The Open Window- Saki (Notes)

Frampton Nuttel expected to see three ghosts come through the window, so when he saw the men coming towards the house, he could not get out of there fast enough.Deception- Vera obviously deceives Frampton Nuttel when she tells him tall tale about her aunt who waits for the return of the hunting party lost in the marsh. She shows how her sweet and innocent nature is but she is actually a mischievous and slightly cruel character. Her imagination is brilliant and overpowering that everyone is tricked by her tall tale. Her quick thinking attitude (‘Horror stories at short notice were her speciality.’ ) is aided by her imagination to create the disturbing story to Mr. Nuttel. She also deceives Mrs. Sappleton by telling her the reason why Mr. Nuttel runs away when the hunting party comes back.Sanity and Insanity- Frampton Nuttel is in the country for a nervous condition, he questions his sanity after he hears the story from Vera.  When he finally meets Mrs. Sappleton, who talks about the open window and the hunting party who will be home soon, he thinks that she is insane. Mystery- The author deliberately tries to confuse the readers into thinking that Mrs. Sappleton’s husband and children are ghosts. This adds mystery to the story as the readers attempt to find out what really happened in the story. Also, I think it explores how the correct use of foreshadowing techniques can make a story suspenseful and really believable.  Symbolism: The most important symbol in “The Open Window” is the open window itself. When Mrs. Sappleton’s niece tells Mr. Nuttel the story of the lost hunters, the open window comes to symbolize Mrs. Sappleton’s pain and heartbreak at the loss of her husband and younger brother and is a representation of the tragedy.  When the truth is later revealed, the open window no longer symbolizes anguish but the very deceit itself. Saki uses the symbol ironically by having the open window, an object one might expect would imply dishonesty, as a symbol of deceit. Atmosphere: Eery, ghostly, anxious Structure: Chronological order Story- within- a- story