27 pages 54 minutes read

Saki

The Open Window

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1911

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Essay Topics

1.

Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan proposed that the world is perceived through three orders: the real, the symbolic, and the imaginary. Research Lacan’s theories and analyze “The Open Window” from a Lacanian psychoanalytic perspective, focusing on Vera.

2.

Perform a character analysis of Vera. How does she represent feminism? How does she present a hurdle for women’s rights? In what ways might Edwardian gender roles impact her part in the story?

3.

Examine the title of the story as it relates to the story itself. Explain its significance and symbolism.