The Landlady
page 61
By Raold Dahl
Standard
• 3.2 Evaluate the structural elements of the
plot (e.g., subplots, parallel episodes,
climax), the plot’s development, and the
way in which conflicts are (or are not)
addressed and resolved.
Write a story using the following
words
•
•
•
•
Facades
Congenial
Conjured
Rapacious
• Tantalizing
• emanate
Vocabulary Draw
• #1 Vocabulary Word Ex. conspicuous
• #2 The definition of the word. Ex: adj.
noticeable
• #3 Use the word in a sentence using
context clues. Minimum 10 words per.
Sentence Ex.: The robber looked
conspicuous wearing a ski mask in line
at the bank.
• #4 Simple picture depicting the word.
• 2. façade: (noun) means: front of
buildings
• 3. congenial: (adj.) means: agreeable;
pleasant
• 4. conjured up (verb) means: called to
mind.
• 5. rapacious (adj) means: greedy
• 6. tantalizing (adj) means: teasing by
remaining unavailable; tempting
facades
• 1. facades: noun fronts of buildings
• original context: “the handsome white
facades were cracked and blotchy
• from neglect” p. 63
congenial
• 2. congenial adjective agreeable;
pleasant
• “ a pub would be more congenial..
There would be beer and darts” (63).
rapacious
• 3. rapacious adj. greedy
• “The name itself conjured up images
• of watery cabbage, rapacious
landladies, …”(63).
tantalizing
• 4. tantalizing adjective teasing by
remaining unavailable
• or by withholding something desired by
someone; tempting.
• “There was nothing more tantalizing
than a thing like this that lingers just
• outside the borders on one’s memory”
(67).
tantalize
emanate
• 5. emanate verb come forth
• “He caught a whiff of a peculiar smell
• that seemed to emanate directly from
her person”(68).
conjured
• 6. conjured- called to mind
dithering
• 7. dithering about-confused or
nervous manner
dotty
• Dotty: adj. crazy
foreshadowing
• A hint or clues of what is to come
idiom
• a saying that can’t be literally understood.
How does Roald Dahl in “The
Landlady” hint a Billy Weaver’s
death?
• Turn the question into a statement:
Roald Dahl in “The Landlady” hints at
Billy Weaver’s death through his use of
foreshadowing.
#2 Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail = Quote or Example from
the story Give background information
to give the quote some context. “….”
For example, the setting is described
as…
For example, when the landlady opens
the door, she…
Wrong!
• For example, “The air was deadly cold
and the wind was like a flat blade of ice
on his cheeks”(62).
• You did not give a context to this
quote.
• What is the background?
Much Better
• For example, the author describes the
weather as “deadly cold” and the wind as
“a flat blade of ice”(62).
• Now commentary: Images of murder
creep into the reader’s mind thus
foreshadowing the tragic end.
Concrete Detail Example
Raold Dahl describes the setting as
“ deadly cold and the wind was like a flat
blade of ice on his cheeks” (62).
How to blend quotes
• The landlady asks Billy to sign the
book and adds“…and we don’t want to
go breaking any laws at this stage in
the proceedings” (65).
Sentence 3 & 4 +=Commentary
• Your opinion, insight or analysis
about the concrete detail. Begin the
sentence with: This shows, This
demonstrates, This foreshadows,
• Avoid I think, I…
• One more sentence of commentary.
More concrete detail #5
In addition, : Concrete Detail (Quote or
Example from the story) Give
background information or the context)
• In addition, the landlady explains to
Billy, “But I’m always ready…on the off
chance that an acceptable young
gentleman will come along”(65). This
shows
• 6. Commentary (Your opinion, analysis
about the concrete detail.
• This shows, This demonstrates, This
foreshadows, Avoid I think, I…
• 7. One more sentence of commentary.
Final Concrete Detail
• 8. Lastly, : Concrete Detail (Quote or
Example from the story) Give
background information.
• The landlady asks Billy to sign the
book and adds “…and we don’t want to
go breaking any laws at this stage in
the proceedings” (65).
• This shows
• This foreshadows
• This illustrates, illuminates,
demonstrates…
• 9. Commentary (Your opinion, analysis
about the concrete detail. This shows,
This demonstrates, This foreshadows,
Avoid I think, I…
• 10. One more sentence of commentary.
Conclusion
• A finished feeling for the paragraph.
• “BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND
BREAKFAST. Each word was like a
large black eye staring at him…forcing
him to stay” (63).
• Commentary: Write two sentences of
your evaluation or analysis of the
above quote. Avoid “I think…”
• This shows:
• “But this dame was like a jack-in-thebox. He pressed the bell-and out she
popped!”(64). This shows
• The landlady explains, “But I’m always
ready…on the off chance that an
acceptable young gentleman will come
along”(65). This shows
• The landlady asks Billy to sign the
book and adds “…and we don’t want to
go breaking any laws at this stage in
the proceedings” (65).
• This foreshadows
• Billy suddenly recalls where he has
heard Christopher Mulholland’s name
and asks,
• “wasn’t that the name of the Eton
schoolboy who was on a walking tour
through the West Country and then all
of a sudden…”
• “Milk?” she said.
• This suggests
• After Billy realizes the dachshund is
stuffed, the landlady explains,“I stuff all
my little pets myself when they pass
away. Will you have another cup of
tea?”(69).
• This shows
• “Mr. Temple, of course, was a little
older…There wasn’t a blemish on his
body”(68).
• This shows
Standard for irony
• 3.6 Identify significant literary devices
(e.g., metaphor, symbolism, dialect, irony)
that define a writer’s style and use those
elements to interpret the work.
Verbal Irony
• Verbal irony involves a contrast between
what is said or written and what is really
meant.
• Ex. Baseball player strikes out and you
call him “slugger”.
• Ex. My friends old, slow horse is called
lightning. (misnomer)
• Ex. I’m so lucky to have met you. (cheater)
Situational irony/ Irony
• Situational irony occurs when what
happens is very different than what is
expected.
• Ex. The fire station burns down.
Dramatic irony
• Dramatic irony occurs when the audience
or the reader knows something the
character does not know.
• Ex. The Diary of Anne Frank
• Ex. The shower scene in Psycho
foreshadowing
• A hint or clues of what is to
come
• The setting is described as, “…deadly cold and
the wind was like a flat blade of ice on his
cheeks”(62).
• This hints…
• “ the air was cold and the wind was like ice on
his cheeks”(62).