The Storyteller
by Saki
Feature Menu
Introducing the Story
Literary Skills Focus:
Omniscient Narrator
Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing
a Writer’s Purpose
Writing Skills Focus: Think as a
Reader/Writer
TechFocus
The Storyteller
by Saki
How can stories influence
people’s behavior?
The Storyteller
Introducing the Story
Click on the title to start the video.
The Storyteller
Introducing the Story
Here’s a recipe for boredom and bad behavior:
Start with three children.
Add one grouchy
old aunt.
Put them all together in a hot,
stuffy train compartment. . . .
The Storyteller
Introducing the Story
It’s going to be a long,
hard trip, isn’t it?
Anyway, that’s what the other
passenger in the compartment
is starting to think.
[End of Section]
The Storyteller
Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator
The word omniscient means “all-knowing.” An
omniscient narrator is an all-knowing observer
who can reveal the
thoughts,
feelings,
and motives
of every character in a story.
The Storyteller
Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator
What does the omniscient narrator know that the
character Rick does not know?
Rick could feel the wind rising, and he
knew the storm was coming, but still
he struggled up the mountain. He
reached the summit just as the first
big drops fell, raised his fists in
triumph, and headed down again. Far
Far
below, at
below,
atthe
theedge
edge
of of
thethe
park,
park,
Eli and
Eli
James
and
James
watched
watched
the trail
the
and
trail
worried,
and
wonderingwondering
worried,
where Rick where
was.
Rick
was.
The Storyteller
Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator
What does the omniscient narrator tell us that
the characters Eli and James don’t know?
Rick could feel the wind rising, and he
knew the storm was coming, but still
he struggled up the mountain. He
reached the summit just as the first
big drops fell, raised his fists in
triumph, and headed down again. Far
below, at the edge of the park, Eli and
James watched the trail and worried,
wondering where Rick was.
Rick knows the
storm is coming.
Rick has made it
to the top.
Rick is already
headed down.
The Storyteller
Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator
Stories with an omniscient point of
view generally give us a more
reliable perspective—unlike stories
with a first-person narrator.
You can usually trust an
omniscient narrator.
As you read this story, think about how the
narrator’s comments might help you perceive the
writer’s purpose.
The Storyteller
Literary Skills Focus: Omniscient Narrator
Here is how the omniscient narrator in “The
Storyteller” describes one of the children’s actions:
She only knew the first line, but she put her limited
knowledge to the fullest possible use. She repeated the line
over and over again in a dreamy but resolute and very
audible voice; it seemed to the bachelor as though someone
had had a bet with her that she could not repeat the line
aloud two thousand times without stopping. Whoever it was
who had made the wager was likely to lose his bet.
What clues do the narrator’s comments give you
about the writer’s purpose?
[End of Section]
The Storyteller
Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose
“The Storyteller” is a humorous story. One purpose
of a humorous story is to entertain the reader.
But the author of a humorous story often has a
more serious and complex purpose. Look for
key passages . . . she began an unenterprising
and deplorably uninteresting story
and
about a little girl who was good, and
loaded words
made friends with everyone on
account of her goodness. . . .
that help reveal the narrator’s tone, or attitude,
toward the characters.
The Storyteller
Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing a Writer’s Purpose
Into Action: Use a chart to help you find clues that
reveal the narrator’s tone.
Key Passage or Loaded Word
Narrator’s Tone
The aunt’s remarks begin with
“don’t.”
The aunt is not effective with
children.
The aunt doesn’t have a good
answer for the child’s question.
The aunt responds ”weakly.”
[End of Section]
The Storyteller
Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer
Find It in Your Reading
“The Storyteller” is satire—writing that ridicules
the shortcomings of people or institutions in an
attempt to bring about change. Targets of a satirist
might include:
Stupidity
Injustice
Greed
Cruelty
As you read, try to figure out whom or what the
omniscient narrator is ridiculing.
The Storyteller
Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer
TechFocus
As you read the story, notice
how different characters have
different ideas about raising
children.
Think about how you would
use technology to distribute a
survey about the best way to
raise children in modern
society.
[End of Section]
Vocabulary
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
sultry adj.: hot and humid; sweltering.
persistent adj.: continuing; stubborn.
resolute adj.: determined.
petulant adj.: impatient; irritable; peevish.
conviction n.: strong belief; certainty.
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
The word sultry is often used to describe a place in
which the air is not just hot, but also humid, still,
and thick-feeling.
Which place would probably be more sultry?
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
As more and more people arrived, the waiting
room became sultry.
The waiting room might not be
a. clean
b. air-conditioned
c. well furnished
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
As more and more people arrived, the waiting
room became sultry.
The waiting room might not be
a. clean
b. air-conditioned
c. well furnished
Are the people in the waiting room comfortable, or
are they uncomfortable?
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
Persistent suggests a degree of effort—of
continuing something even when there is difficulty,
an obstacle, or an objection.
Which picture
shows a result of
persistent
practice and work?
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
A persistent fever
a. lasts more than a few
days and doesn’t respond
to home treatment
b. has really high
temperatures and makes
you feel uncomfortable
c. means that you have a serious illness and
should go to the emergency room
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
A persistent fever
a.lasts more than a few
days and doesn’t respond
to home treatment
b. has really high
temperatures and makes
you feel uncomfortable
c. means that you have a serious illness and
should go to the emergency room
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
A resolute person is a really determined person—
a person who has firmly made up his or her mind
to do something.
Think about New Year’s resolutions, the promises
people make to themselves to do better.
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
As she approached the net, I saw the resolute
look in her eye and I knew
a. she was afraid that I was a
better player.
b. that her pride would be
hurt if she didn’t win.
c. she had decided she would
win the match.
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
As she approached the net, I saw the resolute
look in her eye and I knew
a. she was afraid that I was a
better player.
b. that her pride would be
hurt if she didn’t win.
c. she had decided she would
win the match.
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
Anyone can be petulant, but the word usually
brings to mind a certain kind of child—
whiny,
impatient,
and irritable.
Do you know anybody like
that?
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
A petulant customer waiting in a long line at a
store might say:
a. “The other cash register is closed, so
everyone’s in this line.”
b. “It looks like they’re training a new
employee, so it’s taking a little longer.”
c. “I can’t imagine what’s taking so long!
Hurry up!”
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
A petulant customer waiting in a long line at a
store might say:
a. “The other cash register is closed, so
everyone’s in this line.”
b. “It looks like they’re training a new
employee, so it’s taking a little longer.”
c. “I can’t imagine what’s taking so long!
Hurry up!”
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
A conviction is a belief or idea
we are convinced is true. It’s a
strong, certain belief.
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
When the candidate stated her position on that
issue with conviction, the voters knew that she
a. strongly believed in
what she was saying.
b. had thought about the
issue a long time.
c. wasn’t sure which side
of the issue she was
really on.
The Storyteller
Vocabulary
When the candidate stated her position on that
issue with conviction, the voters knew that she
a.strongly believed in
what she was saying.
b. had thought about the
issue a long time.
c. wasn’t sure which side
of the issue she was
really on.
[End of Section]
The End