The+Interlopers

The Interlopers (p. 301) by Saki page by Danielle, Nick, and Ian

 **Date Published** Written during WWI and published in 1969 after his death.

**Author/Background**  H.H. Munro. His pen name is “Saki”. Hector Hugh Munro was born in Akyab, Burma, to Charles Augustus Munro and Mary Frances Mercer. His mother died in 1872. A runaway cow charged at her, and the shock caused her to miscarry. She never recovered and soon died. He later moved and was brought up in England with his brother and sister by his grandmother and aunts in a very strict household. At age 43, Munro entered the “Great War” or World War 1. During his time in the war he wrote __The Interlopers__. He was later killed by a German sniper.



"The Schartz-Metterklume Method" "The Toys of Peace" "The Storyteller" "The Unrest-Cure" "The Open Window" "Esmé" "Sredni Vashtar" "Tobermory" "The East Wing"
 * Other Works**




 * Plot Diagram (Click Below)**

**Main Character Descriptions** Ulrich von Gradwitz- A stubborn, selfish man; but with further development in the story he proposes the idea of becoming friends with Georg, his worst enemy. Georg Znaeym- He is hardheaded and self-centered like Ulrich. He is jealous of Ulrich because he has so much land and hunting grounds. Eventually he becomes open to being friends with Ulrich.

This story takes place in the Carpathian Mountains, located in Eastern Europe.
 * Setting**

The time period was during the Edwardian era which is the period of time covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910. The Edwardian era was a period during which the British class system was very rigid, but at the same time there was more economic and social changes which created an environment where there was more social mobility than there ever had been in previous Btitish eras. The poor were still frowned upon and segregated and the goverment in this era was very strict with their laws. Many people believed that if they owned something, for example, land, that no one else should use that land without the owner's permission.
 * Time Period**

The story is written in third person omniscient point of view. The author knows what the characters are thinking. Examples of omniscient point of view are present when the author tells us that an idea was forming in Ulrich’s head. In addition, they both ponder the wonderful changes that the reconciliation would bear.
 * Point of View**

“He strayed away by himself from the watchers whom he had placed in ambush on the crest of the hill, and wandered far down the steep slopes amid the wild tangle of undergrowth, peering through the tree trunks and listening through the whistling and skirling of the wind and the restless beating of the branches for sight and sound of the marauders.” (p. 305) “In the cold, gloomy forest, with the wind tearing in fitful gusts through the naked branches and whistling round the tree-trunks, they lay and waited…” (p. 309)
 * Imagery**

Georg and Ulrich are round, dynamic characters because they have more than one character trait, and they both have an inner change when they decide to put aside their differences, make amends, and become friends**.** Ulrich thinks their friendship will become talk of the town. The men are a fitting pair because they both have very similar character traits and almost identical personalities.
 * Characterizations **

The story had an air of suspense generated by the forest. It had a depressing mood as well because of the tree that fell on the men and the wolves.
 * Mood**

The elements of suspense are expressed when Georg and Ulrich are in the middle of their reconciliation and you do not know whether Ulrich will succumb or not. There is no more suspense until the "men" spot them at the end and are suddenly recognized for what they really are, wolves. Saki then leaves us with this suspense and we don’t know what happens afterwards, but one can infer that the wolves would attack and eat the men that are incapable of defending themselves.
 * Suspense**



Ulrich von Gradwitz- A stubborn, selfish man; but with further development in the story he becomes more open to becoming friends with Georg, his worst enemy. Georg Znaeym- He is hardheaded and self-centered like Ulrich. He is jealous of Ulrich because he has so much land and hunting grounds. Eventually he becomes open to being friends with Ulrich.
 * Main Character Descriptions**

** Quotes ** “So you’re not killed as you ought to be, but you’re caught, anyway,” he cried; “caught fast.” This shows how much Ulrich wants to catch Georg and make him pay for poaching on his land. I would feel the same way if I were in Urlichs position I would not want people doing things to stuff that belongs to me without asking.  “Good, snarled Georg, “good. We fight this quarrel out to the death, you and I and our foresters, with no cursed interlopers to come between us. Death and damnation to you, Ulrich von Gradwitz.” This quote shows how much they hate each and also how much they love the thrill of the hunt. They love the land they hunt on even if they hunt on it illegally and they would go as far as to fight for the right to hunt on it. The use of the word snarled shows how mad Georg is.

“The same to you, Georg Znaeym, forest thief, game-snatcher.” This shows how mad Ulrich is at Znaeym for using his land without permission.

“No I can scarcely see anything, there is so much blood caked round my eyes,” said Georg. This shows the fight that they both went through but mainly Georg who is bleeding badly from his eye. At the same time they are trapped under a fallen tree and the weight of the tree is hurting them more. When the author uses the word “caked” it shows imagery of a lot of blood and pain.

“Let's shout for help,” he said; “in this lull our voices may carry a little way.” “They won't carry far through the trees and undergrowth,” said Georg, “but we can try. Together then.” This shows that the two are starting to get along and are starting to communicate without a harshness in their voices. They are starting to become friends. This reminds me of the many times that I have had to work together with other people but never under life or death circumstances like they are going through right now.

**Theme ** __Hatred__  The hatred that each man feels for the other represents larger instances of animosity. At the time that Saki wrote the story, he was serving as a soldier in World War I, a conflict that developed out of inherited ethnic conflicts surrounding land claims that were unable to be resolved peacefully. It is mentioned in the story that the two families had a feud going on for years. It finally got to the point to where they were going to fight to the death, but became they became friends by the end of the story, showing that hatred can grow into friendship.

 The Interlopers symbolizes human conflict. The story itself is the symbol. Georg and Ulrich represent the two sides of anger, jealousy and rage, and when they are trapped by the trees, that represents their behavior catching up to them and forcing them to reconcile. Upon reconciliation the wolves come, and this represents consequence and shows that there will be consequences for their actions.
 * Symbolism**


 * Direct and Indirect Characterization ** "Relief at being alive and exasperation at his captive plight brought a strange medley of __pious__ thank-offerings and sharp curses to Ulrich’s lips.

"’Are they your men?’ he repeated __impatiently__ as Ulrich did not answer."

"Each had a rifle in his hand, each had hate in his heart, and murder uppermost in his mind." This thought suggests that the men are vicious and bloodthirsty towards one another, and you can clearly see that there is utter hatred in this quote.

"’I don’t drink wine with an enemy.’" When Georg says this it suggests that he is still hateful of Ulrich and he will always dislike him.

 **Vocabulary** __ Precipitous __ - adj. Extremely or impassibly steep. Syn- Sheer Ant- Flat    Original- The hill outside my house is quite __precipitous__- it is a natural barrier. Quote- The forest lands of Gradwitz were of wide extent and well stocked with game; the narrow strip of __precipitous__ woodland that lay on its outskirts was not remarkable for the game it harbored or the shooting it afforded, but it was the most jealously guarded of all its owner’s territorial possesions.

__Medley__- n. mixture of things not usually found together. Syn- Concoction Ant-Plain Original- I enjoy the variety found in a vegetable medley. Quote-Relief at being alive and exasperation at his captive plight brought a strange __medley__ of pious thank-offerings and shark curses to Urlich’s lips. __Condolences__- n. expressions of sympathy with a grieving persons pain. Syn- Comfort Ant- Neglect Original- I gave my condolences to him for the death of his sister. Quote- For form’s sake I shall send my __condolences__ to your family.

Critique “The Interlopers” is a somewhat typical textbook selection. What appears to be a simple story of two men pitted against each other is, at a deeper level, a bitter outcry against violence and hatred amongst men. It tells of the bitter consequences resulting from human conflict. Only before death did the men see the light: that their petty arguments were pointless and they had much more to live for together.   Mr. Saki may have gotten his point across, but did he get it across well? Overall, his style is rather lackluster and uninteresting. His use of imagery feels forced, as if he merely felt obligated to add an occasional adjective. Only two main characters are introduced, Georg and Ulrich, and Saki makes very little effort to develop their characters besides their revelation under the tree. Of course, this is a short story, and a brief one at that, and Mr. Saki has little room to elaborate on his cookie-cutter personalities. <span style="color: #9ed6d4; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="display: block; color: #9ed6d4; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">But after a couple of reads, I realized Saki’s style was meant for a short story. “The Interlopers” is simple and digestible, and that’s how it was intended to be. Saki only needed two characters. The two men represent two sides fighting each other, and two men were all that was necessary. <span style="display: block; color: #9ed6d4; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">During my read, the story failed to capture my interest. It was the premise of the story that made it boring. Saki couldn’t have done anything with the concept to spice up the selection. The story was a metaphor of human conflict, but that doesn’t become truly apparent until the end. This was a somewhat forgettable selection. Overall, I feel the story was greater than the sum of its parts. The message was strong, but each sentence and paragraph was dull. 2 out of 3 stars.

__Helpful Links__ [] The complete text of the Interlopers. [] Biography of Saki [] Carpathian Heritage Society