THE WESTING GAME

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THE WESTING GAME

• Written by Ellen Raskin

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Back-story on the book

• This mystery, written by Ellen Raskin in 1978,
  has been hailed as a masterpiece of modern
  mystery writing.
• A Newbery Award-Winning story that has sold over
  half a million copies to date.

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Plot Synopsis

• The Westing Game tells the story of 16 tenants of
  the beautiful Sunset Towers apartment complex.
  All strangers, brought here for one reason.

• The reading of one Samuel Westings will. Some
  have family history with Mr. Westing, others have
  only heard of him by chance.

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Plot Synopsis Cont

• As the reading of Sam Westings will commences
  theres a large and shocking revelation

• One of the heirs seated at the readingWas Sam
  Westings murderer!

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So the Westing Game Begins!

• In the will, there were instructions The 16
  tenants were to divide into 8 groups of 2
  (selected by the recently deceased Mr. Westing
  himself).

• These groups had one goalTo solve the mystery of
  which one of them was Sam Westings murderer.
  Uncover the murderer, win the Westing Game! (And
  200 million!) .

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The Westing Game Cont

• The 8 groups each receive 10,000 (for various
  expenses) and an envelope containing clues to the
  identity of the murderer.
• In these envelopes were jumbled, unorganized
  scraps of paperEach with a certain word that
  would help uncover the mystery, and more about
  the tenants themselves.

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Samuel Westing

• Samuel Westing is the main character of this
  story, even though being recently murdered.
• Throughout the book Sam Westing speaks to the
  group of players through various excerpts from
  his will. So, even without him being there, he is
  still the central character with the most to say.

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CAST OF CHARACTERS (In their groups)

• Group 1
• Madame Sun Lin Hoo Cook, and Jake Wexler A
  Doctor
• Group 2
• Turtle Wexler daughter, and Flora Baumbach
  Dressmaker
• Group 3
• Christos Theodorakis Birdwatcher, and Denton
  Deere Intern at plastic surgery hospital
• Group 4
• Alexander McSouthers Doorman, and J. J. Ford
  Supreme Court judge

• Group 5
• Grace Windsor Wexler Heiress, and James Shin
  Hoo Restaurant Owner
• Group 6
• Berthe Erica Crow Soup Kitchen volunteer, and
  Otis Amber Paper deliverer
• Group 7
• Theo Theodorakis Brother, and Doug Hoo High
  School track star
• Group 8
• Sydelle Pulaski Secretary, and Angela Wexler
  None

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More About The Game

• In a very interesting feature of the storyThe
  Reader receives all the clues necessary to
  solving the mystery right at the start. Its up
  to you to see if you can before someone else does!

• The book takes incredible amounts twists and
  turnsThrough blizzards, bombings, and power
  failures, the game never stops being played!
  Everyone is a suspect.
• Also, the story has an twist ending that not even
  the smartest of the smart could predict!

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About the Author

• Ellen Raskin was born and raised in Milwaukee,
  Wisconsin.
• She attended school at the University of
  Wisconsin where she received her major in art.
• She is a Newbery Award and Newbery Honor award
  winner.
• She currently resides in New York City.