Saki The Interlopers

English 10 Honors
Structured Response on Saki’s “The Interlopers” “An eye for an eye will make us all blind” (Ghandi). In Saki’s “The Interlopers,” is written about two men at the turn of the century. His main characters, Ulrich Von Gradwitz, a wealthy landowner with legal rights and Georg Znaeym are perpetuating a vendetta over a worthless strip of land in the European forest land in the East Carpathian Mountains. Ulrich is determined to catch Georg trespassing, and both are motivated to eternalize an irrational dispute that has continued for generations. Both men hold the erroneous belief that a vendetta is valid, and that somehow they can dominate the use of this land. Both assumptions prove fatal. Humans have carried out vendettas throughout
history. However, hatred and false pride distorts common sense and results in hurting individuals and cultures. Learned hatred is hard to eradicate. Even when trapped by a fallen tree, and seriously injured, Georg is slow to put his hatred aside. When Ulrich offers him a sip of his wine, Georg replies, “I don’t drink wine with an enemy” (Saki 2). It is not until they share a common plight that they are forced to see how much they have in common. “Old fierce hatred seemed to be dying down” (Saki 2). In our current time, the vehicle to create a common bond is done through the United Nations. This civilized approach allows people to understand eachothers situation and points of view. Even enemies, who share a similar dilemma bond together and unite for survival. Hatred and vengeance subsides when people find common ground. Petty arguments pale in comparison to the larger need to survive and thrive. The second fatal assumption that these two men make is to believe that they have dominion over the land.
It is egotistical to assume that humans can control weather and wildlife to any great extent. Even now, humans understand that the best strategy to circumvent nature’s wrath is to pay attention to early warnings and withdrawal from the situation. In this case, wind, wildlife, and snowfall. In the time period of which this story takes place, humans had even less control over their natural world. There were no cell phones, 911, or high-tech surveillance equipment for search and rescue. Things worked out naturally regardless of human intention, or manipulation. The mistake these two men make is assuming that this land is theirs to dominate and own. Ulrich and Georg follow a code of civilization that includes laws of land ownership, a court system, and a code of ethics. For example, when they meet in the forest and do not shoot each other when given the chance, they are following a code of civilization. “But a man who had been brought up under the code of restraining civilization cannot easily nerve himself to shoot down his neighbour in cold blood and without a word spoken, except for an offence against his heart and honour” (Saki 1). The natural inhabitants of this land, such as the wolves, are indifferent to this human code of ethics. The wolves do not care who owned the land, or what the dispute was about. They follow no code of civilization, only a code of natural
survival. Both Ulrich Von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym believe that carrying on a long lasting vendetta is is their inherited obligation and moral right. However, when faced with a common dilemma and need to survive, hatred and vengeance subside. These two men also make the inaccurate assumption that they can dominate the land. its use, and its wildlife. Both viewpoints prove fatal in the end. Man is essentially powerless over nature, and he can only control himself and his attitude toward forgiveness.

Works Cited:
The Interlopers by Saki
Saki. “The Interlopers.” The Complete Short Stories of Saki (H.H. Munro). New York: Digireads Publishing.
2010. 288-290. Print.