The ending of Frank R. Stockton’s short story, “The Lady, or the Tiger?” is famously ambiguous and leaves readers pondering the fate of the protagonist, the young man who must choose between two doors. Behind one door is a beautiful lady destined to become his bride, while behind the other is a fierce and hungry tiger that will kill him.
At the climax, the young man looks to his lover, the king’s daughter, for a hint as to which door to choose. She is torn between her love for him and her jealousy of the lady behind the alternative door. As he makes his choice, she gestures towards one door, but it’s unclear if she is guiding him towards safety or to his death. The story ends without revealing the outcome, leaving readers to question whether the young man lives to marry the lady or meets his fate at the claws of the tiger. This open-ended conclusion is meant to provoke thought about love, jealousy, and human nature.