Page 5 - LN 5

"missing" Mr. Sappleton, Mrs. Sappleton's two brothers and the dog are
still alive.

Vera’s Name (Verbal Irony)
Vera’s name is a play on the word 'veracity', meaning 'truth'. Ironically,
she is the trickster of the story, always spinning a new tale to her
audience.
Girl Trickster (Situational Irony)

In Saki’s time girls were frequently portrayed as trustworthy and honest
people. It is thus ironic that he chooses a female character to play the
role of trickster and storyteller in “The Open Window.”
Framton's Fright (Situational Irony)
Framton retreats to the countryside in order to recover from a bout of
nerves. Ironically, the countryside only adds to his anxiety and Framton
is thrown into another nervous fit when he believes he has seen ghosts.

SUMMARY:
Framton Nuttel suffers from a nervous disorder. We know this because
he talks about it incessantly. Vera is a self-possessed teenaged story-
teller. When a self-possessed teenaged story-teller sinks her story-telling
claws into an emotionally unstable visitor, things get interesting.
As the two wait for the appearance of Vera’s aunt, for whom Nuttel has a
letter of introduction, Vera tells the story of her uncle’s tragic death while
hunting and the effect it’s had on her aunt who still awaits his return. The
aunt appears and converses with the guest. She talks about and looks
out the open window for the arrival of her husband. Nuttel pities the poor
woman.
Then the husband and his hunting mates appear, causing Nuttel to bolt
from the house and into the road, at which point Vera begins an
incredulous tale about Nuttel and a pack of pariah dogs on the banks of
the Ganges.
Apparently, Vera tells a lot of stories that lack veracity.

AUDIO AND VIDEO LINK: (Listening and

Speaking Skill)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZfSa0z8mvo