This document provides information and instructions for presenting the short story "God Sees the Truth but Waits" by Leo Tolstoy to a class. It outlines the tasks of the historian, discussion director, summarizer, literary luminary, and connector. The historian would provide background context on Russia, its government, and people. The discussion director would lead a group discussion on themes from the story. The summarizer would present a 3-paragraph summary of the plot. The literary luminary would discuss selected passages. The connector would ask questions to emphasize the theme of forgiveness.

1. Sample Presentation of the Story
“God Sees the Truth but Waits”
(Leo Tolstoy)
Fourth Year Class
Historian’s Task:
 Tell the class something about Russia and its kind of government.
 Discuss briefly the characteristics of people in Russia- its race, culture and their way of living.
 Russian names are comprised of:
First name, which is the person's given name.
Middle name, which is a patronymic or a version of the father's first name formed by adding '- vich' or '-
ovich' for a male and '-avna' or '- ovna' for a female. The son of Ivan would have a patronymic of
Ivanovich while the daughter's patronymic would be Ivanovna.
Last name, which is the family or surname.
 Post a map and ask a volunteer to locate Russia.
 Give short background information about the author, Leo Tolstoy.
 Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), Russian writer and moral philosopher, one of the world’s greatest novelists.
His writings profoundly influenced much of 20th-century literature, and his moral teachings helped
shape the thinking of several important spiritual and political leaders.
Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy was born into a family of aristocratic landowners at Yasnaya Polyana, the
family estate south of Moscow. His early education came from tutors at home, but after the deaths of his
parents in the 1830s he was raised by relatives. Tolstoy entered Kazan’ State University when he was 16
but preferred to educate himself independently, and in 1847 he gave up his studies without finishing his
degree.
In 1862 Tolstoy married Sofya Andreyevna Behrs, the 18-year-old daughter of a Moscow physician.
Married life at Yasnaya Polyana, a growing, happy family, and absorption in creating his finest literary
work brought him stability for the next 15 years.Tolstoy himself tried to abide by his new beliefs,
simplifying his life, living on his own labor, and giving up material possessions. His wife, however, did
not share all of his beliefs, and their marriage suffered under severe strain during their last years
together. In November 1910 relations between them had grown so tense that Tolstoy decided to leave

2. home for good. He contracted pneumonia while traveling and died at the small railway station of
Astapovo.
Discussion Director’s Task:
 Divide the class into groups
 Ask each member to take out a sheet of paper for a quick free write.
QUESTIONS:
Does God allow evil to remain unpunished?
Have you ever been accused, or punished for something you did not do?
 Ask them to share their ideas with their group mates. Have one member per group to put together their
responses.
 Choose a presentor who will share their whole findings in the class.
Summarizer’s Task:
 Read the summary to the class.
In the town of Vladimir, lived a young merchant named Ivan Dmitrich Aksionov and lived with his family
together. He planned to go to Nizhny fair and he bid goodbye, his wife warned him that she had a bad dream for
her husband-- she dreamt about Ivan that he returned from the town with hair of grey. But then, Ivan laughed as
if he doesn't care. And again, he bid goodbye.
He met a merchant, and there they put up at the same inn and slept. He rose up early and continued his journey,
along the way, two soldiers in a troika stopped him, and been asking questions, for the merchant he met was
found dead. Aksionof denied that he did not know anything about it but was imprisoned. His family knew about
this, but then also suspected him as well as the police officers did.
26 years passed and another new prisoner met him named Makar Semyonich and after months, they knew each
other. Ivan knew it was Makar who killed the merchant ago, but didn't speak or utter a word about it.
Aksionof saw Makar dug a hole or tunnel for escape. Makar told him not to tell a word about what he had
witnessed or else he will kill him. When they were led out to work, a soldier noticed a prisoner took of some
earth off his boots, the soldier searched for escaping plans and found the tunnel. Then, the police asked each of
them who knew about this but they denied for they knew they will be killed before the one who did it as Makar
warned them. Finally, the governor asked Ivan for he knew he was a just man. But then Ivan said it wasn't his
right or his will but God's to tell such name.
Makar went to Aksionof. He thanked him and felt sorry for what he had done to him a long time ago that made
Ivan suffer for all this years. He sobbed as well as Ivan and said that the Lord will forgive you. Makar said that
he will confess to the governor so that Ivan would be sent free--back to his home. Aksionof did not want to go
out of prison for he has no family neither home to go; rather, he waited for his last hour to come. Despite his
reason, Makar Semyonich confessed his guilt. But when the order for Ivan Dmitri Aksionov's release came, he
was already dead.

3. Literary Luminary’s Task:
 Present the chosen passages and provide brief discussion for each.
Passage 1:
"Ivan Dmitrich, do not start to-day; I have had a bad dream about you."
Aksionov laughed, and said, "You are afraid that when I get to the fair I shall go on a spree."
His wife replied: "I do not know what I am afraid of; all I know is that I had a bad dream. I dreamt you
returned from the town, and when you took off your cap I saw that your hair was quite grey."
Do you believe in premonition? If you were Aksionov, would you still go on despite the warning of your wife?
Passage 2: "It seems that only God can know the truth; it is to Him alone we must appeal, and from Him alone
expect mercy."
What does it mean by this statement?
Cite instances in your life which conforms to the passage.
Passage 3: When Aksionov heard him sobbing he, too, began to weep. "God will forgive you!" said he.
"Maybe I am a hundred times worse than you." And at these words his heart grew light.
Why do you think Aksionov uttered this statement?
If you were Aksionov would you have done the same?
Connector’s Task:
 Ask the following questions:
 If you were Aksionov, would you rather put yourself in prison and pay for the crime you did not make
or would you fight for your innocence no matter what?
 Tell the class to write a diary that Aksionov may have written while he was in prison. Include all his
thoughts and feelings about his imprisonment, his family and the situation he is in.
 Emphasize the value of forgiveness

4. Sample Presentation of the story
“The Gift of the Magi”
(O. Henry)
First Year Class
Historian’s Task:
 Show to the class a picture of White House, the official residence of the president of the United States,
situated at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.
 Tell the class that the White House in America is equivalent to the Malacaňang Palace in the
Philippines.
 Tell them to research the picture of Malacaňang Palace and do a comparison between the White House
in America.
 Discuss briefly the location of America in the globe and tell them that there 50 states in country.
 Introduce the author of the story that will be unfold is an America’s most famous short story writer.
 O. Henry, pseudonym of William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), American writer of short stories, best
known for his ironic plot twists and surprise endings. Born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina,
O. Henry attended school only until age 15, when he dropped out to work in his uncle’s drugstore.
During his 20s he moved to Texas, where he worked for more than ten years as a clerk and a bank
teller. O. Henry did not write professionally until he reached his mid-30s, when he sold several pieces
to the Detroit Free Press and the Houston Daily Post. In 1894 he founded a short-lived weekly humor
magazine, The Rolling Stone.
Discussion Director’s Task:
 Divide the class into groups
 Ask each member to take out a sheet of paper for a quick free write.
QUESTION:
What do you think is the best present on Christmas? And why?
 Ask them to share their ideas with their classmates.
 Share to the class the meaning of Magi.
Magi,priestly caste in ancient Persia. They are thought to have been followers of Zoroaster, the Persian
teacher and prophet. Professing the doctrines of Zoroastrianism, they practiced a ritual that involved
pouring libations of milk, oil, and honey over a flame while chanting prayers and hymns. Gradually, the
religion of the magi incorporated Babylonian elements, including astrology, demonology, and magic.
(The word magic is derived from the word magi.) By the 1st century AD, the magi were identified with

5. wise men and soothsayers. Thus, the biblical magi who came from the East to worship the infant Jesus
(see Matthew 2:1-12) were regarded as wise men.
Summarizer’s Task:
 Present the summary to the class.
 The Gift of the Magi" is one of O. Henry's most famous stories. Included in The Four Million, his first
collection of short stories, in 1906, it has been anthologized many times since then. The story contains
many of the elements for which O. Henry is widely known, including poor, working-class characters, a
humorous tone, realistic detail, and a surprise ending. A major reason given for its enduring appeal is
its affirmation of unselfish love. Such love, the story and its title suggest, is like the gifts given by the
wise men, called magi, who brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Jesus.
Literary Luminary’s Task:
 Present the chosen passages and provide brief discussion for each.
Passage 1: 'Cut it off and sold it,' said Della. 'Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair,
ain't I?’
Why did Della ask this question?
Passage 2: 'Dell,' said he, 'let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use
just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on.'
If you were Della how would you react to Jim’s utterance?
What are the two things considered to be their most valuable possession?
Connector’s Task:
 Ask the following questions:
 Why do we have to give gifts during Christmas? Was it really important?
 Were they both foolish to sell their favorite possessions?
 Discuss the importance of giving and relate to them how God expresses His love to humanity.
 Tell the class that giving is best the expression of love.
Prepared by:
JENEFER SAJUL-EDIANG
SST-1
(English IV and I)