What would you do with three wishes?
About the Author:
- born / died: b. 1863; d. 1943
- nationality: British
- mainly known for: humorous works / macabre works
- recall that plot concerns the "sequence of related events in a story"
- a typical plot concerns a conflict, or a "struggle between opposing forces"
- conflicts can be either internal (person versus self) or external (person versus person, society, nature/environment, supernatural, or machine[s])
- foreshadowing adds tension to a narrative; it concerns "giving details that hint at upcoming events"
Resources:
- full text in literature book, pages 32-41
- full text online, e-text link
- full text online, e-text link
- Wikipedia entry, including plot summary, adaptations, and additional links
- full text audio .mp3, approximately 1 hour, as read by actor John Lithgow (story begins at approximately 29:30)
Vocabulary: maligned, furtively, apathy, alter, evaluate, complicate, intervene
Before You Read:
Consider the following statements by agreeing or disagreeing:
- One should be content with his or her life as it is.
- People should not play games with fate.
- You should never be afraid to be the master of your own destiny.
- There is no such thing as a free lunch.
During Reading:
- Infer: What is significant about the chess game at the beginning of the story? How might it be interpreted as symbolic?
- Interpret: Pay attention to the members of the White family. How can they be described?
- Interpret: Who is Sergeant Major Morris? What role does he play throughout the story?
- Infer: How might the first two of the White's wishes turn out bad in the end?
- Infer: What was the White's third wish?
After You Read:
- Return to the "before you read" statements and agree or disagree again, based on the new knowledge obtained from the short story. Reflect on why answers may have changed.
- Response to literature: Write a brief sequel to this tale in which someone else finds the paw. (1) Use a plot line, story model, or story map to plan the details for your story. (2) Use descriptive words to create a spooky atmosphere of horror. Use foreshadowing to build suspense.
