What is the plot of the story the luncheon?
The Story ‘The Luncheon’ relates about a lady who admires the author. Having won the author’s favour, she expresses her wish to meet him at an expensive restaurant. Maugham exposes the false motives of the middle class eating habits with a touch of humour.
What is the main theme of the luncheon?
The primary theme of the short story ‘Luncheon’ by Somerset Maugham is appearance vs. reality. The speaker, in ‘Luncheon’, wishes from the beginning that his date would be a beautiful woman. He imagines a portrayal of a graceful lady in his mind.
Is the luncheon a true story?
In his story “The Luncheon” Maugham focuses on depicting a single character, as he does so often in his short stories. No doubt Maugham is writing about a real-life incident that occurred many years earlier when he was a struggling writer.
Who wrote Luncheon?
William Somerset Maugham
The Luncheon/Authors
Why did he choose the lady for luncheon?
Why did he decide to invite the lady for luncheon? He was flattered and he was far too young to have learned to say ‘No’ to a woman. He had 80 francs with him and a modest lunch would not cost him more than fifteen francs. If he cut out the coffee for two more weeks, he could manage well.
Where does the narrator take for lunch in the luncheon?
Answer: The story narrates how the narrator’s lady friend tactfully managed to have lunch from him in a highly expensive restaurant Foyot. With all his monetary constraints, the narrator decided to visit the restaurant where senators usually go, only to come across some embarrassing situations.
What is the irony in the story the luncheon?
The story has instances of verbal irony also. The lady’s remark that she never eats anything for luncheon is ironical as she eventually orders for so many costly items. Another instance of verbal irony in the story is when the author tells the lady that his doctors have absolutely forbidden him to drink champagne.
Who said I never eat anything for luncheon?
Somerset Maugham may have meant the title of his story to be ironic when he called it “The Luncheon,” and it turned out to be something of an eating binge.
Why did the lady call the narrator a humorist?
The woman behaves strangely at the end of the story, calling the narrator ‘ a humorist’ before sitting in the cab. The woman herself is the main joker of the story who tries to act as a well mannered lady but ends up showing her low class. Thus she is the main humorist instead of narrator.
What did the lady say about her eating routine for luncheon?
The lady’s remark that she never eats anything for luncheon is ironical as she eventually orders for so many costly items.
Why did the narrator give 3 francs as tip the luncheon?
The narrator have 80 francs only from which 77 francs were spent on lunch. He was then left with 3 francs which he gave to the waiter as tip. Thus, he did not give an adequate tip to the waiter.
What is the irony in the statement but I never eat more than one thing for luncheon?
Explanation: This is dramatic irony. It is based on the strong contrast between what the woman keeps saying and what she actually does. Somerset Maugham may have meant the title of his story to be ironic when he called it “The Luncheon,” and it turned out to be something of an eating binge.