Lessons In The Princess Bride

“In my day, television was called a book” (Reiner). That is what the grandpa says to his grandson after the grandson questions him about reading him a book. The grandpa decides to read his grandson The Princess Bride. A book filled with true love, comedy, action and adventure. Westley works on the farm for his true love, Buttercup. But after Buttercup gets kidnapped by a sicilian, giant, and Spaniard, Westley goes to search for his true love. After Westley battles and defeats all three of her kidnappers, they are reunited. Soon their luck ends after Prince Humperdinck sends Westley to be tortured and takes Buttercup to be his bride. Westley is tortured by Count Rugen in the Zoo of Death. The giant and the Spaniard, we now know them as Fezzik and Inigo, here the screams of Westley and make there way to the Zoo of Death. Fezzik and Inigo help Westley make it to the castle to stop the wedding between Buttercup and Prince Humperdinck. Westley finally reunites with his true love for a happy ever after. In The Princess Bride there are several lessons that are taught throughout the book. The situations that the characters go through can be greatly compared to the situations that humans experience.

A lesson

that is taught in The Princess Bride is that just because no one has ever done it, doesn’t mean you can’t. This lesson is showed in The Princess Bride during the scene of the fire swamp. Buttercup says that they aren’t able to travel through the fire swamp because no one has ever made it out alive (Lance). This lesson can be showed in a real life situation as well. Jackie Robinson would be a prime example. He was the first African-American baseball player to make it to the MLB. He ended up being one of the greatest players of all time and everyone doubted him just because he was African-American. The lesson of doing something that no one else has done is shown in The Princess Bride and real life situations.
Another lesson that is taught in The Princess Bride is that now matter how hard a problem may seem, there is always a way to tackle it. The lesson is portrayed in The Princess Bride when Fezzik and Inigo have to travel through the Zoo of Death to get to Westley. The Zoo of Death is made of difficult creatures such as the Arabian Garstini, the world’s most lethal snake, king bats, as well as the world’s most deadliest spider (Goldman 299). Being able to tackle a problem no matter how hard it may seem can be shown in real life situations as well. Derrick Rose, an NBA star, has had very many knee surgeries but is still one of the best players in the NBA. In 2012, he tore his ACL during the playoffs. He needed surgery and missed the entire next season. So even though he had a very serious injury he came back and led the Chicago Bulls back to the playoffs. To be able to overcome a problem is portrayed in The Princess Bride and situations in real life.
An additional lesson that is taught in The Princess Bride is that it doesn’t matter what someone says, it’s what they do. This lesson is showed in The Princess Bride when Farmboy would do tasks for Buttercup. Farmboy would do everything that Buttercup asked him, no matter the job (Goldman 42). With every task that Farmboy did for Buttercup he was showing his true love that he had for her. This lesson can be showed in real life situations as well. I don’t pick my friends based on what they say they would do for me, I pick my friends on what they actually do for me. For example, I had some friends who say that they would be there for me during the hard times but if I asked them to talk they would say “sorry I can’t talk right now”. The friends I have now are willing to talk to me when I ask them for a conversation. The lesson of what people do and not what they say is showed in both The Princess Bride and real life situations.
Another lesson that is taught in The Princess Bride is to always be yourself.

This lesson can be showed in The Princess Bride when Fezzik says, “People in masks are not to be trusted” (Lance). When Fezzik first meets the Man in Black he doesn’t know who he truly is. Later in the book, he finds out that the Man in Black was Westley he helps him on his adventure. An example of this lesson being showed in real life is that everyone is unique in their own way and if you don’t show how you are, then you aren’t being yourself. You will have a lot more success in life by being yourself and doing what you like instead of faking and doing something you don’t. Always being yourself is a lesson that is showed in The Princess Bride and real life

situations.
In The Princess Bride there are several lessons that are taught throughout the book. The situations that the characters go through can be greatly compared to the situations that humans experience. All the lessons that I explained are relatable to anybody in real life situations. These lessons portrayed in The Princess Bride can be used everyday in the real world. While to many The Princess Bride is a dumb, boring novel, Goldman offers valuable lessons within the writing that could change your entire life.