Wild Reclamation: Nature’s Fatal Revolution in Atwood and Saki

Saki’s “Sredni Vashtar” and Margaret Atwood’s “Death by Landscape” are two drastically different stories in most regards save for the presentation and symbolism of nature. Exploring the ecological elements in these short stories, it is apparent that nature represents a kind of freedom and resistance, which conveys a broader battle between the natural world and human interference. Not only does this relate to interpersonal struggles between the main characters, but Saki and Atwood’s presentation of this power struggle between humanity and the natural world portrays colonialism in the dynamic of dominance and rebellion, further revealing humanity’s fragile status in a greater ecological strata.

The two stories revolve around young protagonists who interact with the natural world by taking part in traditionally pagan rituals or practices. Lucy, the main character of “Death by Landscape” meets an untimely end in a mysterious and unexplained way while immersed in the Canadian wilderness. Conradin, Saki’s protagonist, enacts worship events that are a bastardization of cultures, specifically Hinduism, which is a religion widely practiced in South Asia, a space of colonial domination. The campers of “Death by Landscape” frequently use speech and behavior which they believe accurate to indigenous Canadians during their outdoor activities. Both of these communities were conquered by Western nations, as India was a primary British colony with a majority Hindu population and Canada was one of the main locales of  Indigenous assimilation (Association for Asian Studies; First Nations Studies Program). These local belief structures are centered around polytheism, with “deities expressing themselves through natural phenomena,” whether that be the weather, the trees and plants, or the animals around them (Pattni).

In “Sredni Vashtar,” the presentation of nature comes in the form of a pole-cat ferret, a kind of pet that belongs to Conradin, a young boy who is fatally ill and a ward of his oppressive cousin, Mrs. De Ropp. Youth is typically modern humanity reduced down to its most primal, but Conradin, a sick child with an overbearing caretaker, is unable to explore this side of himself. His connection to the natural world is habitually cut off by Mrs. De Ropp, first when she gets rid of his pet hen, and then when she attempts to do the same with the ferret, whom he names “Sredni Vashtar.” The term “pet” can only be used in its loosest form, in that Conradin keeps the ferret in an enclosure and cares for it. However, he is far from the creature’s “owner.” Conradin, in essence a prisoner in his own home, reveres the animal as a kind of god and habitually prays to it.  Although the ferret is imprisoned as well, Conradin fears the violence it could cause. While he is unable to possess such ferocity himself, he can live vicariously through Sredni Vashtar. When Conradin’s hen is taken away, an act of pure spite by the older woman, he prays to the ferret not with “praises” but to “ask a favour” (Saki 2). The favor is not expressly stated to the reader, but one can infer it from Conradin’s satisfaction after Sredni Vashtar murders Mrs. De Ropp. Most simply, this death is a triumph of nature over humanity, further evidenced by the image of the ferret covered in the woman’s blood as it slinks out of the shed. The story is an allegorical depiction of the natural world and its repression at the hands of human propriety and civilization.  Mrs. De Ropp plays an antagonistic role in Conradin’s religion. She is described as a weekly church-goer, and therefore “made Conradin go with her, but the church service meant nothing to him” (Saki 1). His own religion, that which is fueled by Sredni Vashtar, is his true belief system, and he only participates in Christian worship to appease Mrs. De Ropp. This is not unlike many colonized individuals who were also forced to participate in a colonizer’s foreign religion. Most British colonies were originally polytheistic, with deities that bridged the gap between humanity and the natural world. By enforcing Christianity, a religion centered around a mortal-centric universe, the significance of nature became a thing of the past. It is important to note, however, that Conradin’s methods of worship are not those of a typical British society, but rather amalgamate the religious practices of various polytheistic belief systems. The ferret’s hutch acts as a kind of shrine, where Conradin leaves “red flowers” and “scarlet berries,” scattering nutmeg that was “stolen from the kitchen” during his festivals (Saki 1). He is only allowed to enact his “great festivals” when Mrs. De Ropp is indisposed and unable to police his behavior (Saki 1). To Conradin, the ferret-god’s name evokes references to Hinduism, even just by sound alone, yet when analyzing the etymology, it becomes clear that the ferret’s name is a very loose reference concocted by a sheltered child. “Sredni” could be derived from the more feral nature of the ferret, as they have sharp claws and teeth known for shredding. “Vashtar” has a similar sound to the names of Hindu deities, which lends the creature an otherworldly and powerful presence. Hindu deities are often “shown as part-animal” or known to have animal mounts (vahana), creating a further connection between existing Indian gods and that of Conradin’s invention (Maharshi). In spite of this, any resemblance dies there, as Sredni Vashtar’s characteristics are not at all in line with Hindu principles of non-violence (ahimsa) (BAPS). The incorrect interpretation of Hindu practices serves as a reference to Orientalism and colonization in Britain’s legacy.

Atwood is not as heavy handed in her religious allegory as Saki, but her cultural references are far more specific. Following the friendship of two young girls over the course of multiple summers, the short story “Death by Landscape” is set in the Canadian wilderness, specifically Camp Manitou. The girls’ friendship is given an abrupt ending when Lucy disappears during a canoe trip. She was never located, and is presumed dead, but Lois is forever left to mourn her lost friend and the life she could’ve lived. There is no overt violence in this story, but the “death” of Lucy is traumatizing nevertheless, as she is simply gone, with no explanation or clues. Prior to her disappearance, Lucy and Lois had been exploring the woods together, hiking up explicitly-described rocks and pathways, before stopping at a cliff. Lucy made a comment about jumping off, but Lois wouldn’t even entertain the idea, instead leaving the other girl alone to go to the bathroom. This was the last sighting of Lucy (Atwood 112).

The title of the story itself implicates the Canadian wilderness as the main suspect in Lucy’s vanishing, with “Death by Landscape” expressly stating what is responsible. An important motivator behind her victimization could be the canoe trip, specifically the many insensitive indigenous references included in the practice. Cappie, the camp’s director, opened the canoe trip in a kind of characterization of what she believed an Indian to be. Wearing a red blanket and feathers, she used phrases such as “YOU go on big water,” and “You bring back much wampam…and capture many scalps.” (Atwood 4). Canoes were “the primary means of transportation” for the indigenous tribes of Canada, making the canoe trip, where they “go on big water”, a part of the camp’s tendency towards native idealization (HBC). Even Lois recognizes the inaccuracies in Cappie’s native portrayal. She describes her as “never one to be much concerned with consistency, or with archaeology,” showing that her interest in indigenous life is not a genuine one, but rather a romanticization of her own idea of what indigenous life is (Atwood 108). While it is true that Lucy is not the main offender in this bastardization, it could be that she was just the first to be left alone, and therefore, the easiest to take. It could also be argued that her being “chosen” had something to do with her unhappiness, how she was the only known person on the trip to not want to return to her normal life. “Death by Landscape” is meant to take place in Ontario, as exhibited by Lois’ apartment having a view of Lake Ontario (Atwood 116). In the spiritual beliefs of the Northern Eastern Ontario First Nations, humans are interconnected to the earth in such a way that if that earth is wounded, the people are as well, and vice versa (OCIP) . There is a bond with nature, and it is believed that one should give back to the people and places around them, rather than taking what they believe to be theirs (OCIP). With Camp Manitou not only taking land in the Canadian wilderness, but also bastardizing indigenous words, practices, and tools, it comes across as a kind of mockery of indigeneity. And while Atwood does mention how the camp members were not “making fun,” and that this portrayal was simply “all their ideas – of how Indians talked,” their willful ignorance is just as insulting (Atwood 107). Lucy’s disappearance, while an attack on humanity, is also an attack on the camp as a whole. With the backlash that comes from losing a camper, Cappie is forced to close down Camp Manitou. So, while there is no express violence against humans within Atwood’s story, the revenge taken by the surrounding landscape is no less impactful.

The two stories may differ drastically in tone and setting, but their plots are startlingly similar. In both cases, there is an unhappy child who is isolated in some way, immersing themselves in nature and/or nature-focused practices, with the story ending in the death of a human at the hands of those same natural elements. When both Atwood and Saki’s characters indulge in these practices, they mimic existing polytheistic cultures, leading to a Western bastardization of pagan religions that revere nature in place of the Judaic-Christian God. Conradin is more religion-focused, whereas the campers’ routines during the summer echo that of Indigenous Canadians. There is also a comparison to be seen between allusion and statement: Saki gives Conradin a religion that closely resembles Hinduism, as well as other polytheistic denominations, but never specifies which exactly. Atwood very clearly expresses that the camp director is obsessive with her perceived ideas of Canadian indigeneity, and the stereotypes shown reflect that. These cultures/religions are included in both cases as they are historically very interwoven with the natural world. By including them, both authors evoke times before colonization where people were far more appreciative of the nature around them, working in tandem with the world, rather than against it. With modernity, came humanity’s need to grow beyond the natural world, making land a commodity, and simply taking without giving anything in return. A dynamic that is also mirrored between characters, specifically by the children who are oppressed by their adult guardians (Conradin and Lucy). By ending both stories with a human death, Atwood and Saki depict the conflict between the environment and mankind, emphasizing resistance, dominance, and humanity’s fragile status in the ecological echelon.

Works Cited

Atwood, Margaret. “Death by Landscape.” Wilderness Tips, edited by Nan A. Talese, Doubleday, 1989, pp. 97-118.

Saki, “Sredni Vashtar.” The Chronicles of Clovis, edited by John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1911, pp. 93-102.

“The British Impact on India”, 1700-1900. Association for Asian Studies, 2008, https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/the-british-impact-on-india-1700-1900/

“Spirituality.” Ontario Coalition of Indigenous Peoples, https://o-cip.org/?page_id=292

“The Canoe.” Hudson Bay Company, 2016, https://www.hbcheritage.ca/things/technology/the-canoe

“Compassion and Nonviolence: Ahimsa.” BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, 1999-2024, https://www.baps.org/Spiritual-Living/Hindu-Beliefs/Compassion-and-Nonviolence-Ahimsa.aspx

“The Animal Kingdom and Hindu Deity Forms.” Ramana Maharshi, 2024, https://www.ramana-maharshi.org/the-animal-kingdom-and-hindu-deity-forms/

“The Indian Act.” First Nations Studies Program, 2009, https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/the_indian_act/

Pattni, Ramesh. “Hinduism, Plants and Environment,” Botanic Gardens Conservation International, https://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Education/Seeds_of_Unity/Presentations/hinduism_plants_and_environment.pdf

Isabella Gutierrez Livoti is an aspiring artist and author, currently finishing her BA in Studio Arts. Her mediums include ceramics, graphite, and fiber arts, among others. She currently resides in Worcester, MA.