"The Lady or the Tiger" by Frank Stockton is a unique story to read with students. With an ambiguous ending, students get a chance to use their detective skills to decide the man's fate. See how creative your students can be through storyboards with our premade activities and lesson plans!
In ancient times, a king uses poetic justice to decide if a person is innocent or guilty. The accused is allowed to choose between two doors. Behind one door is a ferocious tiger, behind the other is a fair maiden to whom the person is married immediately.
CLIMAX
The daughter of the king falls in love with a handsome commoner. The king discovers this and the youth is sentenced to choose his fate.
FALLING ACTION
The king chooses the worst beast in all the kingdom, and the fairest maiden. The princess is already jealous of the maiden's previous interactions with her lover. Through bribery, the princess learns which door contains the lady, and which the tiger.
RESOLUTION
The day arrives, and the handsome youth is in the arena. He looks to the princess, and she motions to the right.
The man goes to the door.
The author leaves the reader not knowing what was behind the door. He asks the reader to consider the princess and her attributes, and to decide for ourselves.