This 4-5 day curriculum unit is designed for use in English and language arts classrooms, grades 7-12 and junior college. While it is the first section in a series of five on the literature of war and peace, it can be used with or without the other four sections. Each section of the series focuses on a different genre of the literature of war and peace, and the literature in each section has common sub-themes. In this section, students analyze symbols, a political cartoon, and two modern fables. The terms and process of literary analysis as well as the theme of war and peace are introduced in this section. The handouts and activities contained in the lessons provide an opportunity for students to develop writing skills and to understand better various literary styles and techniques. Six appendices are as follows: (1) Introduction to the literature of war and peace series; (2) Related activities; (3) Connections to textbooks; (4) Connections to California's Model Curriculum Standards; (5) Bibliography; and (6) Educational philosophy. (DB)