Conquer It

In this final activity, you will read the ending of the “The Ambitious Guest” and learn the fate of our protagonist. Remember all you have learned about the family and their guest. Keeping in mind the development of these characters and Hawthorne’s diction, determine the theme of the story.

Directions:

  1. Download the final excerpt from “The Ambitious Guest.”
  2. As you read the final excerpt, look for details that reveal any information about the characters.
  3. Pay close attention to the diction. Take notes in the margins about words that you do not know. Look at the lines before and after the word to find context clues to help you determine meaning.
  4. Finally, make connections to the three previous sections and excerpts you read. What theme emerges? Think about how the ending of the story supports the theme.

>Download Excerpt 4, “The Ambitious Guest”