HH.. H H.. Munro Munro (Saki) (Saki)

Saki-A Brief Biography

• Hector Hugh Munro, better known by the pen name Saki, was born in Burma.

• Munro’’s reputation as a writer rests on his short stories which satirize the social conventions, cruelty and foolishness of the Edwardian era.

• Munro’’s stories, with twist endings, are often compared to the stories of O.Henry. However, his stories are not innocent or sentimental, but mix wit with outrageousness, humour with seemingly justified malice.

Brief Introduction to “Sredni Vashtar”

• “Sredni Vashtar” is a story concerning a 10-year-old boy called Conradin, who lives with his strict cousin and guardian, Mrs. De Ropp. Conradin rebels against her and invents a new religion for himself, which centres around idolising a polecat-ferret he calls Sredni Vashtar; a vengeful and merciless god. Conradin keeps the polecat hidden in a cage in the garden shed, and worships the idol in secret. In the end, Mrs. De Ropp is killed by the ferret while investigating the tool-shed, apparently to the pleasure of the child.

Question 1Question 1

• Conradin is believed to have only five Conradin is believed to have only five more years to live. What is significant more years to live. What is significant about this detail?about this detail?

Answer 1Answer 1

• Conradin is allocated to the category of Conradin is allocated to the category of the weak and the ill. Plus he is only ten the weak and the ill. Plus he is only ten years old, he is the object of oppression years old, he is the object of oppression and control. The fact that his guardian and control. The fact that his guardian accepts the doctoraccepts the doctor’’s opinion readily s opinion readily reflects her cruel and dominating nature. reflects her cruel and dominating nature.

Question 2Question 2

• In the first two paragraphs how many In the first two paragraphs how many times is Conradin’s imagination metioned? times is Conradin’s imagination metioned? What can we learn about the relationship What can we learn about the relationship between the boy and his guardian? between the boy and his guardian?

Answer 2Answer 2

• Conradin’’s imagination is mentioned three times in the first two paragraphs:

1) Mrs. De Ropp was Conradin’’s cousin and guardian, and in his eyes she represented those three-fifths of the world that are necessary and disagreeable and real; the other two-fifths, in perpetual antagonism to the foregoing, were summed up in himself and his imagination. – To Conradin, Mrs. De Ropp represents the real world

which is unpleasant. He finds comfort in his imaginative world. Obviously, he does not like Mrs. De Ropp.

2) Without his imagination, which was rampant under the spur of loneliness, he would have succumbed long ago. – From this sentence we can learn the boy is very

lonely and imagination is his only comfort and solace.

3) …from the realm of his imagination she was locked out-an unclean thing, which should find no entrance. – We learn that Mrs. De Ropp derives pleasure from

merely getting an upper hand of the boy, who in turn hates her with “a desperate sincerity”, and reduces her to “an unclean thing”, forbidden to his imaginative world.

Question Question 33

• Read the descriptions below and find out Read the descriptions below and find out all the words with religious connotations. all the words with religious connotations. In which sense is Conradin’s religion a In which sense is Conradin’s religion a parody of his cousin’s religion for parody of his cousin’s religion for example? example?

Answer Answer 33• The words that have religious connotations are worship The words that have religious connotations are worship

(v.), mystic (adj.) and ceremonials, shrine, offering, (v.), mystic (adj.) and ceremonials, shrine, offering, festivals. (n.)festivals. (n.)

• Conradin’s religion is obviously a parody of the traditional Conradin’s religion is obviously a parody of the traditional religion. His offerings are bright-colored, religion. His offerings are bright-colored, “red flowersred flowers” and and “scarlet berriesscarlet berries”, for his god stresses , for his god stresses “the fierce the fierce impatient side of thingsimpatient side of things”. For big festivals the offering will . For big festivals the offering will be nutmeg, which has to be stolen. His three-day be nutmeg, which has to be stolen. His three-day celebration is his cousin’s acute toothache. All these celebration is his cousin’s acute toothache. All these show that the boy invents his own religion to protect show that the boy invents his own religion to protect himself from, and revenge against his cousin. himself from, and revenge against his cousin.

Question Question 44

• How did Conradin react after his hen was How did Conradin react after his hen was sold? How did he react when offered toast sold? How did he react when offered toast as a compensation? Did Mrs. De Ropp as a compensation? Did Mrs. De Ropp expect such reaction? If you were Mrs. De expect such reaction? If you were Mrs. De Ropp, how would you feel? Ropp, how would you feel?

Answer Answer 44

• Conradin did not show his anger or sorrow. Instead, he hid his feelings. When offered toast in the afternoon tea, he did not touch it at all. To Mrs. De Ropp’’s remark “I thought you liked toast”, he only replied “sometimes”.

• All these were contrary to Mrs. De Ropp’’s expectation. She was used to rebuking him, to preying on his vulnerability. Now she must feel shocked, injured and very angry.

Question Question 55

• Do you like the ending of the story? In Do you like the ending of the story? In which sense is it ironical? which sense is it ironical?

Answer Answer 55

• The ending is ironical because while people The ending is ironical because while people assume that the boy would be devastated by the assume that the boy would be devastated by the death of his cousin, he is serenely celebrating death of his cousin, he is serenely celebrating his freedom. his freedom.