GOBIERNO DE MENDOZA

DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE ESCUELAS Profesorado de

DIRECCIÓN DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR INGLÉS
I.E.S "DEL ATUEL" Nº 9-011 IDIOMA INGLES II Prof. Vizcaíno Ma Paz

THE COMPANION BY AGATHA CHRISTIE

ANALYSYS ASSIGNMENT

1. THE AUTHOR.
 Design a graphic organizer to include information about the author. It’s not going to be a
summary. It will be a biography template.
 What elements of her life influenced her writings?
 What elements of her life do you think influenced this particular story?
2. GENRE.
 What is the genre of the story? Explain with evidence from the text.
3. THE TITLE.
 What connection can you make between the title and the cause of events in the story?
 If you had to give a new title to the story, what would it be? Explain.
4. PLOT
We can say that the Companion is a frame story

Story 1: external action – linear

External time -chronological

EXAMPLE
Story 2: internal action –

Internal time - memory

What the video to understand it better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-fxi99A_8k

GOBIERNO DE MENDOZA
DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE ESCUELAS Profesorado de
DIRECCIÓN DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR INGLÉS
I.E.S "DEL ATUEL" Nº 9-011 IDIOMA INGLES II Prof. Vizcaíno Ma Paz

 Explain the frame story in the context of The Companion.

 Are the episodes in chronological order? If not, why not?
 Are any later incidents foreshadowed early in the story?   
 Are flashbacks used to fill in past events? If so, why?
 What elements create suspense in the plot?
 Is the book a "page turner" or does it unfold slowly?
 Use the diagram at the end of the document to explain plot.  

5. SETTING. Be careful and remember this is a frame story!

 Explain setting. Consider all the setting types. Time /Place /Weather Conditions/Social
Conditions/Mood Or Atmosphere
(Maybe you can do it using something similar to the frame above or not)
6. CONFLICT
 What is the main conflict in the story?
 Is the conflict external or internal? Justify your choice.
 Taking into account the other four types of conflict (mas vs man, etc.) How can you classify
the one in The Companion?
7. CHARACTERS
To do the following activity remember that characters are described in two main ways:

a- Direct or explicit characterization

b- Indirect or implicit characterization

 Use the following chart to describe characters.

CHARACTER’S FULL
NAME
Description

Direct characterization Indirect characterization

OTHER
GOBIERNO DE MENDOZA
DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE ESCUELAS Profesorado de
DIRECCIÓN DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR INGLÉS
I.E.S "DEL ATUEL" Nº 9-011 IDIOMA INGLES II Prof. Vizcaíno Ma Paz

NOTE: In the section other, you have to consider the other categories in characterization.
Antagonist, protagonist; Individual, developing or static.
8. POINT OF VIEW.
 Describe it and provide evidence from the text to justify your answer.
9. THEME
 Describe it and explain your choice.
10. SYMBOLS
 Find three symbols and explain their meaning.
11. ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
1. In the story, the idea of prejudice is present. Find examples of it in the text.
2. What wrong conclusions are reached by the other guests as the try to solve the mystery?
3. At the end of the story Dr. Lloyd bumps into Amy Durrant in Australia. What do you think of this
event? Would you keep it or change it if you could? Why?
4. Is the ending satisfying? Why?
5. If you were to sum up this book in one tweet, what would you say in 140 characters (letters)?
6. Is the story interesting?
7. Is the story plot driven?
12. Vocabulary work
A. Find in the text words that mean:
- creepy
- completely
- big, fat
- the quality of being very thing
- sexually attractive
- increased
- curving

B. Explain these phrases

a. To take the law into your own hands
b. To make light of something (made light of the matter)
c. red herring
d. a life for a life
e. to knock me down with a feather
f. make light of the matter
g. to wallow in crime
h. hotbed of crime and vice
i. inclined to scragginess
j. next of kin
k. was not long for this world
GOBIERNO DE MENDOZA
DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE ESCUELAS Profesorado de
DIRECCIÓN DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR INGLÉS
I.E.S "DEL ATUEL" Nº 9-011 IDIOMA INGLES II Prof. Vizcaíno Ma Paz
GOBIERNO DE MENDOZA
DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE ESCUELAS Profesorado de
DIRECCIÓN DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR INGLÉS
I.E.S "DEL ATUEL" Nº 9-011 IDIOMA INGLES II Prof. Vizcaíno Ma Paz