"The Interlopers" is a very detailed and visual story of man versus man, man versus nature, and man versus himself. The story begins in a forest where its character Ulrich von Gradwitz is patrolling the woods in search of his arch enemy Georg Znaeym. The narrator explains the feud between the two and how it began many years ago between the two men's families. The two had both been waiting for their moment to see each other to fight until death. On this evening the two come face to face, upon seeing each other they spoke no words. Suddenly the wintry winds cracked a tree and it came tumbling down upon both of them. The two were both trapped within arm's reach of each other and badly injured. They argued who would be rescued sooner and continued to insult each other and their men. .
Eventually, the two men gave up trying to escape themselves. Ulrich then offered to share his wine with George and his hatred slowly began to dissolve. The two discussed what their followers would think if the two would become friends. They spoke of what changes would be made to the community when they ended their war. They decided to shout for help together in hopes that the two voices together would be heard further and louder. As their voices began to get hoarse they see something in the distance, unsure of whose people they were. As they approached closer they realized it was a pack of wolves. With this being the ending we can only imagine the outcome. We can say the two were mauled by the wolves and they died together in the land the two fought over for years. Natures land, where ironically Ulrich and Georg were the true interlopers. .
Saki has an intense use of imagery in this story. Immediately while reading the story we are drawn in by all the details of the setting. You can instantly visualize the setting as if you are standing there yourself. I can agree with Douglas Duper when he says, "This is the beauty of a well-used literary device; the reader, so absorbed in the story, stops demanding strict reality and flows along with the plot (Duper 1).
