The Widow's Might - First Impressions

The Widow's Might

Ms. Maria's Online Class

Stories usually

follow this pattern

1. Beginning: Exposition - a. An introduction to the characters and the setting​

   b. Establish atmosphere and mood

Read the start of the story and answer the questions

Multiple Choice

The Exposition

How does the story open?

• James, Ellen and Adelaide sit in the kitchen of their childhood home after their father's funeral

• James, Elaine and Adelaide return home with their spouses for their mother's funeral.

Stories usually

follow this pattern

2. Conflict -

​

The characters face a problem

Multiple Choice

Choose the quote that suggests the problem (CONFLICT)

James, Elaine and Adelaide face

• "There can't be much left"

• "A long illness eat up everything"

• "What are you going to do about Mother?"

Multiple Choice

They ___________ about taking in their mother to live with them

• are enthusiastic

• want to talk about

• want the lawyer to talk

• aren't enthusiastic

Multiple Choice

At first, who do they believe should take care of their mother?

• Ellen

• James

• Adelaide

Rising Action

The tension builds​ as the plot moves towards the climax

Multiple Choice

At the end of this section, they believe that _________ would be the best care taker as long as James provided support

• Adelaide

• Ellen

Multiple Choice

They seem to be preoocupied with 

• who would be the best caretaker for their mother

• how much it would cost to care for their mother

• James' wealth

Multiple Choice

"She's bearing it pretty well," Ellen suggested, after a little silence.

"It's not like a broken heart," Adelaide explained, "Of course father meant well..."

What is being suggested about the mother's and father's relationship?

• They were very close

• Mother was missing her husband

• Their relationship was strained

Multiple Select

What ideas do the children have about their mother's time nursing their father?

Select two answers

• Nursing their father has placed a strain on their mother

• Nursing was easy for her

• The long nursing would have aged her

Multiple Choice

"He was a man who always did his duty," admitted Ellen, "But we none of us- loved him - very much"

How does the writer show that it was difficult for Ellen to express this idea?

• The writer uses the word 'But' . This indicates a change in her opinion.

• The writer uses two dashes to indicate two pauses in the sentence. This indicates a hesitation .

Multiple Select

At ths point of the story the characters expect that...

Choose two answers

• they will have to support their mother

• their mother will take care of herself

• they can sell the land and use the money to take care of their mother

Open Ended

Does anything surprise you about the division of inheritance in the will?

Multiple Select

What surprises does Mrs McPherson deliver?

Choose TWO answers

• That Mr McPherson had his faculties till the end

• The first will that was read was old

• Mr McPherson had written over the entire estate to his wife 3.5 years ago

Multiple Select

"We were hoping we could settle up all the business this afternoon..."

What does James mean by this?

Choose TWO answers

• He was hoping to say goodbye to his mother

• He was hoping to sell the estate

• He was hoping that their mother would come to live with one of them

Multiple Choice

What does James want his mother to do?

• To write the estate to him

• To write the whole property to him and he would divide it as their father wished

Multiple Choice

"You're father is dead" said the voice

"I am alive" said Mrs. McPherson

What effect does the change of the voice to Mrs. McPherson have on you?

• It indicates that Mrs. McPherson is not just a voice behind a veil but an independent person

• It suggests that Mrs. McPherson is glad her husband died

• It conveys what a bad husband Mr.McPherson was

Multiple Choice

"Perhaps Mr.Frankland can make it clear to you" went on James with forced patience

This suggests that James believes that

• Mr.Frankland is a good lawyer

• His mother is not intelligent enough to understand the transfer of property

• his mother doesn't know what she is doing

Poll

What are the  most startling statements Mrs. McPherson makes?

• I have considered Mr.McPherson's wishes for 30 years. Now, I'll consider mine.

• I have no children, Mr. Frankland. I have two daughters and a son.

• "But, they don't have to (do their duty). I am tired of duty"

Multiple Select

How did Mrs.Mc Pherson make money from the property once her husband wrote it to her?

Chhose two

• She made the house iinto a type of hospital

• She ran the farm with cows 

• She sold off parts of it

Multiple Choice

What advice does Mrs.McPherson give about claiming the inheritance?

• They shouldn't take it

• To not spend it all

• They should accept a yearly payment to the daughters would be higher than the one time payment

Open Ended

Is there a change in the children's attitude to their mother

that amuses you?

Climax

The most intense, exciting, or important point of the story

Multiple Select

What is the situational irony here?

What does the audience not expect here

Select TWO

• This widow is a good business woman

• This widow does not want society or her children to take care of her

• This widow is renting her farm

• She thinks that her life has just begun

Falling action and Resolution

What the characters do after the most dramatic part and how the story comes to an end

Poll

What was the children's reation to their mother's news?

• confused

• disappointed

• disapproving

Multiple Select

What does Mrs.Mc Pherson want her children to understand about her

Choose Two

• that she has lost her mind

• that she is a Real Person who has interests of her own

• She doesn't want to sacrifice the rest of her life to please someone else

Poll

"They separated - three to the East, and one to the West"

In the context of exploration  in the United States, the West was a symbol of...

• danger

• discovery

• travel

Open Ended

If you were Mrs.Mc Pherson would you do the same?