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The Bet. Anton Chekhov. SETTING. Set in Russia in 1885 Autumn Party at the Banker’s estate Lodge where the young lawyer resided on the Banker’s property. CHARACTERS. The Old Banker Spoiled and frivolous Places a bet with the Young Lawyer concerning an argument over capital punishment - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The BetThe Bet
Anton ChekhovAnton Chekhov
SETTINGSETTING
Set in Russia in 1885Set in Russia in 1885
AutumnAutumn
Party at the Banker’s estateParty at the Banker’s estate
Lodge where the young lawyer Lodge where the young lawyer resided on the Banker’s propertyresided on the Banker’s property
CHARACTERSCHARACTERS
1.1. The Old BankerThe Old Banker Spoiled and frivolousSpoiled and frivolous Places a bet with the Young Lawyer Places a bet with the Young Lawyer
concerning an argument over capital concerning an argument over capital punishmentpunishment
2.2. Young LawyerYoung Lawyer 25 years old25 years old Would rather choose life in prison over Would rather choose life in prison over
deathdeath Takes the Banker’s betTakes the Banker’s bet
THE BETTHE BET
The Young Lawyer must live isolated The Young Lawyer must live isolated for 15 years with no human contactfor 15 years with no human contact
Live in the lodge on the Banker’s Live in the lodge on the Banker’s propertyproperty
Can have books, food, wine, mail, Can have books, food, wine, mail, etc.etc.
Cannot see or talk to anyone Cannot see or talk to anyone
PlotPlot
Exposition/Basic SituationExposition/Basic Situation Banker introduced as the main Banker introduced as the main
charactercharacter Dark autumn nightDark autumn night Remembers the dinner party he had Remembers the dinner party he had
given 15 years agogiven 15 years ago Flashback interrupts the storyFlashback interrupts the story
PlotPlot FlashbackFlashback
Dinner partyDinner party AutumnAutumn Disagreement arisesDisagreement arises over the use of capitalover the use of capital PunishmentPunishment
Leads to the betLeads to the bet between the Banker between the Banker and Lawyerand Lawyer Lawyer accepts the betLawyer accepts the bet
PlotPlot
FlashbackFlashback• Year 1: loneliness and Year 1: loneliness and depression/ constantlydepression/ constantly played the piano/refusedplayed the piano/refused wine and tobaccowine and tobacco• Year 2: No piano/ asked for the classicsYear 2: No piano/ asked for the classics• Year 5: music again/ ate/ drank Year 5: music again/ ate/ drank
wine/lay in his bedwine/lay in his bed
PlotPlot
FlashbackFlashback• Year 6: studied languages, Year 6: studied languages,
philosophy, and historyphilosophy, and history• Year 10: sat immovably at the table Year 10: sat immovably at the table
and read only the Gospels, theology, and read only the Gospels, theology, histories of religionhistories of religion
• Last 2 years: read immense Last 2 years: read immense quantities of natural sciences, quantities of natural sciences, Shakespeare, Bryon, and medicineShakespeare, Bryon, and medicine
PlotPlot
Rising Action/ComplicationsRising Action/Complications Banker remembers how he gambled his Banker remembers how he gambled his
millionsmillions Realizes the lawyer has won the bet, but Realizes the lawyer has won the bet, but
he has no money to be able to payhe has no money to be able to pay ClimaxClimax
Banker goes to the lodge late at night Banker goes to the lodge late at night with the intention of killing the lawyerwith the intention of killing the lawyer
PlotPlot
Falling ActionFalling Action Finds the lawyer face down asleepFinds the lawyer face down asleep Discovers and reads the letterDiscovers and reads the letter Returns to the houseReturns to the house Is informed by the watchmen that the Is informed by the watchmen that the
lawyer had leftlawyer had left Denouement/ResolutionDenouement/Resolution
Takes the letter from the table and locks Takes the letter from the table and locks it up in a fireproof safeit up in a fireproof safe
CONFLICTSCONFLICTS
Elemental: Capital punishment more Elemental: Capital punishment more immoral vs. life imprisonment more immoral vs. life imprisonment more immoralimmoral
Internal: The prisoner – the meaning Internal: The prisoner – the meaning of his life vs. his desire for moneyof his life vs. his desire for money
Internal: The Banker – desire to kill Internal: The Banker – desire to kill the lawyer vs. paying the betthe lawyer vs. paying the bet
POINT OF VIEWPOINT OF VIEW
33rdrd Person Limited Person Limited
The story is told from the Banker’s The story is told from the Banker’s thoughts and feelings. The narrator is thoughts and feelings. The narrator is outside the story. 3outside the story. 3rdrd person person pronouns are used. pronouns are used.
THEMETHEME
Consider theme from the perspective Consider theme from the perspective of both characters and what they of both characters and what they struggled with in the story and how struggled with in the story and how they handled their conflicts.they handled their conflicts.
Lawyer: Freedom and social Lawyer: Freedom and social interaction are essential human interaction are essential human needs.needs.
Banker: Earthly accomplishments are Banker: Earthly accomplishments are worthless in the face of death.worthless in the face of death.
OTHER ELEMENTSOTHER ELEMENTS
Situational Irony: The lawyer has Situational Irony: The lawyer has spent his entire imprisonment spent his entire imprisonment gaining knowledge and wisdom, but gaining knowledge and wisdom, but as a result has lost his capacity for as a result has lost his capacity for hope and no longer sees any use for hope and no longer sees any use for knowledge and wisdom.knowledge and wisdom.
TECHNIQUES USEDTECHNIQUES USED
Flashback – interrupting the present Flashback – interrupting the present action in a story to show earlier action in a story to show earlier events and is triggered by the events and is triggered by the present event.present event.
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