The Landlady

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Creative Writing: Short Story From the Perspective of Another Character”

In this activity, students will write a creative story about one of the characters in Dahl’s story.

“The Landlady” centers on the interactions between Billy and the titular character; however, the reader learns about two other characters, who, although mentioned by name, are not given a backstory. Furthermore, the reader only learns about the landlady from the perspective of Billy. In this Activity, you will write a short story providing background to one of the characters other than Billy. Use the questions below to guide your writing:

• Who is your character? What is their background?
• How are they related to the landlady (if applicable)?
• Which characters do they interact with?
• What is their fate? What is the climax of their story?
• How does their story relate to the landlady and Billy’s interaction?

After writing your story, present the work in an in-class reading. Consider the variety of interpretations regarding the characters’ backgrounds in your peers’ creative works.

Teaching Suggestion: This Activity invites students to reflect upon Dahl’s characterization in their own creative writing piece.