The+Interlopers

Literary Devises
Point of View: Third person, potentially omniscient because he can read the protagonist's thoughts Protagonist: Ulrich von Gradwitz What type of character is the Protagonist? round and dynamic Antagonist: Nature (the tree that falls) Describe the setting: Tense, suspenseful. It took place a few centuries ago in a forest during winter. Type of Conflict: man vs. environment Describe the main conflict: The tree falling on the two men and their struggle to escape Describe the Climax of the Story: The climax is when the two men see the wolves coming towards them. How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? He starts out hating Georg Znaeym, and wanting to kill him, but by the end of the story they are friends Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. An interloper is someone who interferes with someone else's affairs, and the theme of the story is Georg trespassing on Ulrich's land. How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? The main conflict, which is the tree falling on the two men, is a result of the theme, Georg trespassing on Ulrich's land. How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes): Describk e the relationships between the class theme and the story. This story has a powerful ending, which is surprising and sad, and also is a demonstration of nature's power, in the form of a branch nearly killing two men.
 * Simile: "we have quarreled like devils"
 * Metaphor: "bury the old quarrel"
 * Personification: the wind was "whistling around the tree trunks"
 * Symbol: the falling tree is a symbol of Nature's violence
 * Foreshadowing (give both elements): Ulrich states that they "each prayed that misfortune might fall on the other", and later in the story, misfortune falls on both of them in the form of a tree branch.
 * Irony: Ulrich and Georg are about to try to kill each other, when at that exact moment a branch falls and pins them both down so that they cannot.
 * Imagery: "a tight tangle of forked branches"

Other Questions
1. What is Ulrich hunting for? Ulrich is hunting for Georg Znaeym. 2. How did Ulrich come to own the property in question? Ulrich came to own the property because his grandfather won the land from Georg Znaeym's family in a lawsuit. 3. Why do Ulrich and Georg hate each other? How did it all start? Ulrich and Georg hate each other because in the time of Ulrich's grandfather the two families had a feud and Ulrich and Georg inherited it. 4. Identify the foreshadowing in the second paragraph. Ulrich states that they "each prayed that misfortune might fall on the other", and later in the story, misfortune falls on both of them in the form of a tree branch. 5. Why did they not try to shoot each other the moment they saw each other? They did not try to shoot each other the moment they saw each other because, as Ulrich states, "a man who has been brought up under the code of a restraining civilization cannot easily nerve himself to shoot down his neighbor in cold blood and without word spoken", so they hesitated momentarily. The tree branch fell on them before they had a chance to shoot after that. 6. What saves Ulrich’s feet from being crushed? Ulrich's feet are saved from being crushed by his heavy shooting-boots. 7. What lies do they tell each other after realizing they are both trapped under the tree? They tell each other that their men will come first, and that when they come that their men would kill them, which is unlikely. 8. Why does Ulrich change his mind about killing Georg? Ulrich changes his mind because he realizes that "there are better things in life than getting the better of a boundary dispute." 9. What significance is there in the title of this story? What are some possible meanings of the title? The title could mean many different things - it could refer to Ulrich and Georg as two interlopers, or potentially the environment and the tree that falls on them as the interlopers, or even the wolves as interlopes to their plans of friendship. 10. In the end of the story why do each of the men hope that their men will come first to rescue him? Both of the men hope that their men will come first to rescue them so that he "might be the first to show honorable attention to the enemy that had become a friend." 11. Describe the irony in this story. It is ironic that just as Ulrich and Georg end their conflict, and say that there are no interlopers to interfere with their friendship, wolves come (interlopers!) and presumably kill them before they can tell anyone else, and the feud continues. 12. What metaphor can you find in relation to the tree pinning down the two characters? The tree interrupts Ulrich and Georg's confrontation, so it is an interloper - this might be the interloper the title is referring to. 13. Is the ending of this story effective? Why or why not? Yes, the ending of this story is effective. It is effective because it leaves the reader to think about what might happen after the ending. Also, there was a surprise when the wolves appeared, which was not predictable at all.

Completion: 5/5 Effort: 3.5/5 Content: 4/5

total: 12.5/15

Questions Completion Mark 4/5

total: 16/20