M The Way Up to Heaven

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

The Way up to Heaven 

By Roald Dahl 

Listen to the Way up to Heaven

https://xpressenglish.com/our-stories/way-to-heaven/

Read The way up to Heaven

https://xpressenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/Stories/The-Way-Up-To-Heaven.pdf

and/or

Vocabulary

https://www.bookwidgets.com/play/4BZMT4Z

Study vocabulary before you start. Try to guess the meaning of the underlined words before looking at the meanings/ definitions.  

General Understanding

What was Mrs Foster most worried about?

1. Her husband leaving her.
2. Being late for something.
3. The twitch in her eye.

General Understanding

What made Mr Foster a little angry?

1. His wife always being late.
2. His daughter marrying a Frenchman.
3. His wife worrying about silly things.

General Understanding

Why did Mrs Foster want to go to France?

1. To see her grandchildren.
2. To get away from Mr Foster.
3. To get to know the Frenchman.

General Understanding

Why did Mr Foster want to go with his wife to the airport?

1. Because she could not drive a car.
2. To make her think she will be late.
3. To help her find the way in the fog

General Understanding

Why was Mrs Foster feeling "strong and cool and calm" as her plane got closer to Paris?

1. She had not been late for the plane.
2. She was looking forward to seeing the Frenchman.
3. She had done something to change her life.

General Understanding

How did Mrs Foster seem as she prepared to leave Paris to come home?

1. Content, as if making plans to return to Paris soon.
2. Sad, as if knowing it would be a long time before she would be able to return.
3. Happy, as if looking forward to being back in New York with her husband.

General Understanding

Where did Mr Foster spend his time during the six weeks that his wife was in France?

1. At home, stuck in the lift.
2. With another woman.
3. Staying at his club.

01:09

List 10 words from the story which describe Mrs Foster as being either nervous or afraid.

02:38

Do you sympathize or not with Mrs Foster? Do you think she should go to prison? Do you understand why she let her husband die?

I feel sympathy for her. It is sad that Mr Foster had to die, though Mrs Foster should not be blamed for his death.

I feel sympathy for her, though she shouldn't have left him to die. She is responsible for his death.

I don't feel sympathy for her. Mr. was cruel but leaving him to die is taking matters too far. Prison is the best option.

Key Elements that go into every great Short Story.

setting

conflict

theme

plot

character

setting

conflict

theme

plot

character

What do we learn about the characters and how are they presented in the short story?

	Protagonist	Anta gonist	Major	Minor	Static	Dynamic
Mrs Foster
Mr Foster
Daughter/ grandchildren
The butler/ driver taxi

Characters

	Protagonist	Anta gonist	Major	Minor	Static	Dynamic
Mrs Foster	x		x			x
Mr Foster		x	x		x
Daughter/ grandchildren				x	x
The butler/ driver taxi				x	x

Mrs Foster

Mrs Foster is initially described as a woman who is subservient to her husband, and to a large extent ruled by her fears. However, as the story progresses she reveals a new side of herself, and by the end she has clearly taken back the power in a quite dramatic way. 

Mr Foster

Mr Foster is described as an unsympathetic man who enjoys toying with his wife's emotions, particularly in relation to her fear of being late. He constantly arranges situations in such a way that her fear is heightened, seemingly enjoying tormenting her.

Discuss in pairs: 

Compare and contrast the personalities of Mr and Mrs Foster. What makes them different and similar? 

setting

conflict

theme

plot

character

Where does the story 'The Way up to Heaven' take place?

When does the action in the story occur? Which century? The beginning, the middle or the end? How can you tell?

How much time passes from the beginning to the end of the story?

Setting

Main scenes that form the setting are the Foster's house in New York, in the taxi, at the airport and a visit to Paris. 

The Fosters’ house is an absurdly large residence in New York City. It has six stories, and it is populated by the Fosters and their servants. 

The story is set in 1950s or 1960s.
It all happens within a period of 6 weeks. 

setting

conflict

theme

plot

character

Conflicts?

Internal conflict 

(person vs self)

The conflict is between Mrs Foster and her pathological fear of being late for appointments such as flights.

External conflict

(person vs person)

The conflict between her and her husband, which ultimately pushes Mrs Foster to leave her husband to die trapped in the lift inside their house, before she leaves for Paris.

setting

conflict

theme

plot

character

What builds up suspense in 'The Way up to Heaven?

Discuss The Way up to Heaven

Exposition 

Setting: Large six-story house on East Sixty-Second street in New York city. 

Characters: Mrs Foster and Mr. Eugene Foster

Rising Action

Event 1 

Mrs. Foster keeps asking the butler what time it is. She had a flight to catch, and she does not want to be late.

Event 2

Mr. Foster purposely takes longer than he needs to when accompanying Mrs. Foster to the airport. He also has constant doubts that she already missed the plane; or that it is too foggy to fly.

Event 3

Mrs. Foster's flight has been postponed until the morning, so she goes home.

Climax 

Mr. Foster is once again trying to make Mrs. Foster late to her flight. He makes up a story about the "gift" for her to take. He goes back inside. He is taking so long, Mrs. Foster goes back to check on him; she hears a peculiar noise. She then tells the driver lets go, and they leave Mr. Foster behind.

Falling Action

Event 1

Mrs. Foster arrives in Paris. She has a feeling of calmness and content. She thoroughly enjoys her visit with her daughter and grandchildren.

Event 2

Mrs. Foster writes to Mr. Foster every week and "check in" on him. 

When she arrives home after 6 weeks, she finds all of the mail on the ground after opening the door to their home.

Resolution 

Mrs. Foster calls all around the house for Mr. Foster. The house is quiet and no one else is home. The only noise she hears is that of the elevator stuck in between the 2nd and 3rd floor.

Mrs. Foster calls the elevator repair man, to come "see what's wrong".

setting

conflict

theme

plot

character

What is 'The Way up to Heaven' really about? What is the central theme?

Revenge

Themes in 'The Way up to Heaven'

Choose the odd one out.

1. Deception and Disloyalty
2. Gender and Marriage
3. Cruelty and Revenge
4. Love and Faith

Theme

The central theme of "The Way Up to Heaven" is essentially cruelty and revenge. Mr. Foster has been secretly tormenting his wife for years with his procrastination and deliberate delays. She always says nothing to her husband, but when she gets the chance, she finally gets rid of him by leaving him alone in the elevator to starve to death. She frees herself from all the suffering. 

The title 'The Way up to Heaven' is quite ironic. Explain why.

Which of the writing techniques used by Roald Dahl could you link to this story? 

Discuss in pairs 

In all of Dahl's stories there is an underlying streak of cruelty and gruesome unpleasantness.

6

Dahl's writings style involves a great deal of black humour and sarcasm.  

4

Dahl uses a third person view in most of his adult short stories. (he/ she/they etc.) 

3

Dahl makes use of many adjectives to give details about the character and the situation. 

2

- The names that Dahl gives to his characters complement the personality and features of that character. 

1

Dahl's short stories involve unexpected twists and turns at the end. 

5

2, 3, 5, 6

Choose one emoticon that represents (part of) the story.

Write down (30 words) why the emoticon you have chosen fits (part of) the story.

Choose one emoticon that represents (part of) the story.

Write down (30 words) why the emoticon you have chosen fits (part of) the story.