Analysis of the Short Story The Lady, or the Tiger?

By: Frank Stockton

SUBMITT ! B": Michelle Anne B# $%a SUBMITT ! T$: Mrs# &'ate
SHORT STORY SUMMARY:

 TITLE: The Lady, or the Tiger? AUTHOR: Frank Sto kton SETTI!": The #tory take# $%a e a %ong ti&e ago in a kingdo& 'ar, 'ar a(ay) *HARA*TERI+ATIO!: The king i# #e&i ,ar,ari -.n i/i%i0ed1) The yo.ng &an i# hand#o&e) They are ,oth #tereoty$e#) The $rin e##, on the other hand, i# de/e%o$ed &ore dee$%y) 2e kno( #he %o/e# the $rin e) She ha# inherited #o&e o' her 'ather3# #e&i ,ar,ari 4.a%itie#) She i# 5ea%o.# o' the ,ride to ,e, i' ho#en) 6LOT:

The #e&i7,ar,ari king o' an an ient %and .#ed an .n.#.a% 'or& o' $.ni#h&ent 'or o''ender# in hi#
kingdo&) The o''ender (o.%d ,e $%a ed in an arena (here hi# on%y (ay o.t (o.%d ,e to go thro.gh one o' t(o door#) 8ehind one door (a# a ,ea.ti'.% (o&an hand7$i ked ,y the king and ,ehind the other (a# a 'ier e tiger) The o''ender (a# then a#ked to $i k one o' the door# (itho.t kno(ing (hat (a# ,ehind it) I' he $i ked the door (ith the (o&an ,ehind it, then he (a# de %ared inno ent ,.t (a# a%#o re4.ired to &arry the (o&an, regard%e## o' $re/io.# &arita% #tat.#) I' he $i ked the door (ith the tiger ,ehind it, tho.gh, then he (a# dee&ed g.i%ty and the tiger (o.%d ri$ hi& to $ie e#) One day the king 'o.nd that hi# da.ghter, the $rin e##, had taken a %o/er 'ar ,eneath her #tation) The king o.%d not a%%o( thi# and #o he thre( the o''ender in $ri#on and #et a date 'or hi# tria% in the arena) On the day o' hi# tria% the #.itor %ooked to the $rin e## 'or #o&e indi ation o' (hi h door to $i k) The $rin e## did, in 'a t, kno( (hi h door on ea%ed the (o&an and (hi h one the tiger, ,.t (a# 'a ed (ith a on.ndr.&9i' #he indi ated the door (ith the tiger, then the &an #he %o/ed (o.%d ,e ki%%ed on the #$ot: ho(e/er, i' #he indi ated the door (ith the %ady, her %o/er (o.%d ,e 'or ed to &arry another (o&an, a (o&an that the $rin e## dee$%y hated and ,e%ie/ed her %o/er ha# '%irted (ith) Fina%%y #he did indi ate a door, (hi h the #.itor then o$ened) At thi# $oint the 4.e#tion i# $o#ed to the reader, ;<id the tiger o&e o.t o' that door, or did the %ady?; The 4.e#tion i# not an#(ered, and i# %e't a# a tho.ght e=$eri&ent regarding h.&an nat.re)

6OI!T OF >IE2: The #hort #tory i# to%d 'ro& the third $er#on o&ni# ient $oint o' /ie() *O!FLI*T:

 A $er#on /) $er#on on'%i t e=i#t# ,et(een the king and hi# da.ghter and the king and the yo.ng &an) An indi/id.a% /) #o iety on'%i t e=i#t# ,et(een the t(o yo.ng %o/er# and the r.%e# o' the kingdo&) I!TER!AL: Thi# #ho(# the $rin e##? #tr.gg%e# on (at hing her %o/er in the ar&# o' another or (at hing her %o/er get de/o.red ,y a tiger) THEME: Ho( yo. dea% (ith the on#e4.en e# o' yo.r a tion# and hoi e#) Making right de i#ion#)