Introducing the Story Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer TechFocus Feature Menu The Storyteller by Saki

How can stories influence people’s behavior?

Click on the title to start the video. The Storyteller Introducing the Story

Here’s a recipe for boredom and bad behavior: Add one grouchy old aunt. Put them all together in a hot, stuffy train compartment.... Start with three children.

The Storyteller Introducing the Story It’s going to be a long, hard trip, isn’t it? Anyway, that’s what the other passenger in the compartment is starting to think. [End of Section]

The word omniscient means “all-knowing.” An omniscient narrator is an all-knowing observer who can reveal the The Storyteller Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator thoughts, feelings, and motives of every character in a story.

What does the omniscient narrator know that the character Rick does not know? The Storyteller Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator Rick could feel the wind rising, and he knew the storm was coming, but still he struggled up the mountain. He reached the summit just as the first big drops fell, raised his fists in triumph, and headed down again. Far below, at the edge of the park, Eli and James watched the trail and worried, wondering where Rick was.

What does the omniscient narrator tell us that the characters Eli and James don’t know? The Storyteller Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator Rick could feel the wind rising, and he knew the storm was coming, but still he struggled up the mountain. He reached the summit just as the first big drops fell, raised his fists in triumph, and headed down again. Far below, at the edge of the park, Eli and James watched the trail and worried, wondering where Rick was. Rick knows the storm is coming. Rick is already headed down. Rick has made it to the top.

You can usually trust an omniscient narrator. Stories with an omniscient point of view generally give us a more reliable perspective—unlike stories with a first-person narrator. The Storyteller Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator As you read this story, think about how the narrator’s comments might help you perceive the writer’s purpose.

What clues do the narrator’s comments give you about the writer’s purpose? The Storyteller Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator [End of Section] Here is how the omniscient narrator in “The Storyteller” describes one of the children’s actions: She only knew the first line, but she put her limited knowledge to the fullest possible use. She repeated the line over and over again in a dreamy but resolute and very audible voice; it seemed to the bachelor as though someone had had a bet with her that she could not repeat the line aloud two thousand times without stopping. Whoever it was who had made the wager was likely to lose his bet.

that help reveal the narrator’s tone, or attitude, toward the characters. But the author of a humorous story often has a more serious and complex purpose. Look for “The Storyteller” is a humorous story. One purpose of a humorous story is to entertain the reader. The Storyteller Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose key passages loaded words... she began an unenterprising and deplorably uninteresting story about a little girl who was good, and made friends with everyone on account of her goodness.... and

Into Action: Use a chart to help you find clues that reveal the narrator’s tone. [End of Section] Key Passage or Loaded Word Narrator’s Tone The aunt’s remarks begin with “don’t.” The aunt is not effective with children. The aunt responds ”weakly.” The aunt doesn’t have a good answer for the child’s question. The Storyteller Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose

Find It in Your Reading The Storyteller Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer “The Storyteller” is satire—writing that ridicules the shortcomings of people or institutions in an attempt to bring about change. Targets of a satirist might include: As you read, try to figure out whom or what the omniscient narrator is ridiculing. Greed Injustice Stupidity Cruelty

TechFocus The Storyteller Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer As you read the story, notice how different characters have different ideas about raising children. Think about how you would use technology to distribute a survey about the best way to raise children in modern society. [End of Section]

Vocabulary

The Storyteller Vocabulary sultry adj.: hot and humid; sweltering. resolute adj.: determined. petulant adj.: impatient; irritable; peevish. persistent adj.: continuing; stubborn. conviction n.: strong belief; certainty.

The Storyteller Vocabulary The word sultry is often used to describe a place in which the air is not just hot, but also humid, still, and thick-feeling. Which place would probably be more sultry?

As more and more people arrived, the waiting room became sultry. The Storyteller Vocabulary The waiting room might not be a. clean b. air-conditioned c. well furnished

As more and more people arrived, the waiting room became sultry. The Storyteller Vocabulary The waiting room might not be a. clean b. air-conditioned c. well furnished Are the people in the waiting room comfortable, or are they uncomfortable?

The Storyteller Vocabulary Which picture shows a result of persistent practice and work? Persistent suggests a degree of effort—of continuing something even when there is difficulty, an obstacle, or an objection.

A persistent fever The Storyteller Vocabulary a.lasts more than a few days and doesn’t respond to home treatment b.has really high temperatures and makes you feel uncomfortable c.means that you have a serious illness and should go to the emergency room

A persistent fever The Storyteller Vocabulary a.lasts more than a few days and doesn’t respond to home treatment b.has really high temperatures and makes you feel uncomfortable c.means that you have a serious illness and should go to the emergency room

The Storyteller Vocabulary Think about New Year’s resolutions, the promises people make to themselves to do better. A resolute person is a really determined person— a person who has firmly made up his or her mind to do something.

As she approached the net, I saw the resolute look in her eye and I knew The Storyteller Vocabulary a.she was afraid that I was a better player. b.that her pride would be hurt if she didn’t win. c.she had decided she would win the match.

As she approached the net, I saw the resolute look in her eye and I knew The Storyteller Vocabulary a.she was afraid that I was a better player. b.that her pride would be hurt if she didn’t win. c.she had decided she would win the match.

Anyone can be petulant, but the word usually brings to mind a certain kind of child— The Storyteller Vocabulary Do you know anybody like that? whiny, impatient, and irritable.

A petulant customer waiting in a long line at a store might say: The Storyteller Vocabulary a.“The other cash register is closed, so everyone’s in this line.” b.“It looks like they’re training a new employee, so it’s taking a little longer.” c.“I can’t imagine what’s taking so long! Hurry up!”

A petulant customer waiting in a long line at a store might say: The Storyteller Vocabulary a.“The other cash register is closed, so everyone’s in this line.” b.“It looks like they’re training a new employee, so it’s taking a little longer.” c.“I can’t imagine what’s taking so long! Hurry up!”

The Storyteller Vocabulary A conviction is a belief or idea we are convinced is true. It’s a strong, certain belief.

When the candidate stated her position on that issue with conviction, the voters knew that she The Storyteller Vocabulary a.strongly believed in what she was saying. b.had thought about the issue a long time. c.wasn’t sure which side of the issue she was really on.

When the candidate stated her position on that issue with conviction, the voters knew that she The Storyteller Vocabulary a.strongly believed in what she was saying. b.had thought about the issue a long time. c.wasn’t sure which side of the issue she was really on. [End of Section]

The End

QuickWrite

The Storyteller QuickWrite List several of your favorite stories or books from when you were younger. Why did they capture your interest? Write a paragraph explaining why these stories appealed to you. [End of Section]

Meet the Writer

Saki is the pen name of H. H. Munro (1870–1916). Saki was born in Burma. His mother died before he was two, and his father, a British military officer, sent the children to live with relatives in England. Saki’s writing career was cut short when he was killed by a sniper in World War I. He was only 46 years old. The Storyteller Meet the Writer more about the writer [End of Section]

Build Background

The Storyteller Most of “The Storyteller” takes place on a passenger train. Train travel was common for long distances before cars and airplanes became standard.

The passenger cars on trains were often divided into compartments. Passengers could not always choose who shared their compartment. Build Background The Storyteller [End of Section]

Preview the Selection

The Storyteller On a hot day on an even hotter train, three fidgety children begin to annoy another passenger in their compartment. The other passenger is a bachelor, a single man. As the aunt tries to quiet the children, the bachelor listens in. [End of Section]