The+Interlopers

Short Stories Literary Devises Title: The Interlopers

By Rory Christopher and Sam McColl

Point of View: 3rd Person and Omniscient

Protagonist: Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym

What type of character is the Protagonist? Round and Dynamic

Antagonist: Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym

Describe the setting: Dusk, cold, gloomy, 5:00-7:00 P.M. Carpathians, High Tatras, Poland. The mood and atmosphere is grim, angry, and hateful.

Type of Conflict: Man v. Man

Describe the main conflict: The main conflict is Man v. Man because, Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym's, families have been fighting over a piece of land for centuries. They were still fighting over it.

Describe the Climax of the Story: The Climax of the story is when Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym agree to stop fighting over the piece of land and become friends. “… I’ve come to think we’ve be rather fools; there are better things in life than getting the better of a boundary dispute. Neighbor, if you will help me to bury the old quarrel I-I will ask you to be my friend.”

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym become friendlier towards each other over the course of the story.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. The relationship between the title ‘The Interlopers’ and the theme, the illogical hatred of human-beings, is that an interloper is a person not wanted at a certain place, and basically the whole story is about this rivalry between 2 people, that don’t want each other on a certain piece of land, and then they become friends, turning a new life, and making a truce to not hunt on each others land unless invited.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? The main conflict helps to illustrate the theme by showing that, over the course of the story since the main conflict defuses, the con and it only defuses because the people talk it over, and they figure out their rivalry to each other is a useless and irrelevant part of their lives,

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? The climax helps to show the main theme by showing that a persons illogical thoughts of anger, can be resolved if one person sits down and talks to another person. Since they became friends, it shows how just a little thought, and a lttle talking things over can make the worst of enemies turn into the best of friends.

Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes):

Simile: "We have quarrelled like devils all our lives over this stupid strip of forest..."

Metaphor: The metaphor in the story is the tree falling on them, it is a therapist, it makes them talk their differences out and make them become friends.

Personification: “A fierce shriek of the storm…”

Symbol: The wolves equals death.

Foreshadowing (give both elements): “…there is good wine in it, and one may as well be as comfortable as one can. Let us drink, even if tonight one of us dies.” “No,” said Ulrich with a laugh, the idiotic chattering laugh of a man unstrung with hideous fear. “Who are they?” asked Georg quickly, straining his eyes to see what the other would gladly have not seen. “Wolves."

Irony: "How the whole region would stare and gabble if we rode into the market-square together. No one living can remember seeing a Znaeym and a von Gradwitz talking to one another in friendship. And what peace there would be among the forester folk if we ended our feud to-night. And if we choose to make peace among our people there is none other to interfere, no interlopers from outside ... You would come and keep the Sylvester night beneath my roof, and I would come and feast on some high day at your castle ... I would never fire a shot on your land, save when you invited me as a guest; and you should come and shoot with me down in the marshes where the wildfowl are. In all the countryside there is none that could hinder if we willed to make peace. I never thought to have wanted to do other than hate you all my life, but I think I have changed my mind about things too, this last half-hour. And you offered me your wine flask ... Ulrich von Gradwitz; I will be your friend."

This is ironic because they died in the end, so neither of their families would stop hating each other and none of the foresters will be able to come to peace with each other.

Imagery: “In a forest of mixed growth somewhere on the eastern spurs of the Carpathians…”

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story: The relationship between the class theme and the story is that, if Ulrich and Znaeym had lived, would the town be a better place. Would they have changed the world altogether? Well, that is the mystery behind the story. Also, since the class theme is mystery, what if the enemies stayed as enemies? No one will ever know……..

1. What is Ulrich hunting for? Georg Znaeym

2. How did Ulrich come to own the property in question? His great grandfather owned the land, after a court case.

3. Why do Ulrich and Georg hate each other? How did it all start? They hated each other because their families have been fighting for over 3 generations. Their families started fighting because they were fighting over a piece of land.

4. Identify the foreshadowing in the second paragraph. "The roebuck, which usually kept in the sheltered hollows during a storm-wind, were running like driven things to-night, and there was movement and unrest among the creatures that were wont to sleep through the dark hours. Assuredly there was a disturbing element in the forest, and Ulrich could guess the quarter from whence it came." "And as he stepped round the trunk of a huge beech he came face to face with the man he sought."

5. Why did they not try to shoot each other the moment they saw each other? Ulrich has been brought up under a restraining code of civilization and could not easily nerve himself to shoot down his neighbor. And just before a moment of hesitation had overcome them both, the tree fell on both of them.

6. What saves Ulrich’s feet from being crushed? His heavy shooting-boots.

7. What lies do they tell each other after realizing they are both trapped under the tree? One person would kill the other if their men came first.

8. Why does Ulrich change his mind about killing Georg?He chooses not to kill Georg because it would help his families and all the foresters. They would all work together and become a better community.

9. What significance is there in the title of this story? What are some possible meanings of the title? The title told that there was anger or revenge, or negative feelings that the main characters of the story felt because trespassing into another person's property was and is wrong and inappropriate.

10. In the end of the story why do each of the men hope that their men will come first to rescue him?They hope their men will come first so that they might be the first to show honourable attention to the enemy that had become a friend.

11. Describe the irony in this story.The irony in the story is that Ulrich and Georg want to kill each other yet they become best friends. They both die at the end of the story though, so their families will keep hating each other, the village will still always be on edge, and the land will never really be taken by 1 family.

12. What metaphor can you find in relation to the tree pinning down the two characters? The tree is a therapist, it basically helps them to become friends, and talk things out.

13. Is the ending of this story effective? Why or why not? Yes, quite. The story ending is definitely effective, it is a very true shocker. You would expect them to be found by one of the men's forester groups, yet both of them die at the hands of a pack of wolves.

 Completion 5/5  Effort 4.5/5  Content 4/5

 total 13.5/15

 Questions Completion Mark 5/5

 total: 18.5/20