The Optimist by Saki (1913)
A man named Richard Duncombe, after a day of hunting, finds himself riding home through desolate fields. He stops at a modest house, where he is welcomed by a red-haired girl and her mother. They offer him hospitality, but the atmosphere is heavy with an unspoken sadness. The family, though not in mourning, seems burdened by a sense of loss and nostalgia for better times. During tea, Duncombe tries to engage the family in conversation, but their responses are constrained. The mother reminisces about her family's past prominence in the community, expressing a longing for the respect and status they once held. Duncombe attempts to uplift her spirits, suggesting that the younger generation, represented by her children, can restore the family's reputation. After tea, Duncombe departs, reflecting on the family's decline and the weight of their unfulfilled potential. He rides to a nearby town, where he encounters the red-haired boy again on the train. The boy appears sullen and disinterested, embodying the family's lost vitality. Duncombe encourages him to embrace his heritage and strive for greatness, but the boy's demeanor suggests a deeper struggle. As the train arrives at a station, a policeman approaches the boy, revealing that he is likely in trouble with the law. Duncombe watches helplessly as the boy is led away, realizing that the family's decline is not just a matter of lost status but also of personal tragedy. The story concludes with a poignant sense of despair, highlighting the themes of nostalgia, lost potential, and the harsh realities of life.
By Saki · First published 1913 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Drama · 2,226 words
First lines
In the gathering twilight Richard Duncombe rode a tired horse through a seemingly endless succession of fields in what he guessed to be a more or less homeward direction. After the crowd and movement and liveliness of a good day with the hounds there was something still and ghostly about this long, slow ride through a misty world of plough-land, grassland, and fallow, in which he and his horse seemed to be the only living things. Even when he struck into a road it seemed a deserted highway bordered by long stretches of hedge and coppice, with never a farm-gate or signpost to break its reticence or relieve its sameness. It was with a sense of pleasure that he came suddenly into the glow of lighted windows and drew rein hopefully outside the garden gate of a substantial-sized dwelling. A tall, red-haired girl stood in the doorway of the house, as though keeping watch along what could be seen of the dusky roadway. She returned Duncombe's greeting with a pleasant "Good evening."
What this Textopian page supports
The Optimist is listed on Textopian as a short story by Saki, dated 1913 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: 1913 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Drama, Psychological Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 2,226 words
- Structure: 1 section, 24 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Optimist by Saki
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Optimist?
- How does this short story by Saki fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The narrative explores complex themes of nostalgia, social change, and personal identity, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Social Commentary — The story critiques societal changes and the impact of the past on present identities, reflecting on class and social status.
- Drama — The emotional tension and character interactions create a dramatic atmosphere, focusing on personal struggles and familial relationships.
- Psychological Fiction — The internal conflicts and psychological depth of characters, particularly regarding their past and present, align with psychological fiction.
Tags
optimism · satire · humor · short story · irony · social commentary · British literature · character study · cynicism · life lessons · human nature · dialogue