The Lady or the Tiger–1
September 9, 2008
Paragraph 1: Why might Stockton have left his story ambiguous–was he trying to make a particular point or was he trying to create a particular effect? Support your answer.
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1. E. Carter | September 25th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I think that Frank Stockton was trying to make you think about what type of person you are by posing you with this tough question. He builds up beautifully prolific arguments for both sides and graphically depicted each scenario taking place. He said of these things “If you decide which it was-the lady or the tiger-you find our what kind of a person you are yourself” (304). I think that Stockton was trying to create that cliff-hanger feeling where you have to fill in all the blanks. But, I think that is also why he did it, because he knew it would be better if you filled them in for yourself.
2. Meagan Collins | September 27th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I believe that Stockton left his story ambiguous because he was trying to make a particular point. I think that the point he was trying to make is that the reader should try to interpret the story, and ultimately make his or her own decision. Just like Frank R. Stockton says, “If you decide which it was-the lady, or the tiger- you find out what kind of a person you are yourself.” The person who picks the tiger might be selfish, and jealous. The person that picks the lady, might be loving, and peaceful
3. Mhockenbrocht | September 27th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I think Stockton left the ending unclear because he wanted the readers mind to create the rest of the story. He may of just let our minds do the rest of the thinking, and make us think about all of the differnet outcomes that could of happened. By not telling us want had happened at the end, it makes me want to go back through the story and re-read it to look for more details. This story was very interesting to read for me because I never knew what was going to come next. When Skockton didn’t really tell the end of the story, it was just another adventure coming up next like a man in the arena about to make his decision.
4. Frank H. | September 28th, 2009 at 3:42 am
I think that Frank R. Stockton left his story ambiguous because he was trying to make a particular point. His ambiguity makes the story more complex, and makes the reader have to think. In his own words he states, “If you decide which it was – the lady, or the tiger – you find out what kind of a person you are yourself”(304). The author developed his characters to be very self focused. He might have portrayed this to show how the human heart is evil, and self centered, making the reader come to that conclusion also.
5. Marissa King | September 28th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
He might have made the story ambiguous because he wanted the audience who was reading the story to keep coming back for more. Also me might have made it ambiguous because he wanted people to think that he knew something that no one else knew. I think he was trying to make a particular effect. The reason why is because he always kept the fate of the criminal a secret and the audience not knowing whether the person was going to live or die. In the story it stated that this was the king’s semibarbaric method of administering justice. When in the story the author said “Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady?” He created the benifit of the doubt that either outcome could happen. In the end of the story he still gave the apprehension of the audience deciding who came out of the right door.
6. Priya M. | September 28th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I think he left it hanging because he wanted to leave a particular effect. Under ‘Meet the Writer’ he says “If you decide which it was- the lady or the tiger- you find out what kind of a person you are yourself (304). He wanted to make you feel like you got to decide the fate of the man. It’s almost as if you get to be the author for the ending. If you choose the tiger, you may be a more intense person. Some who chose the lady would be people who want happy endings.
7. Morgan Bates | September 28th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
By Stocken not tellin us if it was a the lady or the tiger it lets us kno he was being ambigous (quality that allow things to be interpeted in multiple ways). (Which came out of the opened door the lady or the tiger? pg 304). The effect i think he was trying to make was a mysterious effect.
8. Randasia bevelle | September 28th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I think that he Stockton didn’t complete the story because it leaves his readers pondering about the decision off rather she will let her husban die or let him live and remarry another woman. The ending is what made his story so powerful and popular. I can support that beacause the readers was asking for an answer to the end of the story. So, he told them, “If you decide which it was the lady or the tiger you find out what kind of person are you.”
9. GHoover | September 28th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I think Stockton was trying to make a particular effect. He left the story that way so we could use our imagination to see what happened next. Another reason why is that it has more emotion in a way than trying to make a point. Using a particular effect also makes the book more interesting for the reader.
10. katie | September 28th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I think Stockton was trying to create a mysterious effect and create a certain mood to the story. Reading the story I was anxious to know who would come out from behind the door but he never says who did, he leaves it up to the reader to decide.
11. Janelle G | September 28th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I think Stockton left his story like that to create a particular effect. The author keeps you guessing at the end of the story, and makes you use your imagination. The narrorator said “And so I leave it with all you you: Which came out of the opened door–the lady, or the tiger” (304). Stockton creates an ominous feeling at the end of the story. I believe the particular effect is ominous, is because you don’t know what happened to the character.
12. Christina | September 28th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I think Stockton was trying to make a point by not telling us what happened. He presented us the character of the princess, but even with the facts he gave us we still can’t tell what her choice was. Would she really kill someone to ease her own pain? Or does she have enough heart to value the gift of life and sacrifice her happiness for her lover. The point the author is making is that you never really know what a person will do or how they will act.
13. Gabriella W | September 28th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I think he wanted the readers to come to their own conclusion in the story so they could have whatever ending they wanted it be. They wouldn’t have to be limited to what the author thought it should end they could expand their imaginations. At the end of the story the author writes “it is not for me to presume to set mysel up as the one person able to answer it”(304). The effect he left gave people wanting more and there was all the reader had to do was think of it. The last questionhe asks is up to you”which came out of the opened door- the lady, or the tiger?” (304)
14. Ashley A. | September 28th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I believe that Stockton was trying to create a particular effect. Of course the reader wants to know which one that comes through the door, the lady, or the tiger. The thing that Stockton is trying to acheive, i think, is to try and get the reader to think real hard and try and guess on his or her own which one comes through the door. When Stockton doesnt say which one it is, it causes the reader to think harder and deeply about the events that took place that might lead to the answer. Stockton successfully made this effect.
15. Ryan S. | September 28th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
I think that the tiger is behind the door that the young man opens. I think this because the princess loved the man so much that when he looked to her she was acting out of selfish desire. By doing this she believed that she was doing the right thing. I also think that she gave him the tiger door, because she wanted him to be her lover and only her lover. She thinks in the book, “That she would rather gnash her teeth and pull her hair out … than to see him with another woman” (p303). This is why I think that the princess led her lover to the door with the feral tiger.
16. Ryan S. | September 28th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
sorry the other one was for The Lady or The Tiger-2.
I think that he left his story without an ending because he was trying to create a particular effect. I think that because in the story the princess makes such big deal about what could happen to her lover. She could send him to the door that led to an unmarried lady. She could also send him to the door that led to the ferocious tiger that would rip his body to pieces. I think that he wants to leave us with something to think about, the lady or the tiger?
17. Kyla | September 28th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I think Stockton left his story ambiguous so he could make a particular point. I think the point he was trying to make is that life isn’t always fair. I don’t think that system of judgment is fair or accurate. It would be wrong if you got rewarded if you were guilty and punished if you were innocent.
18. alexis w | September 28th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
I think the author left the story untold because he wanted to get the readers thinking. I also think that the author was trying to make an effect like something dramatic was about to happen. This way the readers would have to think a little deeper to get an answer. I think it was a great way to end the book.
19. Kim B. | September 28th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
I think both because in the Meet the writer section he said “If you decide which it was the lady or the tiger you find out what kind of person you are”. That is an example of a particular point. The end of the story leaves you quit hanging and it builds up to that through out the story. That might be to create a certain effect. That is why I think it could be both or one or the other.
20. Eric Hamilton | September 28th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I think that Stockton was trying to make a particular point. He lets you choose who you think will come out of the opened door, either the semibarbaric princess or the fangs of the ferocious tiger. He says that you will find out what kind of person you are yourself. Stockton is saying always you have a choice and the choices that you make tell what kind of person you are. I think his point was that you have choices and the choices that you choose can define you as a person.
21. Christyana | September 28th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I think that he left the story like that to make the readers think more about his point. I dont think he was going for a specific point .
I think he wanted the readers to have a certain reaction to his writings. For example after i read the story i felt as if i could understand a little bit more about the title and also about the plot, of course its defenitly more information at the end that other people could possibly grasp.
22. Shannon J. | September 28th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Stockton left his story ambiguous to prove a point. By answering the question “you find out what kind of person you are yourself” (304). If you were to pick the tiger it would show that you only care about making yourself happy and not the well-being of others. If you were to pick the fair lady then it shows you are willing to give up your happyness for someone else. For example the princess took many days to decide whether to see her lover stroll away with the fair maiden or see him eaten by a tiger. She did not want to see him get hurt but she would never want to harm her lover either. Thats the point Stockton was trying to make.
23. Christian W. | September 28th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
He might of left his story ambiguous because he wanted reader to think about it and then decide for themselves. He wanted the reader to figure out what kind of person they themselves are by deciding which they think was behind the gate. I think that Stockton was trying to make a particular effect on people by making them want an answer but have them finally decide for themselves who came out at the end. In the story, Stockton even explains the purpose: “The more we reflect upon this question, the harder it is to answer. It involves a study of the heart,” (303). Stockton, in the end of the story, describes the situation more so that the reader will be able to answer for themselves and leads them to a self revelation.
24. cal thorne | September 28th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I think he left the story ambiguous because he was making a point and trying to create a particular effect. The effect that he created made people think about what the princess said about her telling the youth what door it was. He uses the princess’ back and forth thoughts to read carefully and react to the story personally. The point he was trying to make by leaving the story unfinished would make people answer themselves and find out what kind of person they are. He used it very well by leaving the end of the story open because it made you think about the princess’ thoughts and actions.
25. Leanne Krick | September 28th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I think he was trying to make a particular effect. I think this because he was trying to get the readers attention, and to think about what was going to happen. He probably wanted his readers to think about what they would have done if they were the princess. Different readers would answer differently, depending on their emothions and their barbaric personality. Thats why I think he left the ending out.
26. Callum A | September 28th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I think that Stockholm was trying to make a point. He wanted readers to think about which door you would have chosen. “And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door — the lady, or the tiger?” (304) Would you rather have your lover killed, or married to someone else? “She had lost him, but who should have him?” (302) Stockholm wanted to make the point that you should think about what is best for them, not just you. This is similar to choices that you make in everyday life.
27. Justin P. | September 28th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Stockton might have left his story ambiguous for several reasons.
One reason is that maybe he wanted to keep readers in suspense. Another reason is that maybe he wanted to keep his thoughts a mystery, so that people would never know what he was thinking. He might write all his stories this way because that is the way he likes to write his stories. One more reason is that he might just not want his story to be predictable like many other stories.
28. Maggie V | September 28th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I think he left the story with that question because he was trying to create an effect. He was trying to let the reader decide what door he would open. It made the reader decide what the girl would do, would she let the man live or would she let him get married to another woman. The reader would now have to decide weather the princess would be a barbaric princess like her father or a lovely princess and let him live.
29. Rebekah Parsons | September 28th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Stockton left us readers finishing the stories ourselves determining if the princess was a jealous girl, or a girl who valued her lovers life, more than her own. We have to decide if she told her lover to open the lion’s cage or the lady’s cage. Stockton left us determining the personality of the princess. I don’t think that Stockton was making a certain point in the story, instead he left us in suspense, wondering what the conclusion of the story is. Depending on the reader, the story could be completely different in different people’s eyes.
30. ArabiaL | September 28th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I think Stockton was trying to make a particular point and effect. The effect of this story was to read it and have a feeling of awe and amazement. The effect the story had on you leads to the point of the story.The point of this story is to see what kind of person you really are. If you decide that he should open the on with the tiger you are selfish and jealous,but if you decide he should open the one with the lady you prove that you aren’t selfish and jealous.
31. Chris Bankston | September 28th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I think Stockton was trying to make and effect rather than making a point. I say that the particular effect he tried to make was ending the story with a question to produce a cliffhanger. That is one of the best tools an author or writer can use because it keeps the readers attention, and keeps them interested. Because Stockton ended with a cliffhanger this story kept my attention. It had me thinking which did he choose, the lady or the tiger?
32. Josh Macks | September 28th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
I think he was trying to do both, that is, make a point and create an effect. The point he was trying to make is that even though people care about one another, they can still be very selfish. A sub-point he was making is that jealousy can be a very powerful thing. The evidence to support that is when the princess saw them talking about nothing, and got very angry. The effect he is trying to create is one of mystery, but also of thoughtfulness. The evidence for that is by not telling us which came out, but telling us to think about which came out.
33. Paige Peterson | September 28th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I think he was trying to create a particular effect in the story. I think this because the story has a magical feel to it. The way he describes the characters in the story and the paintings support my idea.
34. Autumn J | September 28th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I think that he was trying to make a particular effect. The reason why is because we never know which door he was going to pick the tiger or the lady. “He could open either door he pleased: He was subject to no guidance or influence but that of the forementioned impartial and incorruptible chance.” This story gave us a cliffhanger cause we never know which door he chooses. The cliffhanger also makes this story ambiguous.
35. Imani Thomas | September 28th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I believe Stockton left his story ambiguous to help get the reader more into the story. By this I mean had he ended the story with a more obvious ending it might not had made me think about it. The ending of the short story The Lady or the Tiger did make me believe he was trying to make a point. More like an emphasis on who came out of the door. Even though he told who came out of the door I think he did this to let us know how angry the princess felt that her lover was to be married. By this I mean she looked like a maiden because she was a princess but she was mad as a tiger.
36. Raymond | September 28th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I think that he was trying to make a particular affect. the reason why is because we dont know which door he will going to pick. The Tiger or The Lady. ” He could open either door he please” he was subject to no guidance of influenced but that of the for mentioned impartial and incorruptible chance.
37. Garrett Nimmo | September 28th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I think that Stockton could have left the story like this for many reasons. I think that he left it like this to show how good or bad people in the world can be.
38. Eion | September 28th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
He was trying to make both. The point was that everyone has a good and a bad side. Some people are sane and other are insane. Some are jealous and angry but others have kindness and goodness in there heart. She could be selfish or selfless.