Nicholas: victor or victim?

The first 200 words of this essay...

Nicholas: victor or victim?

I have read Sredni Vashtar, The Lumber-Room and The Holy War and have noticed that they have many similarities. Religion is a theme in all three stories. In The Holy War the title itself has religious connotations, suggesting a conflict over a very important issue, and the hooting of owls is described as "Vespers". In Sredni Vashtar Mrs De Ropp's Christianity is contrasted with Conradin's fierce and impatient religion, while in The Lumber-Room the aunt exploits Christianity in an attempt to frighten the children into obedience. Saki does not deny life a spiritual dimension, but he does not seem to have doubts about the value of conventional Christianity. Nature often seems a more important force in his short stories. In The Holy War the garden and its animals represent nature. Thirza makes "improvements", introducing order, monotony and profit, and is appropriately, killed by a wild swan. In Sredni Vashtar, Conradin's only companions are a Houdan hen and a polecat-ferret. Nature also takes revenge in this story, Mrs De Ropp being killed by Sredni Vashtar. In The Lumber-Room, depictions of nature- an embroidered hunting scene on a fire-screen and a book about birds- are important elements