Jealousy & Love
If a reader argues that the princess sent her lover to the door with the tiger, they believe that the princess is motivated by ____________. (love or jealousy)
Jealousy.
What are three words that could be used to describe the mood of the story?
Tense, unsettling, suspenseful, etc.
True or False: No matter which door her lover chooses, the princess will lose him.
True.
What is an arena?
a. A small room in a castle
b. A large area where people gather to watch events or contests
c. A type of crown worn by a king
d. A weapon used in battle
Choice B: A large area where people gather to watch events or contests.
Who is the only character who knows what is behind each door?
The Princess.
If a reader argues that the princess sent her lover to the door with the lady, they believe that the princess is motivated by ____________. (love or jealousy)
Love.
What is the princess's central conflict?
She must decide whether to send her lover to the door with the lady, where he will marry someone else, or to the door with the tiger, where he will be killed.
Name three characters in the story and identify the setting.
Three characters in the story are the princess, the young man (her lover), and the king. The setting is a large public arena.
The audience in the arena thinks it is especially terrible that the young man is on trial because he is handsome. Someone might describe the audience as shallow. What does the word shallow mean?
Focused on unimportant things, such as appearance.
True or False: The king is concerned with evidence about the crime a person is accused of.
False.
The princess experiences a _____ vs. _____ conflict because her love for the young man makes her want him to live, while her jealousy of the lady makes her unwilling to see him marry another woman.
Character vs. self.
The author describes the princess as having a personality very similar to her father's. Which literary device is used to hint at how she may act later in the story?
Foreshadowing.
Why does the king put the young man on trial?
Because he has fallen in love with the princess, and the king believes that their relationship is a crime.
The princess made her decision about which door to signal her lover to after much deliberation. What does the word deliberation mean?
Careful thought before making a decision.
What point of view is the story told from?
Third person omniscient.
What is one thought the princess has that suggests she may have sent her lover to the door with the tiger?
Answers may vary. Example: She had seen the lady behind the other door looking at her lover with admiration. She felt jealous and could not bear the thought of him marrying her.
The king claims to love his daughter dearly, but his actions cause her pain by putting her lover on trial. Which literary device is the author using?
Irony
What is the climax of the story?
When the princess secretly signals her lover to choose the door to the right.
The king is described as semi-barbaric. What does the word barbaric most likely mean?
Cruel and uncivilized.
What is behind each of the two doors, and what happens when a person accused of a crime opens each door?
Behind one door is a tiger and behind the other door is a lady. If the accused person opens the door with the tiger, the tiger attacks and kills them. If the accused person opens the door with the lady, the accused is immediately declared innocent and must marry her.
What is one thought the princess has that suggests she may have sent her lover to the door with the lady?
Answers may vary. Example: She could not bear the thought of hearing his shrieks of agony or seeing his blood spilled in the arena. Because she loved him deeply, she may have chosen the door that would allow him to live, even if it meant he would marry another woman.
What is one central idea of the story?
Answers may vary. Example: Strong emotions can influence difficult decisions.
What is one event that could be considered part of the rising action of the story?
Answers may vary. Example: When the king discovers that the princess and the young man are in love and orders the young man to stand trial in the arena.
“This semi-barbaric king had a daughter as blooming as his most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own.” The word fervent in this sentence most likely means:
Passionate and intense.
Provide one reason someone might think the king's system of justice is fair and one reason someone might think it is unfair.
One reason someone might think the king's system is fair is that every accused person has the same chance of choosing either door. One reason someone might think it is unfair is that guilt or innocence is determined by chance rather than by evidence or a proper trial.