The Lumber Room - New Oxford Modern English - Class 7 - English

Saki, whose real name was Hector Hugh Munro, was a British writer known especially for his witty and often satirical short stories, featuring surprise endings and clever dialogue. Born on December 18, 1870, in Akyab, British Burma, he was raised by his grandmother and aunts in England after his mother's death. His early experiences deeply influenced his work, often reflected in the wry cynicism and humorous critique of the English upper-class society in his stories.

Saki's writing career took off in the early 1900s when his satirical pieces began to appear in various newspapers and magazines. His short stories frequently featured children pitted against oppressive or ignorant adults, as seen in one of his most famous works, "The Open Window". His work, while chiefly humorous, also often contained a dark or grim undercurrent, reflecting the political unrest and impending global conflict of his time.

Saki’s life was cut short during World War I when he was killed in action on the Western Front in 1916. Despite his untimely death, Saki's clever, succinct, and provocative stories left a significant imprint on the world of English literature, and his work continues to be widely read and appreciated.

1. Deception and Innocence: Nicholas masterfully uses his aunt's assumptions about his intentions to outwit her. Although Nicholas is just a child, he is able to deceive his strict aunt by pretending to be interested in the gooseberry garden....

1. Introduction and Exposition:

The plot begins with Nicholas, a young boy, being left behind as punishment for his prank at the breakfast table while the rest of the children....

1. "The dramatic part of the incident was that there really was a frog in Nicholas' basin of bread-and-milk; he had put it there himself, so he felt entitled to know something about it." - This line is important because it introduces Nicholas’ character as playful......