The Luncheon
Short Story
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W. Somerset Maugham
The Luncheon Main Text
The LuncheonWilliam Somerset MaughamI caught sight of her at the play and in answer to her beckoning I went over during the interval and sat down beside her. It was long since I had last seen her and if someone had not mentioned her name I do not think I would have recognized her. She addressed me brightly."Well, it's many years since we first met. How time flies! We are not getting any younger. D...
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The Luncheon Characters
Major CharactersThe Narrator (The Young Writer) ✪✪✪: He is the central male character of the story. In his youth, he lived in Paris in poverty and had just begun his writing career. He is polite, shy, gentle, and never wants to embarrass anyone. The woman guest takes advantage of this politeness and simplicity. Throughout the story, we see that he tries to please his guest even though he him...
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The Luncheon Key Facts
Key FactsFull Title: The LuncheonAuthor: William Somerset Maugham (1874–1965)Language: EnglishWritten Date: Around 1924First Published: 1924 (in a magazine), later included in the collection “Here and There”Genre: Realistic Short StoryForm: Short Fiction (humorous, ironic, character-centered narrative)Type of Work: A humorous and ironic social story about vanity, class behaviour, and economic pres...
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The Luncheon Literary Device
Figures of SpeechImageryDefinition: Imagery uses descriptive words that appeal to the senses and create clear pictures in the reader’s mind.Example: “He assured me that they had some so large, so splendid, so tender, that it was a marvel.”Explanation: The waiter’s description of the giant asparagus creates a vivid picture of their size, beauty, and quality. It helps the reader clearly imagine the...
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The Luncheon Quotations
“I never eat anything for luncheon.” (The Woman)Explanation: The woman claims she eats nothing for lunch, but throughout the meal, she keeps ordering the most expensive dishes. This line immediately shows her hypocrisy and begins the comic tension of the story.“I never eat more than one thing.” (The Woman)Explanation: The woman repeatedly says this to appear simple and modest. But soon she orders...
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The Luncheon Summary
Meeting the Woman at the Play After Many Years: One day, the narrator went to watch a play. During the interval, he suddenly saw the same woman in the crowd. She signaled to him, and he politely went and sat beside her. They were meeting after many years. At first, he could not recognize her. The woman happily started the conversation. She reminded him of the old days. She said, “You asked me to l...
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The Luncheon Themes
Hypocrisy and Social Pretence: The main theme of the story is hypocrisy. The woman repeatedly claims that she “never eat anything for luncheon” and that she “just eat one thing.” But she keeps ordering one expensive dish after another; caviar, salmon, asparagus, ice-cream, and even an out-of-season peach. Her words and actions do not match. Her behavior shows how wealthy, luxury-loving people ofte...
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Notes
Explore 3 detailed notes related to The Luncheon. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.