The Open Window by Saki

Who was “Saki”? “Saki” was the pen name (or pseudonym) of Hector Hugh Munro, a British writer Born Dec. 18, 1870 in Burma – then a part of the British Empire Mother died when he was 2; Munro and his sisters were sent to England to be raised by a strict relative His childhood was unhappy and would be considered abusive today

Who was “Saki”? From 1899 to 1914 he wrote history books, newspaper articles, several plays and many, many short stories Considered one of the best writers of ironic short stories in English Almost all his stories compare “polite society” with either nature or an individual The more honest, but more cruel, side always wins

Who was “Saki”? At age 43 – over the age of most soldiers – WWI began (1914), and Munro volunteered to fight More than once he returned to the battlefield when officially still too sick or injured Killed by a German sniper Nov. 14, 1916 Last words: “Put that bloody cigarette out” Munro has no grave

“The Open Window” is considered one of his best stories

We will look for: 1) Comprehension 2) Inferences 3) Flashbacks 4) Foreshadowing 6) Irony

Comprehension Grammar Vocabulary

Inference Meanings that the author does NOT tell us directly – we must guess, or figure them out To infer something is to guess something is true

Flashbacks The author takes us BACK in time

Foreshadowing The author gives a hint or a clue about what WILL HAPPEN

Irony Related to sarcasm Something is said or something happens that is the OPPOSITE of the writer’s meaning or mood

Framton Nuttel endeavored to say … 1 FN tried to say …

Framton Nuttel endeavored to say the correct something which ... 1 FN tried to say the right words { which …}

1 words which should {1} without {2} Framton Nuttel endeavored to say the correct words which should {duly flatter the niece of the moment} without {unduly discounting the aunt that was to come.} 1 words which should {1} without {2}

1 Paraphrase: be nice in the right amount to the person here now Framton Nuttel endeavored to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. 1 Paraphrase: be nice in the right amount to the person here now

1 Paraphrase: being rude to the person who is coming later Framton Nuttel endeavored to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. 1 Paraphrase: being rude to the person who is coming later

Framton Nuttel endeavored to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. 1 Paraphrase: FN tried to say the words that would be appropriately nice to the person with him, without being rude to the person who was coming later

Privately he doubted more than ever … 2 Paraphrase: In his mind, he doubted more than before …

… whether these formal visits on a succession of total strangers … 2 Paraphrase: - if visiting a lot of new people, like he had been doing, -

… would do much towards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed to be undergoing. 2 Paraphrase: - would help him relax, like his doctor had told him to do.

… the nerve cure which he was supposed to be undergoing. 2 Inference: FN is seeing a doctor He is a nervous guy – maybe a little sick or a little crazy

"I know how it will be," his sister had said when he was preparing to migrate to this rural retreat; 3 Paraphrase: - he was getting ready to take a vacation in the countryside

3 Flashback Before he went on vacation his sister gave him advice “I know how it will be,” his sister had said when he was preparing to migrate to this rural retreat; 3 Flashback Before he went on vacation his sister gave him advice (Inference? Is his sister pushy?) Not long ago

Irony: If “some of them are nice” then some of them are NOT nice Framton wondered whether Mrs. Sappleton, the lady to whom he was presenting one of the letters of introduction, came into the nice division. Irony: If “some of them are nice” then some of them are NOT nice

“Do you know many of the poele around here?” Foreshadowing (Why does she ask this?)

“Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?” Foreshadowing (Why does she ask this?)

“Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?” 4 Grammar = a sentence Intonation = a question Used then the speaker thinks she knows the answer already, but wants to be polite of make sure

The niece tells the story of how Mrs The niece tells the story of how Mrs. Sappleton’s family was killed while hunting

“In crossing the moor to their favorite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog.” 5

“In crossing the moor to their favorite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog.” 5

“In crossing the moor to their favorite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog.” 5

(Why does she give such a SPECIFIC desription?) “Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back someday, they and the little brown spaniel … her husband with his white waterproof coat … her youngest brother singing ‘Bertie, why do you bound?’ …” Foreshadowing (Why does she give such a SPECIFIC desription?)

The aunt comes into the room. She is cheerful and lively The aunt comes into the room. She is cheerful and lively. She mentions the men who will return from hunting soon.

To Framton it was all purely horrible. 2 Inference: FN thinks she is crazy

Irony: Vera has been the opposite of amusing! “I hope Vera has been amusing you?" she said. “She has been very interesting," said Framton. Irony: Vera has been the opposite of amusing! “Interesting” because he is too polite to say “Creepy”

He made a desperate but only partially successful effort to turn the talk on to a less ghastly topic; 6 Paraphrase: He tried to talk about something more cheerful and normal, but wasn’t completely successful;

6 Paraphrase: He realized that Mrs. Sappleton isn’t really listening … he was conscious that his hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention … 6 Paraphrase: He realized that Mrs. Sappleton isn’t really listening

Irony: Why is his hostess not paying attention to him? He thinks: She is obsessed with dead family But maybe: He is very boring

7 Foreshadowing: Complete rest Absence of mental excitement "The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest, an absence of mental excitement, and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise," announced Framton, … 7 Foreshadowing: Complete rest Absence of mental excitement Avoid … violent physical exercsie

8 Paraphrase: He falsely believes (like a lot of people) … … who labored under the tolerably widespread delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and infirmities, their cause and cure. 8 Paraphrase: He falsely believes (like a lot of people) …

8 Paraphrase: … that people he doesn’t really know … who labored under the tolerably widespread delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances … 8 Paraphrase: … that people he doesn’t really know

8 Paraphrase: … are really curious about your health problems. … are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and infirmities, their cause and cure. 8 Paraphrase: … are really curious about your health problems.

… in a voice which only replaced a yawn at the last moment. 2 Inference: She is incredibly bored

The aunt says the men are returning from hunting

  Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension 9 Paraphrase: … a look to show that he understood and felt sorry for her

But the niece looks freaked out and shocked

There are the men – EXACTLY as the niece had described them!

10 Paraphrase: Active voice: Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat; the hall door, the gravel drive, and the front gate were dimly noted stages in his headlong retreat. 10 Paraphrase: Active voice: …Framton hardly/barely noticed these 3 places as he ran away

“… One would think he had seen a ghost.” Irony: He does believe he saw ghosts

“He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs, … 11 Paraphrase: When he was in India, a pack of wild dogs chased him into a graveyard …

… and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him.” 11 Paraphrase: … he was in a new grave all night with the wild dogs above him, trying to attack him.

A very famous last line: Romance at short notice was her specialty.