ELA 9

The Short Story Unit

“The Interlopers”

Read the poem ‘A Poison Tree” by William Blake.

* After you have read the poemunderline all the words you don’t

understand, and look them up in a dictionary.

* Next circle all the figures of speech

that you find and label them.

Response to “A Poison Tree”

1. What allows the tree to grow?2. What does the apple

represent?3. What is the theme of the

poem (message)?4. Write a one paragraph

summary of the poem.5. Journal Response:Do you agree with Blake’s message? How is this a lesson we can apply to our daily lives?

• If you were going to put this poem to music what genre of music would be the most effective?

• Why?

Famous Feuds

With a partner, research 4 famous feuds that have happened in history. Make a chart that includes; the two

parties are that are feuding, what the feud is about, and the outcome.

Short Story:The Interlopers

by “SAKI” (H.H. Munro)

In your notebook:define the word interloper

Using the picture below (or the picture on page 33 in your text), as well as your definition, predict what the story is about.

Context Clues

If you don’t know what a word means you can use context clues to figure out the meaning. Try the following strategies to find context clues.*Make an educated guess about the meaning*Restate the sentence in a different way that makes sense….if you still don’t know

Find the definition of the word in the dictionary

Vocabulary

As you read, locate the following words in the text. Based on the context of the story, make an educated guess about what the word means. Write your “guess” in the vocabulary handout sheet.

Precipitous Marauders SuccorWrested Pious PestilentialAcquiesced Poaching UnstrungLanguor Condolences

Use context clues in the story to guess the word meaning.Precipitous ___________________________________________________________

Marauders ___________________________________________________________

Succor ____________________________________________________________

Wrested ___________________________________________________________

Pious ___________________________________________________________

Pestilential ___________________________________________________________

Acquiesced ____________________________________________________________

Poaching ____________________________________________________________

Unstrung ____________________________________________________________

Languor ___________________________________________________________

Condolences ____________________________________________________________

Interlopers

• Now read the short story on page 33 of your Sightlines textbook.

The Interlopers Post Reading Activity

Match the word with it’s definition

A. Condolences

B. Wrested

C. Languor

D. Succor

E. PrecipitousF. AcquiescedG. Marauders

H. Pious

I. Pestilential

J. Poaching

k. Unstrung

____ The state or feeling, often pleasant, of tiredness

____ An often jumbled assortment; a mixture ____ Take (something, esp. power or control) from someone or something else after considerable effort or difficulty.

____ to assent tacitly; submit or comply silently or without protest; agree; consent

____to roam or go around in quest of plunder; make a raid for booty: Freebooters were marauding all across the territory.

____ help or assistance, especially in time of difficulty

___Cook (an egg), without its shell, in or over boiling water; or illegally hunt or catch (game or fish) on land that is not one's own or is under official protection.

____ Resembling a precipice; extremely steep.

____Having a string or strings loosened or removed; Informal Emotionally upset.

_____having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations.

____Harmful or destructive to crops or livestock; relating to, or tending to cause infectious diseases.

Simple and Complex SentencesExperienced writers use a variety of sentences to make their writing interesting and lively. Too many simple sentences, for example, will sound choppy and immature while too many long sentences will be difficult to read and hard to understand.

A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought. In the following simple sentences, subjects are in yellow, and verbs are in red.

A. Some students like to study in the mornings.

B. Juan and Arturo play football every afternoon.

C. Alicia goes to the library and studies every day.

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (Helpful hint: The first letter of each of the coordinators spells FANBOYS.) Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always preceded by a comma. In the following compound sentences, subjects are in yellow, verbs are in red, and the coordinators and the commas that precede them are in black.

A. I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English. B. Alejandro played football, so Maria went shopping. C. Alejandro played football, for Maria went shopping.

Using the vocabulary words from the story create complex sentences.

Condolences LanguorAcquiesced

Marauders

Pious

Succor

Pestilential

poaching

Wrested

Precipitous

Unstrung

Journal Entry

Briefly respond to the story. Record any thoughts or feelings you have after reading the story.

IronyIrony: is a literary device which reveals concealed or contradictory meaning(s). Three common forms of irony are:1. Verbal irony, which occurs when a

contrast is evident between what a character says and what that character actually means.

2. Dramatic irony, which occurs when the author shares with the reader information not known by the character. As a result, the reader becomes aware that a character’s actions may be inappropriate for the actual circumstances, and what is to come is the reverse of what a character anticipates as the outcome.

3. Situational irony, occurs when a set of circumstances turn out differently from what was expected or considered appropriate.

Match the example with the meaning.

*_____ At the finish line of a marathon, a tired runner says, “Oh, yeah, I’m ready to run another 24 miles.”

*_____A man drives down a quiet street instead of the busy the main road to avoid being hit by a speeding car and is suddenly hit by a truck!

*_____ A man who is a traffic cop gets his license suspended for unpaid parking tickets.

What is the irony in the story “The Interlopers? (make sure you back up your answer with proof)

Atmosphere or mood: is the prevailing feeling that is created in the story. The atmosphere usually sets up the reader’s expectations about the ending or outcome of the plot. Atmosphere is usually created through the dialogue and the imagery.

What is the mood of the story?

Conflict in “The Interlopers”complete the handout conflict handout.

Type of conflict

Example from story

Real life example

Type of conflict

Example from story

Real life example

Type of conflict

Examples from story

Real life example

Type of conflict

Example from story

Real life example

QUESTIONS: Answer the following ( Remember to follow the format we have been practicing with a topic sentence and proof from the text.)

1. (a) As you read the story, how did you think it would end? (b) What thoughts went through your mind at the end of the story? 2. (a) What started the feud between the von Gradwitz and Znaeym families? (b) In your opinion, why do Ulrich and Georg hate each other so much? 3. (a) How does the men’s relationship gradually change while they are trapped under the tree? (b) What causes the change in the men’s relationship? Explain. 4. (a) Who are the figures that Ulrich sees coming through the forest? (b) What is ironic about the way the story ends? 5. To whom or what might the title of this story refer? 6. Do Ulrich and Georg seem to meet by chance or by design? Explain your answer. 7. Saki is well known as a master of surprise endings, but he also drops hints to prepare a careful reader for the surprise. (a) What hints about the ending appear in “The Interlopers”? (b) How well has Saki prepared readers for the ending? 8. What does Ulrich’s statement that “there are better things in life than getting the better of a boundary dispute” suggest about how the two men have spent their lives?

Characterization: below give some traits of the characters and then give examples from the story that illustrate the characteristics.

Character Trait/Characteristic Example of trait/and explanation pg. #

Gradwitz stubborn “If only on this wild night, in this dark, lone spot, he might come come across Georg Znaeym.” Gradwitz seems to be obsessed with murder. . . .

Making Connections…

Watch the short video version of “The Interlopers”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upw0e5j2uJg

and answer the following questions:1. How did viewing and listening to the story affect your

understanding of the story?2. How were the camera shots used to add meaning to the

story?3. Did the use of light and sound add to any of the literary

elements (mood, theme, etc.)? List the literary element and explain how light and sound highlighted or hindered the portrayal the elements.