Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)

Saki: Reginald’s Christmas Revel

Saki: Reginald’s Christmas Revel

In Reginald’s Christmas Revel, published in 1904, Saki introduces us to the witty and acerbic Reginald, who ironically recounts his misadventures during a Christmas spent with the Babwolds, a family as solemn as they are eccentric. Forced to attend due to a family commitment, the protagonist observes with sharp sarcasm the absurd rituals of the evening: a commander obsessed with his hunt, tedious social activities and a hostess whose earnestness borders on the grotesque. With his biting humour, Reginald transforms the monotony of the experience into a brilliant satire that questions social conventions and the emptiness of bourgeois life.

Saki - The Open Window. Summary and analysis

Saki: The Open Window. Summary and analysis

In The Open Window by Saki, Framton Nuttel, a nervous man seeking rest in the countryside, visits Mrs. Sappleton’s home with a letter of introduction. While waiting, her teenage niece, Vera, tells him a tragic story about how her aunt’s husband and brothers disappeared during a hunting trip and never returned, leading Mrs. Sappleton to leave the window open in hopes of their return. When the supposedly dead hunters unexpectedly appear, Framton panics and flees, believing Vera’s story. After his departure, it is revealed that Vera fabricated the entire tale for her amusement, showcasing her talent for deception and leaving the reader to question the line between reality and fiction.

Saki: The Open Window

Saki: The Open Window

“The Open Window,” by Hector Hugh Munro (Saki), tells the story of Framton Nuttel’s visit to the Sappleton family home. Nuttel, a man who has gone to the country due to a nervous illness, is greeted by Mrs. Sappleton’s young niece. While they wait, the young nice tells him a disturbing story about why a window in the house is kept open. Although Nuttel is skeptical of the young woman’s story, an unexpected event will cause him to experience a terrifying moment.

Saki: The Story-Teller

Saki: The Story-Teller

“The Story-Teller,” a story by Hector Hugh Munro (Saki) published in 1914, vividly places us in a train carriage where three children, their aunt, and a man described by the author as a “bachelor” are traveling. Faced with the aunt’s failure to keep the children quiet and frustrated with their restlessness, the man intervenes and tells them a peculiar story to capture their attention.