A Stone’s Throw

By Elma Mitchell
English Literature
Grade 9R
March 1, 2022
Objectives
1. Assess how meaning is expressed through the poet’s choice of language and the use of structural elements
of poetry.
2. Summarize the poem.
3. Distinguish between denotative and connotative meanings.
4. Identify and explain poetic form.
5. Identify the tone and mood.
6. Discuss the writer’s intent.
7. Show appreciation for the poem.
KWL- Create a list of at least 3 things that come to mind when you see the title under the K column
and identify at least 2 things you want to learn.

What do I know? An idea, a What do I want to know What have I learnt

saying/expression (idiom),
another poem, a song
The Title
• Sets the stage for the event- literal stoning
• Idiom meaning a short distance away. E.g. The school is just a
stone’s throw from my house- what meaning could this add?
• Proverb- People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw
stones
Let’s explore the poem!
• Read the poem
• In groups of 4 or 5, create a news report on the incident. (written or audiovisual)
• Include:
- an interesting title/headline
- an illustration (for article)
- state who, what, where, when
The Daily Herald
Woman Stoned to Death for Adultery
• Would you expect this to be a headline from the present day? If
so, where in the world could this punishment exist?
• What do you think are the reasons for such a public
punishment?
• What are your views on this type pf punishment?
• Does this poem have a message for non-Christians or is its
message for Bible believers only?
The Poet- Elma
Mitchell
• Scottish poet
• Lived 1919-2000
• Wrote about domestic issues- used
small trivial details of domestic life to
explore urgent human concerns
• Her poetry has been described as
heart rending, compassionate
compelling and rhythmically skillful
The Situation
The Situation
• The poem is a retelling of the incident in John 8:3-11
• In this dramatic monologue, the speaker, one of the Pharisees
recounts the incident of a woman being dragged to be stoned to
death for committing adultery demonstrating his manly
aggressiveness and unrepentant nature.
Pharisees means ‘separated ones’. They believed that they
should not defile themselves by keeping company with the
‘sinners’. They were deeply religious Jews who believed that the
law of God, contained in the Torah, should be strictly observed.
To them , Jesus seemed to be disregarding the Law with his
The Structure
• What is the form of the poem? Give evidence.
• The poem is in free verse. There are seven sections- the first 5
give a brash account of a gang seizing their victim and
enthusiastically preparing to deal out the harsh legal
punishment. The tables are turned in the sixth section and in a
brief final section the accusers try to save face.
Diction
• The speaker uses words such as “justice” and “virtuous”. What
does this tell us about his sense of himself?
• Sexual language- “love bites”, “hands greedy over her body”,
“kisses”, “rape” …What does these suggest about the
Pharisee?

• Words associated with violence “roughed her up”, “bruised”,

“assault”, “kisses of stone” ….Does the Pharisee seem sorry
that they have hurt her?
Tone and Mood
Tone Mood
The speaker’s compassion
attitude is
irreverent or
insulting or
scornful
The poet’s
attitude is
Themes
• Justice/Injustice
• Judgement and Hypocrisy
Theme Evidence

• Double Standards
• Conscience
• Tolerance
• Forgiveness
Poetic Devices
• Pun- a play on words which carries a double meaning
• Biblical Allusion-
• Metaphor-
• Personification-
• Euphemism- a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one
considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something
unpleasant or embarrassing.
• Repetition-
• Irony-
Poetic Devices
• Pun- a play on words which carries a double meaning
• Biblical Allusion- the reference to the bible story in John 8 of the woman caught in
adultery is used to highlight the hypocrisy that exist in society.
• Metaphor- hail of kisses of stone- communicates the idea of divine judgement and
reveals the perverted mind and sadistic tendencies of the speaker.
• Personification- “men’s hands greedy over her body”
“kisses of stone”
• Euphemism- a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered
to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
• Repetition- eyes, we,
• Irony- “But ours were virtuous of course”
Activity 1
• Write a poem from the woman’s point of view.

OR

• Pretend to be the woman and write a journal entry after the incident.
Activity 2 – Evaluation Task
Write at least 2 paragraphs on one of the following:

Either
• How does the poet highlight that women are unfairly treated in society?

OR

• Examine how the poet uses one poetic device to highlight hypocrisy in the poem.