“The Lady or the Tiger” Essay Prep and Prompt

Prompt: Based on evidence from the story to back up your position, write an essay in which you argue whether the lady or the tiger came out the door when the young man opened it. This should be a four paragraph essay—a three-sentence introduction, two evidence-filled body paragraphs, and a one or two sentence conclusion. This should be at least two-pages long and done in MLA format.

Write your introduction here: We will be working on this together in class:

(Hook): ______. (Transition sentence which mentions the title and author of story and leads to the thesis): ______(Thesis statement which includes which came out of the door, the lady or the tiger, and two main reasons why you’ll prove that):______.

  • Look at the evidence chart you filled out for homework.
  • Decide for which you will argue—the lady or the tiger.
  • Compile the strongest pieces of evidence according to which ones deal with a similar subject.
  • Create a new chart like the example below. You should have at least two main ideas (those will become the topic sentences for your two body paragraphs). You should have at least two-three pieces of evidence from the story. You should have at least two-four sentences of commentary explaining how your evidence proves your topic sentences and thesis statement.

Main Idea used to support your thesis / Quote/ Evidence From Story (with page #) / Explanation of how the quote supports main idea (2 sentences)
The author’s use of internal conflict in the princess shows that although she hated the lady behind the door, she would not have sent her lover to the tiger. / The author writes that as soon as the princess had learned of her lover’s fate in the king’s arena that “she had thought of nothing, night or day, but this great event” (48). / Although there is plenty of evidence that shows how much the princess was jealous of the lady and hated the lady behind the door, the attention the author brings to the princess’s internal conflict helps to show that she finally chose to save him.
“Her decision had been indicated in an instant, but it had been made after days and nights of anguished deliberation (50). / The princess was only semi-barbaric—this means that half of her was reasonable and able to resist barbaric and emotional reactions. If she had to make her decision instantly, then, her barbaric blood would probably have won out, but the author mentions twice, that she worried over this decision for days and nights. With such emphasis, it is clear that the author intended to have the princess’s reasonable side shine through, thus saving her lover by sending him into her enemy’s arms.