Where Is the Moral Lesson of the Story? It’s Not Always at the End

Wait — is the moral really only at the end?

So, a few weeks ago, I was helping my niece with her English homework — she’s 10, super smart, very sassy — and the question was, “Where is the moral of the story?”
She gave me that look and said:

“Duh, it’s always the last sentence.”

And honestly, I paused.
Because, yeah, that’s what we’re taught in school. That the moral is some neat little line at the end, like “And the fox learned not to be greedy.”

But is that actually true?
I started re-reading some of the stories I grew up with… and the answer surprised me.

The moral isn't always where you think it is

Sometimes it’s hidden in the middle

Think about it. The moral doesn’t have to be a closing statement. In many stories, especially longer ones, it shows up during a turning point — when the character finally realizes something.

Take “The Lion King” for example. (Yeah yeah, it’s a movie, but stick with me.)
The big moral shift? Not in the last scene. It’s when Simba sees his reflection and hears Mufasa’s voice say “Remember who you are.” That’s the moment. That’s the lesson.

And you? When you’re reading something — whether it’s a fairytale or a novel — try watching for when the main character starts to change. That’s often where the real moral lives.

But okay, yes — endings still matter

A clean ending can tie the lesson up

Alright, I’m not totally dismissing the idea that morals appear at the end. Especially in fables. Aesop’s stories are notorious for dropping the hammer right in the last line.

Like “The Tortoise and the Hare”?

“Slow and steady wins the race.”
Boom. Right there. Moral, spelled out.

But not every story is that obvious. And that’s okay. Some stories trust you to figure it out yourself. (Which is both great… and kind of annoying when you’re tired and just want the takeaway.)

Morals can be personal — and that’s the cool part

Your lesson might not be mine

So here’s a twist: sometimes the writer didn’t mean one “official” moral.
We bring our own baggage into stories. You might read “Beauty and the Beast” and see a lesson about not judging by appearances.
Someone else might see it as, “Don’t lock people in castles.”

(I had a real argument about that with my friend Jake. He was NOT convinced Beast was forgivable. That convo derailed hard.)

Point is: the moral can hit you wherever it needs to.
Sometimes early. Sometimes at the climax. Sometimes even after you’ve finished reading and the story lingers.

Real life stories? Messier… but packed with morals

Personal anecdotes have their own rhythm

I once lent money to a coworker — not a lot, but enough to matter. He said he’d pay me back the next week. Spoiler: he didn’t.
At first, I thought the moral was “Don’t trust coworkers with money.”
But weeks later, I realized the real moral was: “Set boundaries. And actually write stuff down.”

That lesson didn’t arrive neatly at the end. It evolved.
Real stories — yours, mine — are like that.
We live them, we reflect, and then boom — the moral shows up in a random shower thought.

So… where is the moral of the story?

Honestly?

• Sometimes it’s at the end.

• Sometimes it’s in the middle.

• Sometimes it’s inside you, waiting to click into place.

What matters most is that you look for it.
Because stories don’t just entertain — they teach. They whisper little truths in our ears.
You just have to be paying attention.

And if all else fails, ask a 10-year-old. They’ll give it to you straight.

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How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

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Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

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Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

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Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

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Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.