Influence and Manipulation in A.V. Laider” and “The Open Window by Beerbohm and Saki

Max Beerbohm and Saki both use the story-within-a-story literary device similarly in their works “A.V. Laider” and “The Open Window” respectively, but manage to create two very different atmospheres despite the numerous similarities.

Unlike a frame story literary device where an author uses a story to set the stage but puts the proverbial meat of the story into the tales told by the characters in the main story. To better clarify rather than following the format of Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” Beerbohm and Saki’s tales give a story told by one of the main characters to supplement the tale and influence the reader’s opinions regarding the character telling, and to an extent the character listening to, the story.

Saki uses the story-within-a-story literary method to create a short quick little tale all starting with Framton Nuttel who, in the midst of a nerve cure, meets the proverbial spider of the tale. This tale’s spider, the niece of the woman Mr. Nuttel is visiting, is quick to exploit Mr. Nuttel’s lack of knowledge in regards to people of the area by using her aunt, Mrs. Sappleton, to construct a little web and ensnare Mr. Nuttel before the reader is aware of the true situation. Vera, the niece of Mrs. Sappleton, is quick to note after Mr. Nuttel leaves in a hurry that: “Romance at short notice was her specialty.” (Saki). At which point any initial opinions have been thrown out to be replaced by the knowledge of Vera’s cunning ways and allowing the story to become one of humor rather than sadness.

In “A.V. Laider” the story-within-a-story is given upon our discovery of, what appears to be, a shared belief in palmistry. Using this device the author was able to have Laider weave a tale of misfortune and weak will. Thr...

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...ohm) As such both stories leave behind a cautionary word of parting, check the validity of information being imparted.

In addition to using the story-within-a-story literary device Saki and Beerbohm both make a clever use of irony. Beerbohm uses situational irony through Laider who despite his professed sorrow for his deception and knowledge of being weak willed and prone to telling fantastical stories decides to begin telling his listener a new story. While Saki uses dramatic irony through the knowledge that Mr. Nuttel is visiting the area while curing his nerves only to be set into a fit of terror at the end. Saki also uses some situational irony through the use of the open window which typically symbolizes honesty and openness.

Saki and Beerbohm’s use of the story-within-a-story literary device allowed to very different but equally entangling stories to be told.