The text under analysis belongs to the pen of William Somerset Maugham. the one of the best known English authors of the twentieth century. He was non merely a novelist. but besides one of the most successful playwright and short-story authors. He was born in Paris in 1874. His parents died when he was really immature. The male child was taken off from the Gallic school. and went for his lessons daily to the flat of the English reverend at the church. so he was sent to England to go to school. In 1890 he went abroad and studied at the University of Heidelberg from which he returned to England in 1892 and became a medical pupil at St. Thomas’s infirmary in London. After that Somerset decided to give his life to literature. “I didn’t privation to be a physician. I didn’t want to be anything but a writer” . The technique of the short narrative had ever interested Maugham. Somerset Maugham has written 24 dramas. 19 novels and a big figure of short narratives.
At the beginning of the text the storyteller. who is the author’s mouthpiece here recognizes a adult female with whom he had a lunch several old ages ago. Then he starts retrieving that unforgettable eventide: He was a immature adult male. populating in Paris and could hardly maintain organic structure and psyche together. She had read his book and wrote a missive to him. showing her want to hold with him a small tiffin at Foyot’s – a really expensive eating house. He couldn’t state no to a adult female and invited her for tiffin. He had merely 80 francs to last him the remainder of the month. To his horror she ordered one expensive dish after another. He paid the measure and was left with no money at all. However. at the terminal of the narrative. the storyteller feels that he has eventually had his retaliation when he sees that the lady has put on a batch of weight. Compositionally the narrative falls into 3 parts. The narrative begins with the expounding. which extends over the first several paragraphs. At the beginning of the text the storyteller sees a adult female at the theater in many old ages since they foremost met and can barely acknowledge her.
Then the writer presents a flashback to the yesteryear which goes to the last paragraph with a aid of the sentence “Did I remember? ” which allows us to cognize what had happened many old ages ago. Here we learn about the topographic point of action and its clip. The reader gets information about the events. predating the meeting of the chief characters and besides understands that the storyteller was a really hapless adult male. Then come complications. opened with the sentence: ” She was non so immature as I expected and in visual aspect enforcing instead than attractive. ” The action takes topographic point in the eating house. Here the reader learns more about the characters. The writer describes how this lady enjoys the repast. telling the most expensive dishes and he is inquiring about the measure. The measure was eventually paid and the storyteller found himself with non a penny left in his pocket for the whole month.
After it the writer comes back to the present clip and here comes the flood tide. Now. after 20 old ages had passed by. the storyteller has had his retaliation at last because “Today she weighs 21 stone” . This narrative is a first-person narration. The duologues are prevailing in the complications – the biggest portion of the text. The general ambiance of the text is emotional and ironical ( even the rubric “The Luncheon” is ironical. because the word “luncheon” means a “light snack” . but in fact it turned to be an abundant and really expensive repast ) . but besides strained ( “I watched the abandoned adult female thrust them down her pharynx in big juicy mouthfuls. and in my polite manner I discoursed on the status of the play in the Balkans. ” ; ” Panic seized me. It was non a inquiry now of how much money I should hold left over for the remainder of the month. but whether I had plenty to pay the measure. ” ) .
The tone of this narrative is ironical. The writer uses direct ( “But I was flattered. and I was excessively immature to hold learned to state no to a woman” ; “I watched the abandoned adult female thrust them down her throat…” ) and indirect methods of word picture. The characters are presented through their actions. descriptions of the outward visual aspect and things that surround the characters. The server might be called a minor character. To my head the adult female is smart. gluttonous. selfish. cold. indiscreet. She is a scoundrel who serves a foil to the supporter. By invariably reiterating her dry look ” I ne’er eat more than one thing ” she emphasized the struggle between what she says and what she does. The writer – the supporter. is a hapless. sort. honest and sincere adult male. The author’s manner is graphic. clear and emotional. The writer uses stylistic devices meagerly. In my sentiment there is an external struggle in this narrative.
The subject of this narrative is visual aspect against world. Everything in the narrative is non truly what it seems to be. The storyteller expected to hold a small tiffin with a beautiful lady. But it turned to be an expensive repast with an unattractive adult female. This adult female repeats “I ne’er eat anything for luncheon” . but eats everything she can. I think that the author’s message “the visual aspect is non yet the reality” is really of import and relevant today.
