Foreshadowing and Suspense in “The Most Dangerous Game”

English I – Fiction/CSAP Unit

The students will determine the elements that contribute to foreshadowing and suspense. (2.1.c)

Given an excerpt from the story, the students will answer MC questions with 80% accuracy over foreshadowing and suspense and justify 1 answer in a CR.

WHY: In addition to being heavily tested, foreshadowing and suspense are something you use when you watch movies, too!

Terms for Today

We probably remember the idea of foreshadowing from other lessons or years in English class, but we’ll examine it in action today.

Suspense is an important part of stories and movies, and we’ll look at how that suspense is built in one of the most famous short stories of all time.

Allusion and Foreshadowing

On page 23, when it refers to Zaroff as having “red lips and pointed teeth,” does this bring anything to mind? Perhaps a famous character from literature?

What does this comparisonsuggest?

MAYBE HIM???

Setting and Suspense

On page 24, we are exposed to a vivid description of the dining hall where Rainsford and Zaroff are sitting. In a complete sentence on your whiteboard, write down ONE detail that helps to add to the suspense of the story. Ex. “The table where ‘two-score men could sit

down to eat’ creates a feeling of loneliness and isolation, and we wonder is Rainsford is really alone.”

Evading the Question…

On the bottom of page 24, Rainsford asks Zaroff about the “big game” he hunts, and asks what is it. Zaroff doesn’t quite answer the question. How does his refusal to disclose the “big game” help to add to the suspense?

Not Knowing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mujk825LXk

How is this clip scarier since we can’t see what they’re running from?

Reasoning

When Zaroff says, “..it must be able to reason” on p. 27, what do you think the animal will be? (Use your predicting skills from yesterday) Create your answer on your post-it note, and stick it on the board, looking at other possible responses.

When he talks about “hound is worth more than a score of them,” on page 27, what period in history does this remind you of?

Providence

When Zaroff says, “Sometimes I help Providence a bit,” how does this make us feel anxious? Why do we feel nervous, especially for Rainsford?

Zaroff’s line, “You shall see for yourself tomorrow” on page 28 makes us feel ____________ because we think __________ might happen.

Heads… or tails?

Why would the collection of heads add to the suspense on page 29? Would there be anything strange about looking at animal heads?

The line “he thought he heard stealthy steps in the corridor outside his room” hints to us that __________ will happen. This is an example of ____________.

Foreshadowing and SUspense

On page 30, we learn that Rainsford heard, “the faintest shot of a pistol.” What might this be? What might we learn shortly?

When Rainsford says, “You don’t mean—” how does this build more suspense for us?

Predictions from Foreshadowing

Based on what we know about Rainsford and Zaroff, who do you think will win “the hunt” tomorrow? What is one piece of evidence that makes you think R or Z will prevail?

DoL Practice 1: The Grasshopper and the AntAn Aesop's Fable RetoldRead the selection,

and then answer the questions that follow.(1) One fine summer day, Grasshopper was hopping about in the field. As he chirped and danced, he spied Ant carrying a big kernel of corn to his nest. Grasshopper watched as Ant came back, lifted another kernel, then carried it to the nest as well. This happened repeatedly. Finally, Grasshopper asked, "Ant, why do you work so hard on such a lovely day?"

(2) "Soon it will be winter," replied Ant. "I'm gathering food for my family. I suggest you do the same!"

(3) "Why bother about winter?" asked Grasshopper. "There's plenty of food in the fields now!"

(4) Ant remembered last winter and how deep snow had covered everything. There had been no way to get out of his anthill, let alone try to find food! Now, an even worse winter was predicted. "You'll feel differently when the big snow comes!" said Ant, as he shook his head and walked away.

(5) When winter came, Grasshopper had no food. The fields were covered with deep snow. Grasshopper was very hungry and sad, knowing that Ant had food enough because he had worked hard to prepare in advance.

1. In this fable, the author uses flashback to have a. Grasshopper remember a song he used to sing. b. Ant remember where Grasshopper used to live. c. Ant remember how bad last winter was. d. Grasshopper remember where he hid seeds during the summer. 2. Which best foreshadowed what might happen in the story? a. Grasshopper hopped about in the field. b. An even worse winter was predicted. c. Ant walked away. d. Grasshopper chirped. 3. Based on the story, which do you predict could NOT happen? a. Grasshopper begs Ant for just a small bit of food. b. Ant feels sorry for Grasshopper and gives him food. c. Grasshopper digs under the snow and finds lots of food. d. Grasshopper gets weaker without any food.