The Lady or the Tiger By Frank R

The Lady, or the Tiger? By Frank R. Stockton ?

The Lady, or the Tiger? Introducing the Story In this tale, a king holds public trials of subjects accused of crimes. Their guilt or innocence is determined by chance—by having them open one of two doors and reveal what’s behind it. • A ferocious tiger means guilt. • A beautiful lady means innocence.

The Lady, or the Tiger? Literary Focus: Ambiguity is the quality that allows something to be interpreted in several ways. Ambiguity in a story… • allows for conflicting interpretations • adds complexity • makes the story seem more like real life

The Lady, or the Tiger? Literary Focus: Ambiguity The ambiguous ending of “The Lady, or the Tiger? ” may make the story linger in your mind for days or weeks. • You may find yourself returning to the story again and again, answering the questions it poses differently each time.

The Lady, or the Tiger? Reading Skills: Making Inferences About Motivation When you read an ambiguous story, you may need to make inferences or draw conclusions (educated guesses), about the characters’ motivation. Think about • what the narrator tells you about the characters • what the characters do or say • what you know about the way people act and think

The Lady, or the Tiger? Reading Skills: Making Inferences About Motivation As you read “The Lady, or the Tiger? ” pay close attention to the king’s daughter. • Think about how her motives relate to other characters. • Make inferences about the reasons for her behavior.