W. Somerset Maugham’s The Luncheon is a short story rich in wit, irony, and subtle social commentary, providing readers with a humorous yet insightful examination of human behavior. Maugham, known for his sharp observations of society, deftly captures the idiosyncrasies of social relationships, the dynamics of manipulation, and the hypocrisy that often pervades human interactions. In this story, Maugham paints a vivid picture of a luncheon that turns into an unforgettable episode in the life of a young, naive writer—an event that is both financially draining and emotionally taxing for him. Through deft character portrayal, themes of irony, vanity, and manipulation, The Luncheon becomes a powerful critique of pretense and entitlement.
Summary and Analysis
At the core of The Luncheon is a simple yet profoundly amusing narrative. The story begins with the narrator recalling a lunch he had some years ago with a woman who had written to him expressing admiration for his work. She wanted to meet him and suggested that they have lunch together at Foyot’s, an expensive Parisian restaurant. The narrator, a struggling writer at the time, was flattered by the attention and agreed to the proposal, despite his limited means.
The woman, who remains unnamed throughout the story, assures him that she never eats more than one thing for lunch—”a little fish, perhaps”—implying that the meal will be inexpensive. However, once they meet at the restaurant, it quickly becomes apparent that her assurances were misleading. Over the course of the luncheon, the woman proceeds to order an array of dishes, starting with the most expensive items on the menu, all while professing her modest appetite. The narrator, trapped in a situation where he cannot politely refuse her requests, watches helplessly as his small budget is annihilated by the extravagant lunch.
Despite the woman’s reassurances that she does not eat much, her orders become increasingly indulgent—salmon, caviar, and champagne—far surpassing the narrator’s expectations and financial limitations. His internal monologue, filled with anxiety about the mounting cost of the lunch, is laced with irony as he struggles to maintain his composure. The climax of the story arrives when, after a lavish meal, the woman concludes with a request for the most expensive dessert on the menu—an ice cream parfait. By this point, the narrator’s financial ruin is all but assured.
What adds to the humor and irony of the situation is the woman’s obliviousness to the narrator’s discomfort. She continues to lecture him on the importance of not indulging too much in food, maintaining the facade of her self-imposed moderation while displaying an insatiable appetite in practice. The narrator is left in a predicament where social norms and politeness prevent him from voicing his objections. He is forced to watch as the woman, under the guise of refined restraint, systematically destroys his savings.
The story ends with a delightful twist. Years later, the narrator runs into the same woman. The tables have turned; she is now much older and considerably heavier, and it is with some satisfaction that the narrator reveals, in an understated manner, that while she has indeed gained weight over the years, he himself is finally in a financial position to afford such luxuries. This final revelation serves as the story’s punchline, adding a layer of irony that underscores the narrator’s retrospective satisfaction and sense of poetic justice.
Character Analysis
The brilliance of The Luncheon lies in Maugham’s ability to create complex characters with minimal exposition. The two central figures—the narrator and the woman—are contrasting yet intertwined in a dynamic of manipulation, flattery, and social pretense.
The Narrator: The narrator, a struggling writer at the beginning of his career, represents the idealistic, naive individual who is eager to please. His willingness to accept the woman’s lunch invitation, despite his financial constraints, reflects his youthful desire to be polite and agreeable. Throughout the luncheon, his thoughts reveal his internal conflict: he is well aware of the absurdity of the situation but feels powerless to extricate himself from it. He is trapped by social conventions that demand politeness, even at his own expense. His experience at the luncheon is both a personal and a financial defeat, yet it becomes a valuable lesson in the ways of the world. In the final moments of the story, the narrator’s subtle triumph comes through in his recognition that the woman’s gluttony has caught up with her, while he has outgrown his early financial struggles.
The Woman: The unnamed woman is a masterful creation, embodying vanity, hypocrisy, and entitlement. She appears to be cultured and sophisticated, yet her behavior betrays a deep-seated greed and disregard for others. Her repeated assertions that she “never eats much” contrast sharply with her extravagant orders, highlighting her self-delusion and lack of self-awareness. She manipulates the narrator by playing on his politeness and fear of offending her, using her charm and social position to indulge herself at his expense. She is, in many ways, a symbol of the manipulative and self-serving individuals who take advantage of others’ goodwill under the guise of friendship or admiration. Her obliviousness to the narrator’s financial situation and her hypocritical comments about the dangers of indulgence make her a figure of mockery, and yet she remains unaware of how ridiculous she appears.
Themes
Maugham’s The Luncheon touches on several key themes that resonate with readers on multiple levels. These themes include social pretense, irony, manipulation, and the clash between appearance and reality.
1. Social Pretense and Hypocrisy: At the heart of the story is the theme of social pretense. The woman presents herself as a person of refined tastes, modest habits, and sophisticated conversation, yet her actions reveal the opposite. She embodies the kind of hypocrisy that Maugham frequently critiques in his work—people who say one thing but do another. Her repeated assertions about her small appetite, juxtaposed with her lavish meal, underscore the disconnect between how people present themselves and who they truly are. The story is a satire of those who put on airs of refinement while acting in self-serving and indulgent ways.
2. Irony: Irony permeates The Luncheon, from the very premise of the story to its resolution. The woman’s claim that she never eats more than one thing is undercut by her extravagant orders, creating situational irony as the narrator is forced to bear the brunt of her indulgence. Dramatic irony also plays a significant role: while the narrator and the reader are acutely aware of the rising cost of the meal, the woman seems entirely oblivious to the financial strain she is causing. The story’s conclusion—where the narrator meets the woman years later and notes that she has become overweight—adds a final touch of irony. She, who once lectured him on the dangers of overindulgence, has become the very embodiment of what she warned against.
3. Manipulation and Power Dynamics: The luncheon becomes a subtle battleground of power dynamics. The woman manipulates the narrator’s politeness and social anxieties, leveraging his fear of appearing rude to get what she wants. The narrator, trapped by his own sense of propriety, is powerless to stop her. Maugham deftly portrays how individuals in social situations can wield power over one another, using charm, flattery, or social norms to exploit others. The woman’s manipulation is a form of social power, a way of exerting control over the narrator without ever appearing overtly demanding.
4. Appearance vs. Reality: Another significant theme in the story is the contrast between appearance and reality. The woman’s outward appearance as a modest, sophisticated individual is at odds with her true nature, which is far more gluttonous and self-serving. The narrator’s internal struggle is similarly hidden beneath his outward composure. This tension between how things appear and how they truly are is central to Maugham’s critique of social norms and conventions. People often present themselves in ways that mask their true intentions or desires, and The Luncheon exposes the gap between these two realities.
5. Class and Money: Underlying the humor of the story is a subtle commentary on class and money. The narrator, a struggling writer, is acutely aware of his financial limitations, while the woman seems oblivious to them. Her casual attitude toward the cost of the meal reflects a certain level of privilege—she does not need to worry about money, and therefore does not consider how her actions might affect someone of lesser means. The story highlights the imbalance in their social standing: the woman’s affluence allows her to behave thoughtlessly, while the narrator is left to deal with the consequences. Maugham uses this imbalance to critique the disparities between the wealthy and the less fortunate, as well as the way wealth can insulate people from the realities of others’ struggles.
Conclusion: A Timeless Satire on Human Vanity
The Luncheon is a masterfully crafted story that blends humor, irony, and social critique in a way that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Through the narrator’s experience, Maugham explores the complexities of human relationships, the power dynamics that exist in social situations, and the ways in which individuals can manipulate others for their own benefit. The story’s humor lies in its relatability—almost everyone has, at some point, been in a situation where social norms demand politeness at their own expense.
The story’s satire is timeless. Even in modern contexts, we encounter individuals like the woman in The Luncheon—those who pretend to be something they are not, who manipulate others with charm and social niceties, and who fail to see their own hypocrisy. Maugham’s keen observations of human behavior make this story as relevant today as it was when it was first written, offering readers both a humorous anecdote and a deeper reflection on the absurdities of social life.
Ultimately, The Luncheon is a brilliant exploration of vanity, pretense, and the subtle ways in which people use social interactions to their advantage. It is a testament to Maugham’s skill as a storyteller that such a simple narrative can provide so much insight into the human condition, leaving readers both amused and reflective long after the story ends.
