“The Furnished Room”

by O Henry

Creating Suspense

What is suspense?

How does an author create suspense in a story?

Trailer for The Furnished Room: http://vimeo.com/68155109

Reading & Answering Questions:

• We will be reading this story in three sections.

• Fold your paper in 9 parts to make boxes for your answers.

• Each section will have questions that correspond to that part of the story.

• You should be hunting for the answers to these questions as we read through the story.

You may answer in short form (lists of words, phrases, short sentences.)

This chart is your ticket out the door.

SECTION 1Begins, “Restless, shifting, fugacious as time itself”Ends, “Yes, they comes and they goes.”

• In Box 1 – Answer: Who is the narrator of the story? Describe them.

• In Box 2 – Predict: Based on what the narrator and the housekeeper have said, what will happen in the room?

• In Box 3 – Infer: Write down at least 3 words that describe the setting (look for descriptive adjectives). What is the mood? Where can you infer the story takes place? (country? year? Rural or Urban?)

SECTION 2Begins, “’This is the room,’ said the housekeeper, from her furry throat.”Ends, “the reeking exhalations of linoleum and mildewed and rotten woodwork.”

• In Box 4 – Answer & Infer: Who is he looking for? Describe what she looks like.

• In Box 5 –List: The story is filled with vivid imagery and vocabulary. List out 5 words that have strong imagery.

• In Box 6 – Predict: The imagery creates mood in the story, predict what will happen in the room.

SECTION 3Begins: “Then suddenly, as he rested there”Ends, “Do fill up your glass again, Mrs. McCool”

• In Box 7 – Answer: What happens to the man? What does Mrs. Purdy, the housekeeper, reveal at the end of the story? Were your predictions right about what happened?

• In Box 8 – Discuss: Was the ending a shock? How did O Henry use foreshadowing to create this shock? How else does O Henry create suspense in this story?

• In Box 9 – Discuss: What is the theme of the story? (Theme is the overarching idea; the implied main idea)

With your partner...

...discuss your answers for these boxes:

• In Box 7 – Answer: What happens to the man? What does Mrs. Purdy, the housekeeper, reveal at the end of the story? Were your predictions right about what happened?

• In Box 8 – Discuss: Was the ending a shock? How did O Henry use foreshadowing to create this shock? How else does O Henry create suspense in this story?

• In Box 9 – Discuss: What is the theme of the story? (Theme is the overarching idea; the implied main idea)