How do irony and humor make "The Open Window" by Saki interesting?

It
can be argued that the only humor in "" is
ironic humor. If one were to analyze Framton Nuttel's escaping flight at the end
as humorous, it would be at the expense of (1) ignoring Vera's possibly unkind motives as an
enfant terrible (young person intentionally bent on harming weak adults)
and (2) ignoring Framton's emotional and mental exhaustion that causes him to need a "rest
cure" (does she drive him completely mad and does she hope to?). Since these analytical
oversights would be serious ones, critics generally agree that 's humor is ironic
humor that is meant to satirize groups of
individuals (i.e., weak, foolish, and nervous adults) and society as a whole, which is largely
made up of foolish, weak, nervous adults.

Ironic humor is found in both
Framton's and Vera's remarks. In addition, the narrator expresses some of Framton's ironic
thoughts as well. Humor is defined as the quality of being amusing
(it's a quality in something). Ironic humor in literature is
defined as expressing thoughts contradictory to what seems intended for the purpose of adding
humor (i.e., amusement).

An example of this contradictory spirit of
humor in is expressed in Vera's first remarks to Framton. Her aunt, Mrs. Sappleton,
is occupied when Framton comes to call, so Vera says he will have to "put up with"
her. "Put up with" is anmeaning to make do with something inferior. Vera, this
"self-possessed young lady," has not the slightest notion of herself as inferior in
any way, yet she says he will have to "put up with her." This is ironic humor: she
means the opposite of what she says and intends it to be amusing; she has no expectation that
Framton will find her inferior.

"My aunt will be down
presently, Mr. Nuttel," said a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen; "in the
meantime you must try and put up with me."

There are
many such examples, like Framton wondering if Mrs. Sappleton "came into the nice
division," meaning he wondered if she would be unpleasant to know, yet the most significant
is arguably the last ironically humorous statement Vera makes by way of explanation of Framton's
sudden escape. We know that he has been terrified by Vera's ghost/corpse story into flight from
the hunters' return, yet Vera ironically supposes he bolted because of the spaniel, which
reminds of some event Vera is in the process of inventing. Of course, the only one amused here
is Vera and the readers since she and we are the only ones who know she means something quite
different from what she says.

"I expect it was the
spaniel," said the niece calmly; "he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once
hunted into a cemetery somewhere ... by a pack of pariah dogs ...."

Irony and its humor of contradiction add
interest by developing themes, such as the
theme of whether Vera is a playful though unthinking innocent or a malicious and spiteful
enfant terrible (wicked young person), through the introduction of
contradiction and curiosity. It also adds interest by allowing readers to know
secrets that characters don't know, such as the secret truth behind Vera's
explanation about "pariah dogs." This secret knowledge creates
situational irony in which readers know more than all or some
characters. It also adds interest by making the content intellectually
challenging because readers must sort out the contradictory real truth from the
apparent truth and the real motive and intent from the seeming motive and
intent.