The Open Window

1.         Search for the Open Window by Saki on the internet. Read this short story thoroughly.
         Based on the short story:

a.       Identify 3 literary devices in the short story and their significant.

b.      Where is the climax in the short story? How is this achieved?

c.       Describe the setting of the short story?

d.      What is the lesson that you can learn in this short story?

e.      In the short story, does Vera show hospitality to Framton Nuttel? If Vera were Malaysian, would she have in like manner?

f.        If you were Nuttel, would you trust every word Vera said? Why? 

Short Story : The Open Window by Saki 

Refer to this link for the story :)

The Open Window

a)  Identify 3 literary devices in the short story and their significant.

   1. Foreshadowing: shows the nature of Framton Nuttel.

   2. Symbolism: the open window. It symbolise the hope of Mrs Sappleton for her husband and her brothers to come home.

   3. Irony : Nuttel went there to find cure for him but in the end, he could not get the cure and got worse.

   4. Hyperbole: “whirl of apology”

b) Where is the climax in the short story? How is this achieved?

      The climax of the story is when Mrs. Sappleton said, “I hope you don’t mind the open window,” to Framton. Mrs. Sappleton statement makes Framton thinks that Vera’s story is true which is not. 

c)   Describe the setting of the short story?

     

     The setting of this short story is in Mrs Sappleton’s house. Mr Nuttel and Vera sit in front of the open window. “You may wonder why we keep that window wide open on an October

      afternoon,” said the niece, indicating a large French window that opened on to a lawn. Vera tells the story of the open window according to her imagination because she really good at making things up. 

d) What is the lesson that you can learn in this short story?

     The first lesson that I learn in this story is don’t bluntly trust on someone. For example, Framton trusted Vera even though they just met. As a result of trusting Vera, Framton is being tricked by her with her mischievous story.

      Other than that, we should respect others in anyway especially to those who are older than us. In this story, Framton shows some disrespect towards Mrs. Sappleton by dashed off from her house without saying anything towards her.

      Besides that, we should speak the truth to others so that they wouldn’t get the wrong idea. For example, Vera tricks Framton by telling him untruthful story about Mrs. Sappleton’s family.  By trusting Vera’s story, Framton has been mistaken as rude when he dash off from Mrs. Sappleton house and doesn’t greet Mr. Sappleton.


e)     In the short story, does Vera show hospitality to Framton Nuttel? If Vera were Malaysian, would she have in like manner?

      In the short story, Vera did show hospitality to Framton Nuttel when she asked a question after a long silence moment. In my thought, Vera would like to break the silence situation with the imagination story that she makes up. It shows that Vera gave a good treat to Nuttel. If Vera were Malaysian, I think Vera would not have in like manner because every Malaysian were taught to respect others.

f)  If you were Nuttel, would you trust every word Vera said? Why? 

      It depends on the person. If I were Nuttel, I will not totally trust every word Vera said. It is because, she is just 15-year-old girl. As an adult, we can think about the story whether it is logic or not logic. So, we have to think carefully before we trust to someone. Do not easily trust them.