Leiningen Versus the
Ants
Carl Stephenson
“Leiningen Versus the Ants”
Carl Stephenson
1938
Short Story
German
Only really “famous” story that
he wrote
Conflict Brush Up
Internal Conflict:
 man vs. self
 External Conflict:
 man vs. man
 man vs. nature
 Man vs. society
Ant Invasion!
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXaaTQztoI0
Consider as you watch:
K – what do I
know about
ants?
W – what do I want to
learn about ants and
how ants connect to
the story we are
reading?
L – what did I learn
about ants and how
they connect to the
story we are
reading?
Quick Write
Imagine you have just learned that your
community is in the path of a tornado. What
would you do? Write about steps you and your
neighbors would take to avert disaster
Think Big! What are the main ways in which
authors create suspense in a story? List three.
 *Finished: Turn to Prentice Hall Textbook (blue) pg. 481*
Conflict
Provide examples from the story to illustrate these three
types of conflict.
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature
Leniningen vs. the
ants: “They’re not
creatures you can fight
– they’re an elemental
– an ‘Act of God’”
(481).
Man vs. Himself
Study Questions
1. Characterize Leiningen. What were his admirable
qualities? What were his weaknesses? Does he
change throughout the story?
2. How does Stephenson describe the ants to explain
their invincibility?
3. What various methods did Leiningen use to
overcome the ants?
4. Leiningen's success was attributed to his living by his
motto that he would be victorious. Is this motto true?
Explain your answer.
TOD
Who is the protagonist of the
story?
What is the main conflict?
What is one thing that still
confuses you about
“Leiningen Versus the Ants”?
Questions/Comments
Quick Write
Compare the “plague” of ants in
“Leiningen Versus the Ants” to the Black
Death from “Masque of the Red
Death”. How are each destructive?
Which one is more deadly? Why?
*Finished: Turn to Prentice Hall Textbook
(blue) pg. 481*
Make a Plot Diagram for the
story
Claymation Video
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRMIBra40kU
 How accurate?
Movie
Text
TOD
Name three ways Stephenson
creates suspense in his story.
Create three of your own
suspenseful sentences. Use
three vocabulary words and
get extra points!
Comments/Questions