“The Open Window” by Saki is a “slice-of-life” story of irony that is typical of Saki. The narrative of Saki’s stories are masterfully crafted to invoke a sense of British charm. Many of his characters are blunt, yet charmingly witty. As we will see through the analysis of the plot, this story is a striking example of the right way to use irony. No wonder this has become one of his most cherished stories.
In the expositional portion of the plot we are introduced to the main character; Framton Nuttle and Mrs. Sappelton’s niece, Vera. Framton is introduced as a slightly nervous person with a medical condition. Vera is introduced as an well mannered and sociable young lady. The mood, a key part of the exposition, is tense. We can tell that Framton is nervous due to both his medical condition and having to meet many people he doesn’t know.
The inciting incident occurs when Vera tells Framton about the “great tragedy”. Supposedly, Mrs. Sappelton’s Husband and three brothers went hunting during a fog one day only to never appear again. This tale makes Framton uneasy about introducing himself to Mrs. Sappelton. Framton was there only to tell them about his mundane health condition. He then begins to feel guilty because Mrs. Sappelton was much worse off than he was.
The entrance of Mrs. Sappelton marks the start of the “rising action” segment of the plot. During the conversation between Mrs. Sappelton and Framton, Framton begins to notice her eyes always drifting to the window, as if she’s waiting for them to come back. Soon, she goes to the window to stare out of it. This especially startles Framton. She then begins to start talking about the four men as if they were still alive.
The climax of the plot occurs when the four men come through the fog and begin to talk to Mrs. Sappelton. As they talk casually about their hunting trip, Framton becomes frightened. This is where the “falling action” comes into play. Framton becomes panicked, and hurriedly runs from the house. Nobody can figure out why; the only one who knows is Vera.
This now leads up to the “resolution” segment of the plot. When Mrs. Sappelton and her husband wonder why he left in such a hurry, Vera begins to explain that Framton was scarred of the hunting dogs. She tells them the story that she claimed Framton told her; in which he explained that he developed a fear of dogs after being attacked by rabid dogs while hunting in India. Now we come to the “dénouement” segment of the plot. Through the lines said by the narrator “Romance at short notice was her specialty.” we learn that she has a penchant for telling false stories, and that the “great tragedy” she told Framton of was a falsification.
The works of Saki have fascinated me long before I took this course. However, up until now I did not have a chance to read his short story “The Open Window”. “The Open Window” has been one of my favorite works of his so far. This short story of his exemplifies why I like Saki’s works. The masterful use irony in this story is what makes it such a satisfying story.
