"Tobermory" by Saki Hector Munro (1870 - 1916) writing under the pen name of Saki is considered a master of the

very short story (under10 pages) and is often mentioned as an English O Henry. Saki was born in Burma in 1870 where his father was serving as inspector general for the Burmese police. Burma was part of the British Empire at that time. At age two Saki is sent back to England to be raised by his grandmother when his mother died as a result of an incident with a cow. His father later retired to England and he and Saki appeared to have had an amiable relationship as perhaps indicated by Saki also joining the office of the Burmese police inspector at age 23. Saki caught malaria at age 25 and returned to England where he would become journalist. He worked for a couple of years as foreign correspondent in Russia where he witnessed the infamous bloody Sunday episode. He also gave that up and for about the last ten years of his life he was not formally employed on a regular basis and was supported by family wealth. It is during this period that he wrote most of his work. Saki is famous for his satires of the upper classes in Edwardian England. http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com.ar/2010/09/tobermory-by-saki-short-story-cat.html Hector Hugh Munro (18 December 1870 13 November 1916), better known by the pen name Saki, and also frequently as H. H. Munro, was a British writer whose witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirised Edwardian society and culture. He has been able to write fine tales and stories that create humor as seen on the short story Tobermory when he says, When your inclusion in this house-party was suggested, Sir Wilfred protested that you were the most brainless woman of his acquaintance, and that there was a wide distinction between hospitality and the care of the feeble-minded. (pg. 3) His use of humor adversely enhances the story by cleverly and cautiously deviating away from the social issues that plagued his society by use of shift of tone and atmosphere. Saki satirizes his culture and society by portraying it as one that gossips a great deal, and is somewhat untrustworthy. He uses the cat to reveal this. Tobermory, is a special character because Saki personifies this cat explicitly and directly. He tries to portray that a cat, an inferior animal to a human, can point out flaws within their own society. Tobermory says, Thanks, not quite so soon after my tea. I dont want to die of indigestion. (Page 3) Saki is indirectly satirizing his cultures laziness. Dying of indigestion is exactly what awaits them if they do not change. Tea is heavily symbolic of their culture. It is a pass time, just like in Jane Austens Victorian Age. They hold tea parties and idle up. In the story, they realize these tea parties have no direct significance to their inactive lives. In the story, Agnes Resker says, "Why did I ever come down here?" (pg. 4) Despite this, they still continue to indulge in meaningless tea parties and gatherings. In conclusion, the story of Tobermory remains one of Sakis best works. The Edwardian Age is highly satirized, just as Jane Austen satirizes a similar society. His use of humor assists not only on focusing on key elements of such a society but brings comic relief. Just as he uses humor, such a society can be viewed as humorous in its entirety. Unfocused, drowned in lavish life and indulged in unimportant activities that drain itself dry. http://www.bukisa.com/articles/365418_tobermory-by-saki "Tobermory" At a country house party a visiting professor announces to the guests that he has perfected a procedure to teach animals human speech. He demonstrates this on his host's cat, Tobermory. Soon it is clear that animals are permitted to view many private things on the assumption that they will remain silent: "An archangel ecstatically proclaiming the Millennium, and then finding that it clashed unpardonably with Henley and would have to be indefinitely postponed, could hardly have felt more crestfallen than Cornelius Appin at the reception of his wonderful achievement." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saki#.22Tobermory.22 Tobermory is a cat whose most peculiar characteristic is that he not only can listen to private conversations without being noticed, but also retell them whenever thought appropriate, since hes got the gift of talking. Its a talking cat who personifies typical characteristics humans tend to attribute to felines: haughtiness, indifference, and superiority. http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/12598.html What happens if you teach a cat how to talk? Saki (H.H. Munro) answers this question in his short story Tobermory, which tells a brief, meaty tale of the eponymous cat and his short adventure with British society. Being a lover of classic writers and fresh takes on science fiction, I decided to dive headlong into the many layers of the very short, but nevertheless engaging Tobermory. What I found was a surprising treatment of what would otherwise have been a cheesy Dr. Doolittle rip-off. A Study of Society Grappling with Science Tobermory is typical Saki: England is still staid and puritanical, with the rich and privileged looking down on everyone else all while gossiping behind each others backs to make up for the hardened smiles typical of high society. And, like many Saki stories, Tobermory explores how society is gaining a deeper understanding of nature, which seems to lead to the need to control it. In the end, however, nature wins, and through means that no human can control. Tobermory is no exception but from beginning to end, its terse, yet descriptive prose provides us with a detailed portrait of society torn between its rich traditions and new, emerging, frightening science.

The Curious Case of the Talking Cat Tobermory opens with what seems to be a typical English summer country party: blandness, gray surroundings, coming rain, and a preoccupation with new personalities. In this case, it is the homely Cornelius Appin, a visiting professor with the vaguest reputation of all of the country houses guests. This might appear to be an excuse for Saki not to endow Appin with a personality, let alone motivations; but for the purposes of the short story, the ploy works. Appin is simply a pawn of his own curiosity and ambition especially when he reveals that he has taught his cat, Tobermory, to talk. There is no explanation or back story description of how Appin has achieved such a feat. What we are given is an incredulous country party that scoffs at Appins claims, with several people chiming in as Appin patiently addresses their concerns. We are introduced to several people in the party, each of whom is briefly, but richly described. The words they use, from Rats! to Beyond-Rats! are filled with dry wit, are appropriate to the supposed temperament of each character, and provide a deep contrast to the hilarity and scandal that follow. True to British high society, the company expects more or less adroit drawing-room ventriloquism. If the cat is even successful at talking, they could well brace themselves for cuteness, some commentary on mice, barns, and fur. What they get, however, are shock and wit. No Ordinary Cat in High Society Tobermory is no lazy feline; he is observant and has no inner filter. Every word he spews is comical, biting, and targeted toward people in the party. If you are a fan of sarcasm and British humor, you might find yourself gasping at Tobermorys revelations. The amazement has now turned to fear, and the question arises: what must be done with a cat that cant hold its own tongue? The story paces uneasily toward its end as the human players await their fate, and as Tobermory now out of the country house probably roams the lands in search of people to listen to his gossip. This uneasy pace makes for a telling exposition of the ills of English society, and the ills of society in general. The list could well be endless: a matron who is friendly only to those that she can use to her advantage, a debutante who insults her peers behind their backs, a country gentleman who backbites his betters Indeed, the question isnt just: What happens if you teach a cat how to talk? The true question is even deeper: If your cat could talk, what would it tell the world about you? Crisp Dialogue and Dry Wit If you are a fan of British wit, Tobermory might be for you. The dialogue is as crisp and dry as fallen autumn leaves; and the story is just as comfortable to walk through. True, you might find yourself squirming at the uneasiness of everyone listening to an articulate cat; but youll also find yourself laughing at how people could naively expect a cat to be anything but. Witness a brief exchange as Tobermory exchanges pleasantries with a guest. Major Barfield plunged in heavily to effect a diversion. How about your carryings-on with the tortoise-shell puss up at the stables, eh? The moment he had said it every one realized the blunder. One does not usually discuss these matters in public, said Tobermory frigidly. From a slight observation of your ways since youve been in this house I should imagine youd find it inconvenient if I were to shift the conversation on to your own little affairs. A Fresh Take on Science Fiction Tobermory is not your typical science fiction story. While its theme is that of an impossible feat, its focus is not so much on how that feat is achieved than on its possible repercussions. There are no magic machines that suddenly make Tobermory capable of intelligent speech. There is no half-crazed scientist running around, selling the cat. There are no meetings of the Royal Society, or experiments in a backroom laboratory, or a cat taking over the world. There is, however, rich, vivid prose that paints a likewise rich England. There is dialogue for you to chew and crunch on, with wit so sharp you could wound yourself laughing. And of course, there are the philosophical layers: humankinds definition of animal intelligence, what constitutes high society, and the role of nature in controlling its own. There is very little backstory to Tobermory himself, much less Appin. Both of them exist in the moment, and would be mere caricatures if not for Sakis clear intent. Tobermory propels high society to reexamine itself, and Appin is the pawn that allows the cat to do so. In its self-examination, we find the pleasant fictions that people fool themselves and each other with, as well as their mixed fear and amazement of science and nature. http://bestsciencefictionstories.com/2012/03/28/tobermory-by-saki/ Read Tobermory online: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/Tob.shtml