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Post by rcb1008 on Sept 20, 2015 18:25:09 GMT
Irony, in a multitude of forms, is employed by Saki to define the tragic nature of the events in “The Interlopers.”
The most prevalent example of Irony in the short story comes when Ulrich von Gradwitz (through the narrator) expresses his desire to come across Georg Znaeym “man to man, with none to witness.” To the reader, the text initially highlights the savage, vengeful relationship that exists between the two families. It is ironic/coincidental in and of itself that almost immediately after being stated, the two rivals meet together, alone in the forest. None the less, the true irony in von Gradwitz’s desires comes after the encounter. The falling tree, possibly a symbol of the events to come, hinders both men’s ability to seek revenge. In wishing to be alone, von Gradwitz planned to forever distance himself from Znaeym, but in reality (with the aid of the falling tree) their solitude brought them closer together than ever and eventually to an inferred fate of death by wolves.
Another example of Situational Irony is existent in both von Gradwitz and Znaeym’s shouts for help. Both characters yearn to be saved from their fate, but are unaware of the consequences of making noise. Ironically, both men yell hoping that their own followers would come to the rescue. Unbeknownst to them, their yells only attract a pack of wolves that is assumed to kill them.
Saki does an admirable job of embedding Irony until the last second. This is specifically seen in the final dialogue between Znaeym and von Gradwitz, when the latter believes to see figures (people) coming to the rescue. In reality they are only wolves running to feast on their unsuspecting prey. This is perhaps the most significant example of Saki using irony to heighten the tragedy seen in “The Interlopers.”
Question: What do YOU think the effect of Saki’s use of irony is on the tone/mood of “The Interlopers"? (I feel like a teacher right now)
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Post by aamornwichet on Sept 23, 2015 19:09:21 GMT
Another example of Situational Irony is existent in both von Gradwitz and Znaeym’s shouts for help. Both characters yearn to be saved from their fate, but are unaware of the consequences of making noise. Ironically, both men yell hoping that their own followers would come to the rescue. Unbeknownst to them, their yells only attract a pack of wolves that is assumed to kill them. Saki does an admirable job of embedding Irony until the last second. This is specifically seen in the final dialogue between Znaeym and von Gradwitz, when the latter believes to see figures (people) coming to the rescue. In reality they are only wolves running to feast on their unsuspecting prey. This is perhaps the most significant example of Saki using irony to heighten the tragedy seen in “The Interlopers.” This is interesting. I never thought about the irony from the stand point of Ulrich and Georg making noise. I would like to build off of what you said. What I found ironic was the timing of the two men's reconciliation. In the story Ulrich and Georg decided that regardless of whose men found them, both of them would be spared. This is what led to their yelling for help. They could have been saved by either party but instead an outside group came to kill them both. Even their reconciliation can be seen as ironic because they both came out that night for each other's blood but both of their blood will be shed with neither of them as the victor.
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sko
New Member
Posts: 14
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Post by sko on Sept 23, 2015 23:27:51 GMT
I'd also like to add on to this:
An interloper is a person who interferes or meddles in the affairs of others. Ulrich thinks that Georg is an interloper and vice versa. It's ironic because when Georg accepts Ulrich's friendship, he says, "...if we choose to make peace among our people there is none other to interfere, no interlopers from outside... in all the countryside, there are none that could hinder if we willed to make peace". They do make peace, but later on, the wolves present themselves as interlopers who eventually interfere with their newfound peace.
It can also be seen differently - the interlopers are Ulrich, Georg, and their men, and that the forest belongs to the wolves. This is ironic because the main reason for the feud was because of the land. In the end, it belongs to neither of the families.
Another example is when the narrator says, "...as boys they had thirsted for one another's blood, as men each prayed that misfortune might fall on the other...". This can be seen as ironic because misfortune literally falls on both of them in the form of the tree.
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Post by crandallethan on Sept 24, 2015 0:50:09 GMT
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Post by crandallethan on Sept 24, 2015 1:33:20 GMT
I believe that the multiiple interlopers in the story contribute as irony as well. It is ironic when Gradwitz and Znaeym want to be alone and a tree falls on them. The tree itself presents a type of situational irony, becuase when you read the title you would assume the interlopers would be a person. This becomes reoccuring when wolves immerge at the end of the story and they become interlopers creating situational irony that wolves would be interlopers and not actual people.
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Post by jordanhilker on Sept 24, 2015 19:38:20 GMT
I agree that Saki waits until the last second! By doing this you could say that Saki is trying to build suspense. The reader spends the whole story trying to figure out which troops would come first, Znaeym or Gradwitz's (at least I did). At the end when you find out that it is the wolves who are approaching. This almost makes it even more suspenseful. There were endless thoughts of what was going to happen to the men after the story was over. I would say that Saki uses the irony to build suspense in the reader (it worked for me).
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Post by delaneytyson on Sept 24, 2015 20:34:19 GMT
I agree with Sko. A large part of the irony in this story is that the basis of the story's plot line (the feud) is completely subjective, and is ultimately decided by a force outside of either of their power. When we feel as though we have reached the resolution of the story and the men make up, both think that they are taking the high road by allowing the other to be forgiven and ending the feud. They both believe that the matter is solely in their control and they once they reach their agreement, the matter is settled. By bringing in the third party (the wolves), the author basically proves to the reader that the entire plot line was for nothing. Neither man ended the feud by taking the other's life, as the beginning of the story may have suggested, but instead the ignored third party, which was considered so beneath them that not a single word other than the very last was dedicated to them throughout the story, made the deciding vote. Both men felt as through they were being righteous and conceding to share the land, which drove the entire story, but in all actuality it was never their decision to make, and their ability to follow through on making this decision was taken from them by the wolves.
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Post by rcb1008 on Sept 25, 2015 3:29:23 GMT
I agree that Saki waits until the last second! By doing this you could say that Saki is trying to build suspense. The reader spends the whole story trying to figure out which troops would come first, Znaeym or Gradwitz's (at least I did). At the end when you find out that it is the wolves who are approaching. This almost makes it even more suspenseful. There were endless thoughts of what was going to happen to the men after the story was over. I would say that Saki uses the irony to build suspense in the reader (it worked for me). I completely agree that in addition to using irony in "The Interlopers" Saki employs the element of suspense to keep the reader engaged. Specifically at the end I feel like there could be multiple endings to the story!
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Post by PERIODTT on Nov 1, 2018 0:45:03 GMT
so can i get the dumbed down version or? Like maybe less words and is short and to the point.
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Post by Uuuuum on Oct 15, 2020 16:07:32 GMT
so can i get the dumbed down version or? Like maybe less words and is short and to the point. I agree
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Post by Persom J on Oct 15, 2020 17:50:22 GMT
so can i get the dumbed down version or? Like maybe less words and is short and to the point. I agree Yes please
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Post by Johny on Oct 15, 2020 18:35:06 GMT
Hi
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Post by Johnny sins on Oct 15, 2020 18:50:28 GMT
I loved the read
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Post by allah on Jan 19, 2021 18:02:50 GMT
Good book it changed my life my mom hated me
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Post by the lol frog on Sept 29, 2021 22:22:12 GMT
The most prevalent example of Irony in the short story comes when Ulrich von Gradwitz expresses his desire to come across Georg Znaeym “man to man, with none to witness.”
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