eng 2 proj _ the luncheon

8/3/2019 Eng 2 Proj _ the Luncheon

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The LuncheonBy William Somerset Maugham


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About the author

William Somerset Maugham,the famous Englishnovelist,was born in Paris in 1874. He waseducated at Heidelberg university. Then he wentto St Thomas hospital in London to studymedicine.

Among his famous novels are : Of humanbondage, cake and ale & the razors edge.

Besides he wrote many short stories in simplelucid style and colloquial language.Theyrepresent characters which speak for themselves.

They are full of wit irony and humour.


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Introduction of the Story

The story is about a lady who is an admirer of the

author's book .She wrote to him expressing her

desire to meet him over the luncheon at Foyot,one of the high class restaurants and the incidents

that follow are very humorous. The story is a

satire on gluttony and over-eating habits of

middle class. It exposes the pretentions of modesteating habits of the middle class in a humorous

manner .


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Summary of the story

The narrator meets an enormously fat

woman at the play house.He does not

really recognize her. The woman remindshim about the luncheon he gave at Foyots

some twenty years ago. The author

remembers it because it is unforgettableand every detail of the disastrous luncheon

flashes upon his mind.


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The author is living in Paris. One day he

receives a fan mail from a lady

complimenting him on the success of oneof his books. She wants to have a chat with

him and wants him to entertain her at

Foyots. For a struggling writer like thenarrator,Foyots is too expensive, but he is

determined not to disappoint his admirer.


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He knows that he has 80 Francs which

should last him for the rest of the month.

He calculates the luncheon would not costhim more than 15 Francs. If he cuts coffee,

he will be able to make up for the shortfall.

He think that he should not disappoint anadmirer who seeks the honour of dining

with an upcoming writer.


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The author entertains her at Foyots, Thewoman who is in her forties is extremely

talkative .The waiter brings the menu.Theauthors heart sinks to see that the pricesare much higher than he has thought.Thewoman says that she eats very little and

eats only one dish for lunch.The authororders salmon for the guest and leastexpensive mutton chop for himself.


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Since Salmon will take time for cooking,the waiter asked if she would like to have

something while it was being cooked. Thelady tells the waiter that although she eatsonly one thing for luncheon, she may makean exception to this rule if they have got

caviare. The author is horrified. Caviare isan expensive dish but he cannot but ordercaviare for his guest.


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The woman says that she does not

generally drink anything but if they have

got champagne, she is prepared to makeanother exception. Champagne is very

expensive and its addition is sure to upset

the authors calculations. But he has got toorder it for his guest.


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The author satisfies himself with just

mutton chop and water. The guest is

consuming salmon ,caviare and wine andyet she lectures him on the perils of heavy

foods like mutton chop. She asks him to

follow her example.


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The woman also says that she eats only one

thing for luncheon but she might consider

making an exception if they have got somegiant asparagus.The authors heart sinks

because he knows the price of the giant

delicacy.


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The author is now visualizing the scene of

humiliation that will follow shortly. The

bill is sure to exceed 80 Francs which hehad on hand. He will then pretend that his

pocket has been picked or he will leave his

watch and say that he will come back andpay later.


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When she finishes her giant asparagus, the author

asks her if she would like to have coffee. She

asks for ice cream and coffee. The waiter comesonce again with a basket full of beautiful

peaches. The lady at once takes one without

bothering about its cost in that season. She

remarks that the writer has filled his stomachwith a lot of meat and she just had a snack and

would enjoy peach.


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The bill came. When the writer paid it only3 Francs were left. He leaves them for the

waiter. The guest considered the authormean. This happened twenty years ago.The writer however finds at his secondmeeting that he had the revenge. She now

weighs 134 Kgs. The author sayshumorously that what has happened to heis Gods revenge on his behalf.


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The Luncheon is one of the finest

examples of a story in which irony

enlivens comic satire.


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Project submitted by-

Rajdeep Rao

std:9div:A

roll no :32

eng 2 proj _ the luncheon

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