project, which was incredibly high despite the difficulties I faced, was the driving force behind my perseverance,” you could simplify it to, “Even though the project was tough, my excitement kept me going.”
• Smooth Transitions: Check how your paragraphs and sections flow together. If you jump from describing a problem to the solution without a clear link, add a transition. For example, “After struggling with the project’s challenges, I realized that asking my mentor for help was the key to overcoming the obstacles.”

Oh, and read your narrative out loud. This can help you spot any awkward phrases or spots where the story might be a bit choppy. It’s a great way to catch any issues and make those final tweaks to get everything just right.

Personal Narrative Prompts

Here are ten personal narrative prompts to get you thinking about different moments in your life:

Need more tips on how to get started? Check out this guide on how to start a narrative essay to kick off your writing with a strong opening.

Personal Narrative Examples

Here are a few personal narrative beginnings to spark your creativity. These snippets are designed to get you started and inspire your own storytelling.

Wrapping Up

As you finish up your story, think about how those moments shaped who you are today. It's not just about what happened, but how it changed you. When learning how to write a personal narrative, it’s important to focus on the moments that truly matter to you and tell them in your own voice. This way, your narrative can really connect with others. 

Remember, the best stories come straight from the heart, so trust yourself and let your experiences shine through!

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Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

• The New York Times. (2020, January 7). Personal Narrative Essay Winners. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/07/learning/personal-narrative-essay-winners.html