“The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner

Materials

1. Composition books open to a blank page.2. Textbook open to page 32.

What's wrong with this story?

He showered her with roses but never asked her favorite flower.

It has no PLOT!

He showered her with roses but never asked her favorite flower.

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner

Predict the meaning of the term plot.

ExamplePlot is _______.

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner

Plot is the sequence of events within a story.

During the exposition, the author introduces the setting (time and place) and characters.

The rising action introduces the conflict (problem).

The climax is the turning point in the story or the point of highest suspense.

The falling action eases suspense, and the main conflict is resolved.

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner

In the resolution, all conflicts are resolved, and the story ends.

“The Dinner Party” Prediction

Based on the story's title and after skimming the story, predict the climax of Mona Gardner's “The Dinner Party.” Follow the model below.

ModelAfter briefly analyzing Mona Gardner's “The

Dinner Party,” one may infer the story's climax will contain ________ because ________.

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner

Create the following chart in your notes.Plot Stage Evidence Why does the author

provide this plot section?

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner

Create the following chart in your notes.Plot Stage Evidence Why does the author

provide this plot section?

Exposition “The country is India.” (1)“A large dinner party is being given … by a colonial official and his wife.” (1-2)

To give background

Rising Action “he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess.” (15-16)

To build suspense

Climax The snake slithers out of the room and the naturalist slams the door. Several people scream when they see the snake. (37-40)

To create highest level of suspense

Falling Action The tension eases once the door slams shut. “A man has just shown us an example of self control.” (41-47)

To ease tension and begin to solve the conflict

Resolution Mrs. Wynnes reveals the cobra was lying across her foot. (46-47)

To resolve the conflict completely

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner Discussion Questions

Respond to the questions below in complete sentences. As you reply, provide the author and story title, restate the question, and cite evidence with line numbers in order to justify your response.1. Note the story's exposition. Why does the author provide

this exposition?2. Delineate the text's rising action. Why does Gardner

present this rising action?3. Infer the narrative's climax. Why is this climax significant?4. List the text's falling action. Why does the author provide

this falling action?5. Discern the story's resolution. Why is this resolution

effective?

2. Delineate the text's rising action. Why does Gardner present this rising action?

In “The Dinner Party,” by Mona Gardner, The text’s rising action occurs when an argument ensues about male versus female self-control when it comes to fearful situations. Another aspect of this rising action is when the American notices the expression on the hostesses face. Gardner presents this rising action to build suspense. The author states in line15-16, “he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess.” Gardner uses these examples to make the reader want more.

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner Discussion Questions II

Respond to the questions below in complete sentences. As you reply, provide the author and story title, restate the question, and cite evidence with line numbers in order to justify your response.1. Note the story's setting. Why does the setting prove

significant?2. Infer the story's overarching conflict. Why is this conflict

resolved?3. Discern the American's profession. Why does is his

profession significant?4. Determine the story's mood. Why is this mood created?5. Why does the boy's character escalate the rising action?

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Rising Action Found Poem

Analyze “The Dinner Party” text. Extract evidence that reveals the story's rising action, and compile this evidence into a found poem. Also, cite line numbers for each piece of evidence provided. Ultimately, include at least five pieces of evidence.

Examplestrange expression (15-16)eyes widen (19)milk in a bowl (22)bait for a snake (23)commotion will frighten (31)voice so arresting (32)stone images (37)the cobra emerge (39)

“The Dinner Party” by Mona Rising Action Writing Activity

Assume the character of Mrs. Wynnes. While embodying this point-of-view, craft a narrative from a first person perspective. Focus on retelling the rising action. In your narrative, incorporate at least three scenarios that actually occurred within the story.

ExampleThroughout the dinner party, the colonel, with his bristly pearl

moustache, insinuated that women possess less self-control than men (11-13). As anger rose inside my chest, as a snarling, jagged-toothed lion, suddenly, I froze. Contorting, my face cringed like that of a wrinkled pug (15-16). Powerfully, my jaw clenched, teeth scraping one another (16-17). Rough sandpaper snagged the flesh of my exposed foot, and this slithering texture could only belong to one animal: a cobra.