The Man and the Eagle

Discussion Guide for Grades 9+

A Story About Power, Perception, and the Cost of Conformity

“The Man and the Eagle” is a thought-provoking allegory about discrimination, diversity, and the danger of judging others by one’s own standards. This guide is designed to spark critical thinking and authentic dialogue around those themes—and their real-world relevance.

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Story Summary

There was once a man who had never seen an eagle. One day a magnificent eagle landed on his windowsill, and when he saw it, he exclaimed, “What an ugly creature!”

The man grabbed the eagle and pulled it into his house.
“First, I’m going to fix that curved beak of yours.” He used a file to remove the hook in the eagle’s beak.
“Those claws are vicious-looking,” the man said, as he clipped the eagle’s claws until there was little left.

When he finished, the man said, “There, now you look better.” He placed the bird back on the windowsill and shooed it away.

You can imagine how long the newly trimmed eagle lasted in the wild.

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Comprehension & Recall

• What specific actions did the man take toward the eagle? What were his reasons for each one?

• How do you think the eagle’s life changed after the man altered its beak and claws?

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Symbolism & Deeper Meaning

• Why are an eagle’s beak and claws essential for its survival?

• What might the eagle represent in this story?

• What could the man’s actions symbolize in terms of how humans treat others who are different?

• How does this story relate to discrimination, assimilation, or cultural erasure?

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Perspective Taking: The Eagle

• How might the eagle feel—physically and emotionally—about the changes forced upon it?

• If the eagle could speak, what do you imagine it would say to the man?

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Perspective Taking: The Man

• Why do you think the man reacted as he did when he first saw the eagle?

• What assumptions did he make about the eagle’s appearance and worth?

• How does ignorance play a role in how the man treated the eagle?

• What does this suggest about the connection between misunderstanding and harm?

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Historical & Cultural Parallels

• How does this story reflect historical moments of forced assimilation, colonization, or oppression of minority cultures?

• Can you think of examples in current events or recent history where people or groups were forced to conform to a dominant standard?

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Building Empathy & Awareness

• Have you ever judged someone before truly understanding them? What helped change your perspective?

• Has anyone ever tried to “fix” you to fit their idea of what’s normal? How did it make you feel?

• Why is empathy important when interacting with people who are different from you?

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Ethics & Power

• Is it ever ethical to change another person’s identity or characteristics to “help” them fit in? Who decides that?

• What are the consequences—emotionally, socially, and culturally—of making everyone conform to a single ideal?

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Beauty, Bias & Belonging

• How do societal standards of beauty influence how we treat others?

• Why is diversity in nature essential? How does that principle apply to human society?

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Taking Action

• What can you do in your school, workplace, or community to celebrate differences rather than erase them?

• How can you challenge bias—your own and others’—when you see it in action?

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Wrap-Up Reflection

Invite participants to share key insights, personal takeaways, or “aha” moments. Ask:

• What stuck with you most from this story?

• How might this change how you interact with others going forward?

• What’s one way you can use this story to build a more inclusive world?

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Acknowledgment:
This activity was adapted, with modifications, from material originally produced by the Information and Communication Technologies in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Pennsylvania State University in 2004.

Also available: "The Man and the Eagle" — [Discussion Guide for Grades 3–8]