Literary Elements and Symbolism in The Landlady

• Engels
• WO
• Studiejaar 4

"The Landlady":

Unveiling Literary Elements and Symbolism
 

Learning Goal

You will be able to identify and understand the literary elements of plot, round and flat characters, irony, alliteration, and some symbolism.

Success Criteria

You can argue the "SO WHAT?" when asked why each literary element was effective in entertaining and engaging us as readers.

What you already know	What we will learn together (learning goals)	Next steps (success criteria)
-I have read "The Landlady" once -I know what the elements of a plot (Freytag's pyramid) look like	-identify & understand 5 key literary elements (Take Notes!) -be able to answer SO WHAT to why each element was used.	-Finish reading the short story “The Landlady” a second time and answering questions with your partner. -Apply literary knowledge to future short stories -Complete reading PPT slides

Plot

The plot is the sequence of events that make up a story. It typically includes the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

HW: While reading, chart the plot of The Landlady by adding colours to each story element.

What did the basic plot of "The Landlady" look like? Name
1) the exposition,
2) rising action,
3) climax, and
4) falling action and/or
5) resolution

Now that we know the plot basics, here is the real question: how did Roald Dahl pull that off?

Literary Elements (invisible threads)

Literary elements are the essential techniques writers weave into a story to keep us hooked. They include elements such as plot, characters, irony, and alliteration. Each different element helps add depth to the words and scenes of a (short) story, helping the audience connect with what they are reading.

PPT Prep: Round and Flat Characters

Round characters are complex and
undergo development, while flat
characters are one-dimensional
and do not change throughout the
story.

Why does Scrooge's internal dialogue make him a round character rather than a flat/simple one?

1. it makes us question his sanity
2. it shows his complex, human emotions
3. it indicates he does not grow during the story
4. it makes him seem more likeable

Can a supporting character be flat without making the overall story boring? Explain.

Irony

Irony is a literary technique that involves surprising, amusing, or interesting contradictions or contrasts.

Video: Take notes!

03:33

Which of these is NOT one of the types of irony that she mentions?

1. dramatic irony
2. spatial irony
3. verbal irony
4. situational irony

03:35

Which form of irony was used in "The Landlady"? Support your answer with evidence.

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.

The bitty brown bug bit the big black brute of a bear.

Participation Point: Make your own alliterative sentence!

Symbolism of Chrysanthemum Flowers

Chrysanthemum flowers, particularly yellow and white ones, are often used to symbolize mourning, grief, and remembrance of the dead in many cultures.

How might knowing this 

effect our understanding of the 

text?

Task: Literary Detectives (1/2)

Now, go back into The Landlady and uncover the specific crime scenes of Dahl’s craft. You are hunting down four specific devices:

Alliteration: Pay attention to how the text sounds. Look for repeated consonant sounds that create a subtle mood or rhythm—does the phrasing roll smoothly, or does it whisper like a warning?

Flat vs. Round Characters: Look closely at Billy and the Landlady. Who is dynamic and complex, and who stays completely static? Why does Dahl keep certain characters simple while giving others sinister depth?

Symbolism: Nothing in that boarding house is just decoration. The blue parrot in the cage, the dachshund on the rug, the lukewarm tea... what do these things actually represent?

Irony: Specifically, dramatic irony—where you, the reader, start piecing together the horrifying truth long before poor, clueless Billy Weaver has a single suspecting thought.

Start by answering the comprehension questions to check you understood the text, then the real work begins...

Task: Literary Detectives (2/2)

Finding the four elements is only half the job. The real secret to top-tier literary analysis is answering the "So what?"

It’s not enough to point at a line and say, "Look, miss! Alliteration!" 

I want you to argue why Dahl’s use of these devices was effective. How do they manipulate your expectations? How do they build suspense? Why do they keep you glued to the page even when you desperately want to shout at Billy to run out the front door?

Open up your copies of The Landlady, grab some highlighters or your notes, and begin your second read. 

Using your Literary Devices PowerPoint "Student Analysis Tracker" as a rubric/model, track your evidence, build your arguments, and let’s see who can crack the code behind Dahl’s dark masterpiece.

Off you go—and whatever you do, don't drink the tea!

What do you already know about the author of this story, Roald Dahl?

The Landlady

Read and answer the questions with a partner. While reading, note down the PLOT points and any instances of IRONY or ALLITERATION that you see. Be prepared to discuss why these elements stuck out to you next class.

Interactive Discussion

Engage in a 2-minute discussion about the symbols, the plot the characters, irony or alliteration in The Landlady

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.