Landlady
Why does Billy Weaver initially decide to stay at the bed and breakfast?
It looks charming and is cheap?
Why does the man board up the window?
To prevent anyone from seeing inside?
Why does the spider invite the fly into his parlour?
To trap and eat him
What is the main character doing when he first notices the hitchhiker?
Driving on the highway?
Briefly describe the sequence of events that happen to Billy Weaver after he enters the landlady’s house. How does the author build suspense throughout the story?
a young man named Billy Weaver stops at a cozy-seeming B&B in Bath. He signs a guest book, but soon realizes the names within are of missing men, recognizes a stuffed dog and parrot, and notices a faint taste of bitter almonds in his tea. The landlady reveals she is a taxidermist who "stuffs" all her pets, and Billy realizes with horror that she has poisoned him and intends to do the same to him
What strange detail does Billy notice about the landlady’s pets?
They are taxidermied (stuffed)?
What is the man’s emotional state after his wife’s death?
Numb and soulless
How does the fly initially respond to the spider’s invitations?
He politely refuses
How does the narrator feel about the hitchhiker at first?
Suspicious but polite?
Describe the main character's personality in The Hitchhiker. What clues in the story show us his traits? How do these traits affect the story's outcome?
an ordinary, successful writer who enjoys driving in his new BMW, but his perception of the hitchhiker and the world transforms from initial distrust and slight apprehension to grudging respect and even admiration for the man's exceptional skill
How does the landlady’s behavior toward Billy make him feel?
Nervous and suspicious?
What unusual event surprises the man at the end of the story?
His wife has the panther's ear in her mouth
What literary device is used when the spider flatters the fly’s wings and eyes?
What is a metaphor?
What strange thing does the narrator notice about the hitchhiker?
He steals his belt
Explain how the setting in The Boarded Window contributes to the mood of the story. What details in the description of the house and surroundings create this mood?
The forest: Gloom, silence, and foreboding
What is unusual about the guestbook at the bed and breakfast?
It only has two names besides Billy’s?
What type of animal plays a significant role in The Boarded Window?
A panther
What warning does the fly give about going up the winding stair?
Those who go up never come down?
What is the main conflict in The Hitchhiker?
Man vs. man?
What is the overall message or moral of The Spider and the Fly? How can this lesson apply to real-life situations?
to be wary of flattery and deceptive words, as they can be used by manipulative individuals to lure innocent or naive people into dangerous situations
What is the implied fate of Billy at the end of the story?
He is likely stuffed like the others
How does the story’s setting contribute to the mood?
It feels dark and eerie?
What lesson is the poem trying to teach readers?
Be careful of flattering words that may hide danger
What is the twist revealed near the end of the story?
The hitchhiker steals from the drivers to survive
What might the boarded window symbolize in The Boarded Window? Explain your reasoning using details from the story.
Murlock's overwhelming grief and his attempt to lock away a horrific truth about his wife's supposed death