Discuss the themes explored by Maugham in ‘The Luncheon’.

The primary theme of the short story ‘Luncheon’ by Somerset Maugham is appearance vs reality.

The speaker imagines his luncheon with a beautiful woman who is also graceful in her manners. But when he goes on his date, she appears to be exactly opposite to what he envisioned. Through her appearance as well as mannerisms she is a gluttonous and ravenous woman who is least bothered about the costs. She has a very good appetite and the bill soars up. The irony concealed in her dialogue ‘ she never ate anything for luncheon- just a bite’ makes it a comic story in the true sense.

A simple luncheon exposes the absurd demands of society and allows Maugham to chastise society through his choice of narrator, characterization and setting.

Vivid imagery and symbols help reveal the protagonist’s feelings as well as his acquaintance’s personality. The ‘luncheon’ is symbolic of the concept of the survival of the fittest. The author/ protagonist is a kind host but the woman acquaintance is manipulating and insincere. The colour white in the image of her white large teeth and French white wines suggests her cold personality. The symbolic number ‘are’ in her ironic statement suggests boldness, consciousness, and self-centeredness.

Again, when the author sees the waiter as having a ‘priest like face’, he is expressing his anger about his financial means. The waiter is performing rituals and only expecting a fine tip.

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