Try It
Now that you have looked at the opening paragraphs of the story and have an idea of the setting and characters, you will move on to learn about our protagonist, the ambitious guest. Once you have an understanding of who he is, you will see how his character helps reveal the theme of the story.
As you read through the next excerpt, pay special attention to the character of the guest. Take notes about what is revealed about the guest as well as any further information or details you gain about the family.
Nathanial Hawthorne’s “The Ambitious Guest” is set in the Crawford Notch in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
Image Credit: Thomas Hill [Public domain], via
Wikimedia Commons
Directions:
- Download and read the second excerpt of the story. Pay attention to the details that reveal character information in the text. Add your own notes and annotations in the margins regarding what you learn about the guest.
- Make notes regarding new details revealed about the family members.
- Pay close attention to the diction. Highlight words that you do not know. Look at the lines before and after the word to find context clues to help determine meaning.
- Use your annotation and notes to answer the questions that follow.
> Download Excerpt 2, “The Ambitious Guest”
Tip Box
Diction is simply the words the author chooses to use when he or she is writing. Remember the words you looked at in the annotation of the opening of the story. Pay attention to the words used in the excerpt below; they often help relay the theme of the story.
