The Open Window

H.H.Munro (1870-1916) was better known as aki !a psuedon"n# he used $or his short stories.% british writer ! he is o$ten &o#pared to the a#eri&an Henr" 'a#es who is &onsidered to be one o$ the #asters o$ the $or# . He was born in (ur#a (now M"an#ar) when it was sti)) a part o$ the british e#pire . His $ather was an inspe&tor *enera) o$ (ur#ese po)i&e . He was sent to +n,)and a$ter his #other-s death and was brou,ht up in a predo#inant)" puritan househo)d o$ his ,rand#other . .n 189/ he 0oined the .ndian .#peria) 1o)i&e! )ike his $ather he was posted in (ur#a. .n +n,)and he started his &areer as a 0ourna)ist writin, $or newspapers su&h as West#inister *a2ette and 3ai)" +4press . He worked as a $orei,n &orrespondent in 5ussia $or the Mornin, 1ost but ,a6e that up and returned to +n,)and . He started wrtin, short stories $eaturin, 5e,ina)d and 7)o6is who take de)i,ht in the dis&o#$ort and down$a)) o$ their pretentious e)ders . Witt" ! #is&hie6ous! so#eti#es #a&abre he satirised +dwardian so&iet" and &u)ture .Open Window is one o$ his #ost $a#ous works.

%bout the stor"

8ra#pton 9utte) has presented hi#se)$ at the app)eton House at the re:uest o$ his sister who does not want hi# to be a)one in the &ountr" where he is under,oin, a rest &ure $or his ner6es . 8iteen "ear o)d ;era keeps 9utte) &o#pan" whi)e he waits $or the %unt who# he has &o#e to #eet . ;era sa"s a <,reat tra,ed"- took p)a&e a$ter his sister was a&:uainted with Mrs app)eton . +4a&t)" three "ears a,o Mrs app)eton-s husband and two "oun,er brothers went out to hunt and did not return . he te))s hi# that the %unt keeps the window open in the roo# be&ause she be)ie6es that the" wi)) &o#e ba&k one da" . The appearan&e o$ three $i,ures wa)kin, towards the window pro#pt 9utte) to take a head)on, $)i,ht $ro# the s&ene. % brie$ and $re:uent)" antho)o,ised stor" o$ de&eption perpetrated on an unsuspe&tin, and &onstitutiona))" ner6ous #an b" a "oun, )ad" whose #oti6es are not &)ear . The the#e is p)a" on appearan&e 6ersus rea)it" . .ts a stor" within a stor" = the )ar,er $ra#e narrati6e is the arri6a) o$ Mr. 9otte) to the app)eton House-the se&ond stor" is to)d b" Mrs app)eton-s nie&e.The open window initia))" s"#bo)ises the an,uish and heartbreak o$ Mrs app)eton at the )oss o$ her husband and "oun,er brothers ..t-s an e4&e))ent e4a#p)e o$ use o$ iron" that dupes the reader as we)). The narrati6e is brisk and has a &a#eo :ua)it".