Unit: Ambiguity and Themes of Love and

Jealousy“The Lady, or the Tiger?”- Frank Stockton

Ms. Rodriguez- English 9 World Literature

Student Objectives:In this PowerPoint, students will examine

and demonstrate understanding of ambiguity and theme through completing the guided

notes that go with this presentation.

KWL Chart: Theme and Ambiguity

• In this chart, fill out the K and W section of this chart • Fill out four details for each• The topic is “Theme and Ambiguity”• In a few minutes, we will share our

ideas with our pair-share partners!

• K- What you Know• W: What you Want to Know• L- What you Learned

What is Ambiguity?• Ambiguity is “is a word, phrase,

or statement which contains more than one meaning.”

• This allows for a literary work to have a deeper meaning, or to produce humor

• Readers can then use their own imagination to “fill in the blanks”

• Ambiguity invites the reader to actively participate in the text

• Sometimes ambiguity is seen as a flaw in writing, where authors leave “holes” in their work

• Many authors use ambiguity intentionally and can aid reader engagement

What is Theme?• Theme is the main idea of a text• Sometimes it is directly stated,

but more often than not, it must be inferred

• Theme is an opinion, not simply the subject of a text

• Theme can apply to all groups of people and cultures (a sense of universality)

• Themes are often about: love, hatred, friendship, revenge, jealousy, war

• The theme can be inferred by looking at other literary elements such as:• Plot, character interactions,

character feelings, setting

Video: Identifying Theme

Thinking Back

• What themes have you seen that are common in literature?

• Think what the theme is and how you identified it!• Take a few minutes to come up with some examples with

specific texts in mind• Share out loud with a partner• Then we will talk about them as a class

The Lady, or the Tiger? Preview• Author: Frank Stockton• Short story written in 1882• Setting: A land ruled by a semi-barbaric king• Plot: The king holds a punishment “trial” based entirely off chance in a public arena

• The accused is force to pick a door out of two options. Behind one door is a lady whom the king believes is a good match for the accused, and behind the other door is a tiger ready to kill.

• The king’s daughter’s lover is discovered and is thus put to trial. The princess inevitably finds out which door reveals the lady and which door reveals the tiger.

QuickWrite: Making Predictions• Now it’s time to predict what will happen

in The Lady or the Tiger?

• Answer the following questions in a short paragraph. You have 7 minutes! We will then discuss our predictions as a class.

• Who will be at the end of the door? A tiger or a lady?

• How will the princess help her lover? Will she even help him?

• What does it mean to be barbaric? How does this affect the princess’ nature?

KWL: What Did I Learn?

• Now that we have discussed theme and ambiguity, jot down what you have learned!

• Write down at least four points in the “L” section• Were your questions in the “W” section answered?• If not, let’s talk about it

Kahoot! Quiz interactionTheme and Ambiguity Kahoot!

Steps:1.Go to Kahoot.it

using your smart phone or ChromeBook

2.Join the game using the ID provided on the screen

3.Get ready to play!