The Lady, or the Tiger

Page
2

• How completely can one person ever know and understand another?

The Lady, or The Tiger?—Frank Stockton

Slide 9

During the Middle Ages in England, guilt or innocence was decided through a practice known as an ordeal. An accused person was physically tested, and the outcome determined guilt or innocence. The accusers believed that supernatural forces controlled what happened. For instance, in the ordeal by water, the accused person was tied up and thrown into deep water. A person who floated was thought to be guilty; a person who sank was considered innocent. Unfortunately, those who sank often drowned before they could be hauled back up.

The Lady, or The Tiger?—Frank Stockton

Slide 10

BIG IDEA

The Lady, or The Tiger?—Frank Stockton

Matters of Life and Death

As you read this story, notice how the characters value life and death in different ways.

Slide 11

Vocabulary

BEFORE YOU READ

The Lady, or The Tiger?—Frank Stockton

impartial (im pär´ shəl) adj. not favoring one side more than another; fair; An honest judge is impartial.

emanate (em´ ə nāt´) v. to come forth; We never heard any sound emanate from that room.

dire (dīr) adj. dreadful; terrible; Breaking certain rules can have dire consequences.

READING PREVIEW

Slide 12

BEFORE YOU READ

The Lady, or The Tiger?—Frank Stockton

fervent (fur´ vənt) adj. having or showing great intensity of feeling; passionate; The coach was a fervent believer in practicing every day in order to improve.

novel (nov´ əl) adj. new and unusual; Since that older method seldom works, try a more novel approach.

Vocabulary Tip: Multiple-Meaning Words Many words have more than one meaning. Use context to help determine a word’s correct meaning.

Now it’s time to read the story!

Vocabulary

READING PREVIEW

Slide 13

Why do the king’s subjects enjoy the life-or-death trial?

The uncertainty is exciting.

The Lady, or The Tiger?—Frank Stockton

Why does a life-or-death trial appeal to the king?

The king enjoys putting people at the mercy of a heartless and whimsical fate and uses this cruel spectacle to teach his subjects a lesson.

AFTER YOU READ

Slide 14

AFTER YOU READ

The Lady, or The Tiger?—Frank Stockton

Recall and Interpret

(a) In the kingdom described in the story, what happens when a person is accused of a crime? (b) Why do the members of the community support this method?