An Uncomfortable Bed Flashcards
How do we know that the narrator is distrustful of his friends’ behaviour?
Upon his arrival he was given a princely reception, which immediately made him distrustful.
Has anything happened to the narrator to support his suspicions of his friends?
Nope. Not yet, at least.
What does the narrator do once he is back in his bedroom? Name 3 things.
He…
- lights the candles on the mantlepiece to avoid being left in the dark
- checks behind the curtains
- closes the shutters
- checks the chair and places it in front of the window
- checks the bed and the curtains around it.
What sort of pranks was he expecting back in his room?
He expected someone to be behind the curtains. He expected the chair and his bed to break. He expected the mattress to sink to the floor. He expected water to fall on his head.
How was the narrator awoken the following morning?
By a heavy body falling on top of him and hot liquid spilling onto his face.
Think of the title, why was the bed uncomfortable?
Because he moved his bed onto the floor.
What is dramatic irony?
Dramatic irony is when you know something the character in the story doesn’t.
Explain the dramatic irony in the story.
The narrator is sure that he is going the be pranked by his friends. The friends also know that the narrator is expecting to be pranked. In the end, the friends don’t prank him but through his precautions to prevent being pranked, he ‘pranks’ himself when the valet falls on top of him in the morning.
How does the author build a sense of expectation in the story?
The narrator moves from one possible prank to the next. In each situation the reader anticipates something happening but then nothing does happen. This builds a sense of expectation in the story.
What does the following word mean?
Valet
A male servant who sole serves a male in the household.
What does the following word mean?
Interlude
A temporary interlude or amusement. A short break between two periods.
What does the following word mean?
Gingerly
To do something cautiously or carefully.
What does the following word mean?
Mantelpiece
Structure around the fireplace.
Summarise the story in 5 sentences.
The narrator goes for a weekend hunting trip at his friends’ chateau.
His friends enjoy pranking one another, so he is anticipating that he is going to be pranked.
Their behaviour causes him to be suspicious.
He checks his room for possible pranks but cannot find any.
As a precaution he makes his bed on the floor and as a result of this the valet trips over him and falls on top of him the next morning.
