Showing posts with label SHORT STORY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SHORT STORY. Show all posts

00494-- The summary/ plot of the story THE OPEN WINDOW by SAKI [H. H. MUNRO]



THE OPEN WINDOW- H. H. MUNRO (SAKI)



Summary of the Story
"The Open Window" beautifully portrays how Vera, a fifteen year old girl makes up stories at will, mindless of their outcomes. Framton Nuttel sets out on a trip intended as a "nerve cure". He finds himself in a strange situation that ultimately has a negative effect on his apparently nervous personality.  Vera tells two stories; one to Nuttel, and the other to her family.  Both the stories are convincing and imaginative ones, and thus justifies the conclusion made by the author;  'romance at short notice was her speciality'.

Plot of the Story

Framton Nuttel suffers from a nervous condition and has come to a village to spend some time alone as prescribed by the doctor. Nuttel's sister sets up introductions for him with a few members of the community as she used to live there earlier. 

His first visit is to the Sappleton family where he meets a fifteen-year-old girl named Vera, the niece of Mrs. Sappleton. The self possessed girl elegantly keeps Nuttel company while he waits. Vera conveys Nuttel some information about the family knowing that Nuttel has not met the Sappletons before . 

Vera informs Nuttel that three years before to the date, Mrs. Sappleton's husband and two younger brothers had gone on a hunting trip and had never returned. Vera gives descriptions about the clothes they were wearing, the dog that accompanied them, and the song that Mrs. Sappleton's younger brother sang on their way. Vera says that her grief-stricken aunt keeps the window open and watches out the window expecting their return. 

Coming downstairs Mrs. Sappleton tells Nuttel that she expects her husband and brothers to return at any moment. Nuttel listens to her, thinking that Mrs. Sappleton has in fact gone crazy. Suddenly, Mrs. Sappleton brightens as she tells Nuttel that they have returned from hunting. Nuttel looks at Vera and sees a shocked look on her face. She looked as if she has seen ghosts. This makes Nuttel worried and curious as he was facing opposite to the window. He turns only to see the "dead" hunters approaching the house. He becomes frightened and leaves the house in a rush without a word. 

Mrs. Sappleton doesn't understand Nuttel's strange behavior, but Vera explains the reason for his behaviour; that he is deathly afraid of dogs.


Not until the end of the story does the reader come to know that Vera has tricked Mr. Nuttel.  "Romance at short notice was her speciality" is the last line of the story which reveals the very theme of the story, and unveils the character Vera.

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