Frank Stockton was born in 1834 (Klimas 216). He started telling stories shortly after, when he was a child (Klimas 216). When he was older, he wrote a short story called “The Lady, or the Tiger?” for a magazine called St. Nicholas (Klimas 216). It quickly became one of the most famous short stories in the world, because of Stockton’s use of suspense (Klimas 216). Stockton used exposition, conflict, and climax to create the suspense in his story.
Stockton used exposition to create suspense by introducing the arena. “Among the borrowed notions by which his barbarianism was semified was that of the public arena . . .” Stockton 219). It made readers question the significance of it, and how the author was going to use the arena. As they learned …show more content…
The king was not happy with the princess having a relationship, so he decided to get rid of her lover by putting him in the arena. “No matter how the affair turned out, the youth would be disposed of . . .” (Stockton 223). Luckily for her lover, the princess knew what door the tiger was behind, and she could easily point to the right door for him to choose. However, the reader soon learns that the prince may not be so lucky. “She had dared to raise her eyes to the loved one of the princess; and, with all the intensity of the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of wholly barbaric ansestory, she hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind that silent door” (Stockton 224). The princess hated the lady behind the door and could not stand the idea of her lover and the woman being together. The climax of the story is the princess's choice. Will the princess let her lover be eaten, or will she let him be with another woman?
Stockton created suspense that made the reader read the entire story, but he never revealed the princess’s choice. Stockton says the answer to whether the princess chose the lady or the tiger “Involves a study of the human heart. . .” (226). He did not say the princess’s choice, however, he did ask his readers what they would have chosen. “And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door--the lady or, the tiger?” (Stockton
Stockton used exposition to create suspense by introducing the arena. “Among the borrowed notions by which his barbarianism was semified was that of the public arena . . .” Stockton 219). It made readers question the significance of it, and how the author was going to use the arena. As they learned …show more content…
The king was not happy with the princess having a relationship, so he decided to get rid of her lover by putting him in the arena. “No matter how the affair turned out, the youth would be disposed of . . .” (Stockton 223). Luckily for her lover, the princess knew what door the tiger was behind, and she could easily point to the right door for him to choose. However, the reader soon learns that the prince may not be so lucky. “She had dared to raise her eyes to the loved one of the princess; and, with all the intensity of the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of wholly barbaric ansestory, she hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind that silent door” (Stockton 224). The princess hated the lady behind the door and could not stand the idea of her lover and the woman being together. The climax of the story is the princess's choice. Will the princess let her lover be eaten, or will she let him be with another woman?
Stockton created suspense that made the reader read the entire story, but he never revealed the princess’s choice. Stockton says the answer to whether the princess chose the lady or the tiger “Involves a study of the human heart. . .” (226). He did not say the princess’s choice, however, he did ask his readers what they would have chosen. “And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door--the lady or, the tiger?” (Stockton