Question

After the class discussion, answer the following using

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

In the short story "The Lady, or the Tiger?" by American author and humorist Frank Richard Stockton, I believe the princess chooses the door that will lead her lover to the tiger.

The narrator uses direct characterization when he tells us the princess is semi-barbaric, just like her father. From this piece of information, we can easily infer she is not totally rational in her decisions. She will allow her emotions, which revolve mainly around jealousy and anger, to get the better of her.

Indirect characterization is also used when the narrator describes her feelings, thoughts, and actions concerning the possibility of her lover opening the door the lady:

But how much oftener had she seen him at the other door! How in her grievous reveries had she gnashed her teeth, and torn her hair, when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady! How her soul had burned in agony when she had seen him rush to meet that woman, with her flushing cheek and sparkling eye of triumph;

From the excerpt above, we can tell the princess is indeed letting jealousy dominate her. Instead of wishing her lover to be alive and well, she seems to rather wish him dead, all because of her fear of seeing him marry another woman. For those reasons, I believe the princess pointed him to the door that leads to the tiger.