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Situational Irony
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
The style of “The Interlopers” is characteristic of a thriller in that it emphasizes darkness and violence through description, action, and dialogue. In one particularly tense moment, Ulrich and Georg meet in the forest. It is inevitable that the two should meet, and the story has been accelerating toward this duel. The narrative describes this encounter:
The two enemies stood glaring at one another for a long silent moment. Each had a rifle in his hand, each had hate in his heart and murder uppermost in his mind. The chance had come to give full play to the passions of a lifetime.
In this quote, the violence between these men seems as though it will explode at any minute. By describing the contents of their minds without shying away from their bloodlust, the story makes it clear that these men are predisposed to violence. Saki relays this in short, matter-of-fact sentences. Complete access to these characters' minds through the omniscience of the narrator allows for elaboration on the plot solely through clipped description. In turn, the story's style is somewhat sparse and declarative, even if the narrative makes use of this barebones approach as a way of alluding to and subtly mining the fear and anticipation seated deep within both Ulrich and Georg.
Related Themes:
