Introduction to Literature: Session 2

• Pedagogische wetenschappen
• WO
• Studiejaar 1

Introduction to Literature

Week 1: Roald Dahl's short story "Landlady"

In Today's Lesson you will:

• Learn about Roald Dahl
• Read  Roald Dahl's short story "The Landlady"
• Work in pairs on assignment (for a grade)

Roald Dahl

• 1916 - 1990
• Was a pilot in the Royal Air Force
• Wrote 9 short story collections

• Wrote 19 children's books
• Including: 

The Landlady

• "The Landlady" is a short horror story by Roald Dahl.
• initially appeared in The New Yorker in 1959.
• Was adapted into a short film in the British show called Tales of the Unexpected 

Read "the Landlady"

What was your first impression of the story?

Can you find a quote where the Landlady is described physically?

Find a quote that describes Billy Weaver physically

Suggested Answers

"She (the Landlady) had a round pink face and very gentle

blue eyes" 

"Billy was seventeen years old.
He was
wearing a new navy-blue
overcoat, a new brown trilby hat,
and a new brown suit"

Describe how Billy's actions contribute to his characterization

What does the comparison of
the landlady to a jack-in-thebox suggest about her (lines 90–91)?

Describe how The Landlady's actions contribute to her characterization

Characterization

• Representation of characters in a story.
• Distinction can be made between flat or two-dimensional characters (which remain static), or round or three-dimensional characters (which are complex and demonstrate development). 

Explain whether the landlady is a flat or round character and why

Explain whether the landlady is a flat or round character and why

The landlady and Billy Weaver are both flat/static characters; Neither one of them have a personality change