CSP
The Luncheon is a short story written by W. Somerset Maugham. It is about an experience the narrator had with a woman who invited him to lunch. The story is based on real life. The narrator tells the story many years later, remembering how he was tricked. The woman pretended she ate little, but she ordered expensive and heavy food. The narrator, who was young and poor at that time, had to pay the bill. This made him struggle financially for the rest of the month.
Theme
One theme of the story is deception. The woman acts as if she eats little, but she orders costly food. Another theme is irony. The woman tells the narrator to eat less so he does not get fat, but she eats a lot. A third theme is appearance versus reality. She acts polite and kind, but she is selfish. Another theme is revenge. At the end, the narrator tells us that the woman is now fat, which makes him happy.
Tone
The tone of the story is humorous. The narrator tells the story in a funny way. He does not express anger, but he shares his experience in an amusing way. There is also irony in his words. At first, he is excited, but later, he realizes he was tricked. The ending adds more humor because he gets his revenge in an unexpected way.
Mood
At the beginning, the mood is happy. The narrator feels proud because a woman he admires invited him to lunch. As the story continues, the mood changes. He starts to feel nervous and worried when she orders expensive food. By the end, the mood is ironic because the woman gets what she deserves.
Setting or Background
The story takes place in a restaurant in Paris. It happens in the early twentieth century. The narrator is a young writer, and he does not have much money. The restaurant is fancy and expensive. The atmosphere is bright, elegant, and full of rich people. The setting plays an important role because the expensive food and the fancy place add to the narrator’s struggle.
Style and Structure
The story is written in first-person narration. The narrator tells his past experience. The structure is simple. It starts with the narrator remembering an invitation to lunch. Then, he describes what happened during the lunch. At the end, he reveals how time changed everything. The sentences are direct, and the language is clear. The humor and irony make the story entertaining.
Characters
- The Narrator – He is a young writer. He admires the woman at first, but later, he realizes she is selfish. He does not complain but feels regretful. He is polite and humble. He learns a lesson from this experience.
- The Woman – She invites the narrator to lunch. She pretends she eats little, but she orders expensive food. She is selfish and does not think about the narrator’s situation. She is talkative and gives advice that she does not follow. By the end, she becomes fat, which is ironic.
- The Waiter – He serves the food and follows the woman’s requests. He represents the restaurant staff who provide good service.
Detailed Summary
The narrator remembers an event that happened twenty years ago. At that time, he was a young writer living in Paris. A woman, whom he had met through letters, invited him to lunch at an expensive restaurant. He was flattered because he was young and admired her. He was also poor, so he planned carefully not to spend too much money.
When he arrived, the woman greeted him warmly. She was in her forties and not very attractive. She told him she never ate much and preferred light food. The narrator was relieved, thinking she would order something cheap. He decided to order only a simple dish to save money.
The woman looked at the menu and chose salmon. Then, she ordered caviar, which was expensive. The narrator was worried but remained polite. He could not stop her from ordering. She continued talking and eating, while he tried to hide his anxiety.
Then, she asked for champagne. The narrator knew he could not afford it, but he could not say no. He watched as she enjoyed the drink. He wanted to eat more, but he only had a small dish.
After that, she ordered asparagus, another costly item. The narrator was now panicking inside, but he still smiled. She spoke about health and how he should eat less. This made the situation even funnier because she was the one eating a lot.
She then asked for ice cream and coffee. The narrator felt completely helpless. He had no money left. When the bill arrived, he paid it with all the money he had. He had to survive the rest of the month without money.
Years later, the narrator met the woman again. She had become very fat. He felt that nature had punished her for her greed. He ended the story by saying he had his revenge after all.
Figures of Speech or Literary Devices
- Irony – The woman says she eats lightly, but she orders the most expensive food. She tells the narrator not to eat too much, but she eats more than him.
- Humor – The way the narrator describes his emotions is funny. He acts calm, but inside, he is panicking.
- Satire – The story makes fun of selfish and greedy people. The woman represents those who take advantage of others.
- Imagery – The food is described in detail, making the reader imagine the expensive dishes.
- Foreshadowing – The woman says she never eats much, but this hints that she will do the opposite.
Important Quotations
- “I never eat anything for luncheon.” – The woman says this at the beginning, but she orders a lot of food.
- “You see, you are in the habit of eating a heavy luncheon. I am sure it is unwise.” – She tells this to the narrator while eating expensive dishes herself.
- “Today she weighs twenty-one stone.” – The narrator ends the story by saying this, which is ironic because she once talked about eating less.
The Luncheon is a humorous story with deep meaning. It teaches a lesson about deception, irony, and human nature. The narrator is polite but suffers financially because of the woman’s greed. The story is funny and engaging. The ending adds humor because the narrator finally gets his revenge in an unexpected way. The simple language, clear structure, and strong characters make the story enjoyable to read.