The Open Window Summary Class 8 English

Summary of The Open Window

In this article, you will be reading The Open Window summary. This story is written by Hector Hug Munro. The story is about Frampton Nuttel who is suffering from nervousness. He goes to the countryside for his treatment. As he did not know anybody there, his sister gave him letters of introduction. He goes to visit Mrs. Sappleton where he meets Vera.

Vera tells him about a tragic incident in which Mrs. Sappleton lost her husband and her two brothers. She also tells him that her aunt still hopes that they will come back and therefore keeps the window open. Mrs. Sappleton also told him that she is waiting for them to return. Suddenly, he saw the three figures coming through the window. He thinks that they are ghosts and rushes out of there. Vera tells everyone that he went away as he was very scared of dogs.

The Open Window Summary in English

In the story, Frampton Nuttel who is suffering from nervousness goes to a calm and quiet place for his treatment. He calls on a family friend there. He meets a fifteen years old girl, Vera. She is a very calm and confident girl. She tells Frampton that her aunt, Mrs. Sappleton will soon come downstairs. He had with him the letters of introduction given to him by his sister. His sister told him that in the countryside, he will meet only a few people. If he feels unhappy there his condition may deteriorate.

Vera asked him whether he knows many people there. He replied to her that he did not know anybody here. His sister who visited the place four years back gave him letters of introduction to some of the people. He said that he only knew her aunt’s name and address.

Vera told him that about three years ago, her aunt’s husband and two brothers have gone out for shooting. She pointed to a large window that opened in the lawn. She told him that they had all gone out from that window and never returned. The wet spongy ground swallowed them and also their bodies were never recovered.

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She further said that Mrs. Sappleton always keeps this window open until it is dark in the hope that they would come back someday. Sometimes, Vera also feels that someday they will come through that window along with their dog as they did before.

In the meantime, Mrs. Sappleton came and apologized for being late. She said that her husband and brothers had gone for shooting birds. She told Nuttel that she has kept the window open for them to enter into the house so that they do not spoil the carpet with their muddy shoes.

Nuttel tried to change the topic but she continued talking about shooting and shortage of birds. He realized that her eyes were directed to the window and lawn and was paying only a little attention to him. Suddenly she looked towards the window and cried that they were on time for tea. Frampton shivered with fear and turned towards Vera to express sympathy. But she was looking through the window with horror in her eyes.

He swung in his chair and looked towards the window. He saw three figures carrying guns walking across the lawn towards the window. A brown colored dog was with them. Nuttel hastily came out from there. The man came in through the window and asked Mrs. Sappleton who rushed out of the house. She said that he was Nuttel who talked only about his illness. He ran as if he saw some ghosts.

However, Vera said that he was afraid of dogs as once a group of dogs chased him into a graveyard. He spent a night in a newly dug grave and the dogs growling all around him.