A literary work in which the characters are animals is a ____________

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the literary form in which the characters are animals.

Step 2: Explain the concepts

• Lampoon: A piece of writing that attacks or ridicules a person, usually harshly and in satire.
• Fable: A short story, usually with animals (sometimes plants or objects) as characters, that behave like humans and teach a moral lesson. Example: "The Tortoise and the Hare."
• Parody: A humorous imitation of another work, author, or style, meant to mock or comment on it.
• Pantomine (pantomime): A dramatic performance using gestures, music, and actions, often without words. In Britain it is a comic Christmas stage show.

Step 3: Solution Only one option is defined by animal characters: the fable. Animals talk and act like people, and the story ends with a moral. Nigerian folktales about Tortoise (Ijapa or Mbe) are good examples of this tradition.

The other options do not involve animal characters:

• A lampoon targets people.
• A parody imitates other works.
• A pantomime is a performance style.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is B. Fable.

Tip: Think "Fable = Fur and Feathers" (animals with a moral). In WASSCE Literature, whenever you see animal characters teaching a lesson, think fable. Also remember that a lampoon is a personal attack, a parody is a mocking imitation, and a pantomime is mime/acting.