What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
“The Voice of the Mountain” centers on Popocatepetl, a hungry figure who cannot move, and a bargain that ends in betrayal. The story’s characters are best understood through what each wants, what each does, and how those choices affect Popocatepetl. A Grade 10 lesson-plan PDF reproduces the story and credits it to Stephen Crane; the attribution and wording have not been checked against an authoritative edition. Read the reproduced lesson-plan text.
Who are the characters in “The Voice of the Mountain”?
The plot follows five character roles: Popocatepetl, the eagle, the little animal, the King of Everything, and the little animal’s kind. The first four make or shape the decisions; the group’s arrival completes the bargain’s outcome.
| Character | Goal or role | Action and effect |
|---|---|---|
| Popocatepetl | He is hungry and wants help. | Unable to move, he relies on others. He accepts the animal’s terms, but remains hungry when the wings never arrive. |
| The eagle | He is Popocatepetl’s friend and messenger. | He cannot solve the problem himself, so he recommends the little animal as a possible helper. |
| The little animal | It wants its kind to live on the plain. | It promises to arrange wings in exchange for settlement rights. After its kind settles there, the promise goes unfulfilled. |
| The King of Everything | He wants to prevent damage to the land. | He forbids Popocatepetl to move, fearing his footprints would make holes in the land. |
| The little animal’s kind | They gain a place to live on the plain. | They settle there, but do not make the promised wings. |
Why can’t Popocatepetl move?
The King of Everything has ordered him to stay still because he fears Popocatepetl’s footprints would make holes in the land. The restriction leaves Popocatepetl powerful in appearance but dependent in practice: he cannot simply solve his hunger by moving.
What does the little animal promise, and does it keep the promise?
The little animal offers to provide wings for Popocatepetl if he allows the animal and its kind to live on the plain. Popocatepetl agrees, and the settlement takes place. The wings do not: the animal’s kind never makes them. That broken bargain is the central conflict of the story.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
How does Popocatepetl react to the broken promise?
Popocatepetl recognizes that the animal has deceived him and angrily calls it a fool, telling it to sit still and howl for wings. The story ends with him still hungry and without the promised help. The reproduced lesson text gives his rebuke as: “Your wings, indeed, fool! Sit still and howl for them! Old idiot!” Because the wording comes from a rehosted lesson-plan reproduction, treat it as a classroom-text quotation rather than a verified scholarly edition.
What might the characters represent?
Classroom questions invite students to consider what each character represents in modern life. The story supports interpretations about trust, desperation, bargaining, and betrayal, but these are readings of the events rather than explicit explanations supplied by the narrator.
Rank #2
- Popocatepetl: A person with a serious need and limited ability to act independently. His desperation makes him vulnerable to a deal that depends on another person’s word.
- The eagle: A friend or adviser who can point toward help but cannot guarantee that the recommendation will work.
- The little animal: A self-interested bargainer who secures a benefit by making a promise it does not fulfill.
- The King of Everything: Authority whose rules constrain Popocatepetl, even if the story gives a reason for the restriction.
- The little animal’s kind: The beneficiaries of the agreement, whose settlement occurs without the promised return being delivered.
One possible symbolic reading connects Popocatepetl’s hunger and stillness with a volcano that is not erupting. That is an interpretation for discussion, not a plot fact established by the story. The classroom material also includes the phrase “a thousand churches” as part of the character’s hunger; it functions as literary hyperbole, not as a factual count.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A simple character-analysis activity
For a class presentation, PDF handout, PowerPoint, or infographic, keep plot evidence separate from interpretation. Use the same four questions for each character:
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute- What does the character want or do? State the action or goal shown in the story.
- What does the character gain? Identify the direct benefit, if any.
- What effect does the character have on Popocatepetl? Explain how the action changes his situation.
- What might the character represent? Offer a symbolic reading and label it as an interpretation.
This approach makes the story’s sequence easy to follow: the King’s order leaves Popocatepetl stuck; the eagle identifies a possible helper; the animal bargains for settlement; and the promised wings never come.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
