The Landlady
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By Roald Dahl
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Suspense is the quality in a
work of literature that makes
the reader uncertain or tense
about what is going to happen
next
Before Reading:
Understand suspense and
foreshadowing
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Foreshadowing is when the reader knows
something is about to happen because of clues
that the author has given.
The longer the writer can keep the reader
anticipating what will happen, the greater the
suspense.
Conflict helps create suspense.
Before Reading:
Understand suspense and
foreshadowing
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There are two types of suspense:
 Known outcome, which is when the
reader focuses on when the outcome
will occur and who will cause it.
 Unknown outcome, which is when the
reader does not know what will
happen and is focused on what will
happen next, how it will happen, and
who will do it.
Before Reading:
Understand suspense and
foreshadowing
Create this chart in your LNb. With a partner, use the sentence on the next
slide to determine a synonym for each vocabulary word.
Word
façade
congenial
conjured
compulsion
tantalizing
emanate
blemish
rapacious
dithering
dame
Before reading:
Understand Vocabulary
Synonymn
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He thought the landlady was a dotty old lady.
Billy was hesitating before he went onto the
porch.
The front of the buildings were peeling.
The people at the pub were friendly.
The greedy landlord charged too much for the
room.
The magician called up a rabbit in his hat.
A strange force made Billy ring the bell.
She had an imperfection on her face.
There was a teasing aroma floating in the air.
The smell seemed to come from the old woman.
Before reading:
Understand Vocabulary

Create the following chart in your LNb. As you
read record examples of things that could be
foreshadowing. Then write your prediction for
what the event foreshadows. (At least 5)
Possible Foreshadowing
My prediction
During Reading:
Examples of Foreshadowing
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Irony:
 A device that writers
sometimes use to add a
special twist to their work.
 There are three types of
irony.
After Reading:
Understand Irony

Verbal Irony:
 Saying the opposite of what you really
mean.
 A person would be using verbal irony
if he said that a stupid plan was very
clever.
 Usually sounds like SARCASM
After Reading:
Understand Irony

Dramatic Irony:
 The reader knows something that the
character does not know.
 For example, in a story, a woman has
stolen a ring. The reader, but not the
character, is aware that the ring is
cursed and that whoever possesses it
will go insane.
After Reading:
Understand Irony
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Situational Irony:
 An unexpected turn of events, usually
when things turn out to be the opposite of
what the characters expected.
 For example: A man plots and schemes to
win a potion that gives everlasting life,
even killing three people who stand in his
way. Finally, the man gets the potion and
drinks it. But then, at the story’s climax,
the man is mangled in a tractor accident
and thus, must live forever in this
monstrous state.
After Reading:
Understand Irony
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Fill out the sheet during or after viewing the
film version of “The Landlady.” Share with
your partner and be prepared to share with the
class.
After Reading:
Comparing Text to Film