A Sacrifice to Necessity by Saki
Alicia Pevenly enjoys a tranquil October morning in her garden, reflecting on her life as a widow and mother to seventeen-year-old Beryl. Despite financial constraints, she maintains a sense of contentment, believing that careful management of their limited income suffices. Beryl, characterized as a "Flapper incarnate," arrives late, revealing her recent gambling losses totaling over a thousand pounds, which threatens their social standing and financial stability. Alicia is horrified by the amount Beryl has lost and worries about how to repay their debt to Ashcombe Gwent, the man who won the money. Beryl suggests that Gwent, who has shown romantic interest in her mother, could be a potential solution to their predicament. Alicia is initially resistant to the idea of marrying someone she barely knows, especially for financial reasons, but Beryl insists that it may be the only way to resolve their crisis without losing their social status. As the conversation unfolds, Beryl reveals that Gwent is infatuated with Alicia, not her. This revelation shocks Alicia, who grapples with the idea of marrying a man for the sake of financial security. Beryl, pragmatic about their situation, encourages her mother to consider the proposal, emphasizing that Alicia's previous marriage experience makes her a more suitable candidate for Gwent's affections. Ultimately, Alicia reluctantly agrees to the marriage, prioritizing their financial stability over personal feelings. The wedding occurs quietly, with the primary gift being a cancelled I.O.U. from Gwent to Beryl, symbolizing the transactional nature of their union. The story explores themes of social obligation, financial desperation, and the sacrifices made in the name of necessity.
By Saki · First published 1911 · Genre: Comedy, Social Satire, Drama · 2,067 words
First lines
Alicia Pevenly sat on a garden seat in the rose-walk at Chopehanger, enjoying the valedictory mildness of a warm October morning, and experiencing that atmosphere of mental complacency that descends on a woman who has breakfasted well, is picturesquely dressed, and has reached forty-two in pleasant insidious stages. The loss of her husband some ten years ago had woven a thread of tender regret into her life-pattern, but for the most part she looked on the world and its ways with placid acquiescent amiability. The income on which she and her seventeen-year-old daughter lived and kept up appearances was small, almost inconveniently small, perhaps, but with due management and a little forethought it sufficed. Contriving and planning gained a certain amount of zest from the fact that there was only such a slender margin of shillings to be manipulated.
What this Textopian page supports
A Sacrifice to Necessity is listed on Textopian as a short story by Saki, dated 1911 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Saki
- Date: 1911 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Social Satire, Drama, Fiction, Romance
- Length: 2,067 words
- Structure: 1 section, 50 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for A Sacrifice to Necessity by Saki
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Sacrifice to Necessity?
- How does this short story by Saki fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Comedy — The story employs humor and irony, particularly in the absurdity of the situation involving marriage for financial reasons.
- Social Satire — The narrative critiques social norms and the pressures of maintaining appearances in upper-class society.
- Drama — The emotional conflict between the characters, particularly regarding marriage and financial distress, drives the plot.
- Fiction — The work is a fictional narrative exploring personal and social themes.
Tags
satire · humor · society · class · irony · victorian · short story · absurdity · critique · human nature · relationships · conflict