1. ‘The landlady’ Roald Dahl
Aim: To explore how Roald Dahl creates a chilling atmosphere in the short story ‘The Landlady’

2. List 3 ways in which you could create a chilling atmosphere if you were writing a story...1. 2. 3.

3. Look at the following image of a normal street...

5. Now write a paragraph about this street to make it seem sinister.
What could you say about the street to suggest that things are not quite how they seem?

7. Do the same for this picture of an innocent lady.
Write a descriptive paragraph about the lady which suggests that she is not quite how she seems...

8. You should now have two paragraphs describing the pictures.
Swap your jotter with a partner and highlight anything which you feel they have done well to make the street/ lady seem sinister.
Be prepared to share your findings with the rest of the class.

9. The Landlady Read lines 1-60 of ‘The Landlady’.
What are your first impressions of Billy Weaver?
Describe why he has travelled to Bath.
What word is repeated to suggest that he is young?
Why do you think that Roald Dahl places such great emphasis on Billy’s youth?

10. Now read lines
Should Billy enter the B&B? Make a list of pros and cons based on what may be going through Billy’s mind at this stage in the story.
PROS
CONS

11. Prediction: Stop reading at line 384
Without reading on, predict how you think the story will end.

12. Roald Dahl’s techniques
We will now take a look at Dahl’s writing techniques and find examples throughout the short story.

13. Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is the presentation in a story of hints and clues that tip the reader off as to what is to come later in the story. The writer is giving you clues as to what will happen later on in the story.

14. Find examples of foreshadowing
Highlight as many examples of foreshadowing as possible in the ‘The Landlady’ and record them in a table:
Example of foreshadowing (quote)
What does this suggest may happen?

15. HOTSEATING
Think of three questions you would like to ask the Landlady and write them down
Think of three questions you would like to ask Billy Weaver and write them down
Now- prepare for your hotseating activity!

16. For example… How long have you lived in this street?
Why are you so particular about who stays in your B&B?
This will require role-play so if you are Billy or The Landlady you will need to use your imagination!

17. Characterisation
Characterisation is the way in which a writer creates a character.
APPEARANCE
PERSONALITY
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER CHARACTERS

18. Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony is when the reader knows something that the main character does not.
It is when the writer gives us information that the character could not possibly know.

19. Dramatic Irony and Billy Weaver
What does the reader know that Billy Weaver does not?

20. Storyboard ‘The Landlady’
Create a storyboard using 6 scenes from the landlady.
Your storyboard must include techniques used by Dahl.

21. ‘The Landlady’ Storyboard
Draw your first scene from ‘The Landlady’ here.
Describe what is happening and any techniques used by Dahl.