THE LUNCHEON SHORT STORY
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADE 12
THE LUNCHEON BY W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM
Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
Extract A
[The narrator and his guest are about to order their meals.]
I was startled when the bill of fare was brought, for the prices were beyond my means. But she reassured me.
“I never eat anything for luncheon,” she said. “Oh, don’t say that!” I answered generously.
“I never eat more than one thing. I think people eat far too much nowadays. A little fish, perhaps. I wonder if they have any salmon.”
Well, it was early in the year for salmon and it was not on the bill of fare, but I asked the waiter if there was any. Yes, a beautiful salmon had just come in, it was the first they had had. I ordered it for my guest. The waiter asked her if she would have something while it was being cooked.
“No,” she answered, “I never eat more than one thing. Unless you have a little caviare. I never mind caviare.”
My heart sank a little. I knew I could not afford caviare, but I could not very well tell her that. I told the waiter by all means to bring caviare. For myself I chose the cheapest dish on the menu and that was a mutton chop. |
- Describe the events that lead to the narrator and his guest having lunch (2)
- Refer to lines 1-2 (“I was startled … I had ”).
- Explain what the word “startled” suggests about the kind of restaurants the narrator usually (2)
- Write down the more commonly used word for “bill of fare”. (1)
- Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence:
The real reason that the narrator agrees to take the guest out for lunch is because he is … - flattered.
- forced.
- intimidated.
- kind. (1)
- Refer to the following sentence in line 2: “But she reassured me.”
From your knowledge of the story as a whole, explain why the guest is NOT reassuring. (2) - Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below.
| sensitive; polite; sincere; manipulative |
The narrator and his guest are different in character. The narrator is a) … while his guest is b) … (2) - Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Using your own words, give a reason for your answer.
The narrator does not order asparagus for himself because he hates it. (2) - Refer to line 13 (“My heart sank a ”).
- Identify the figure of speech used (1)
- Explain why the narrator has used this figure of (2)
- Consider the story as a whole.
If you were the narrator, what would you have done in this situation? (2) [17]
Answers - The guest said that she had read his book and wanted to discuss it. ✓ She suggested he take her to lunch at Foyot’s. ✓ (2)
- a) The narrator never visits any restaurant because he cannot afford to. ✓✓
OR
The narrator goes to cheaper restaurants because that is what he can afford. ✓✓
OR
The narrator hardly ever goes to such expensive restaurants because he cannot afford them. ✓✓ (2)
b). Menu/price list ✓ (1)
c) . A /flattered ✓ (1) - She keeps ordering more expensive dishes causing the narrator to become more anxious. ✓✓ (2)
-
- polite ✓
- manipulative ✓ (2)
- False. (He loves it but) he cannot afford it. ✓/He will need his money to pay for her meal. ✓ (2)
-
- metaphor ✓ (1)
- The writer shows that the fear/panic the narrator experiences is similar to a sinking man/ship. ✓✓ (2)
- I would politely tell her that I do not have enough money and that she can only order certain dishes. ✓✓ (2) [17]
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Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
Extract B
[The narrator and his guest are finishing their meal.]
“You see, you’ve filled your stomach with a lot of meat” – my one miserable little chop – “and you can’t eat any more. But I’ve just had a snack and I shall enjoy a peach.”
The bill came and when I paid it I found that I had only enough for a quite inadequate tip. Her eyes rested for an instant on the three francs I left for the waiter and I knew that she thought me mean.
But when I walked out of the restaurant I had the whole month before me and not a penny in my pocket.
“Follow my example,” she said as we shook hands, “and never eat more than one thing for luncheon.”
“I’ll do better than that,” I retorted. “I’ll eat nothing for dinner tonight.”
“Humorist!” she cried gaily, jumping into a cab. “You’re quite a humorist!”
But I have had my revenge at last. I do not believe that I am a vindictive man, but when the immortal gods take a hand in the matter it is pardonable to observe the result with complacency.
Today she weighs twenty-one stone. |
- Refer to paragraph 1
Quote ONE word to show that the narrator has not enjoyed his meal. (1) - Consider the story as a whole.
Is the guest telling the truth when she says, “But I’ve just had a snack…”? Explain your answer. (2) - Refer to paragraph
Why does the narrator become even more anxious when his guest takes a peach, in particular? State TWO points. (2) - Why does the narrator feel the tip he leaves for the waiter is “inadequate”? (1)
- Refer to line 9 (“Follow my example …”).
Explain why it would not be good to follow the guest’s example.
State TWO points. (2) - Refer to line 11 (“I’ll eat nothing for dinner tonight ”).
Using your own words, explain the following: - How the guest understands these words (1)
- What the narrator means (1)
- Refer to the last paragraph (lines 15-18).
- Write down ONE word to describe how the narrator feels (1)
- Explain why the narrator’s desire for revenge is “pardonable”. (2)
- From your knowledge of the story as a whole, do you think the narrator is a “mean” person? Explain your answer (2)
- The narrator is to blame for what happens at the restaurant
Do you agree? Discuss your view. (2) - Explain why the title The Luncheon is suitable (1) [18]
Answers - “miserable” ✓ (1)
- She orders salmon, caviar, giant asparagus, champagne, a peach, ice cream and coffee, amounting to a full meal. ✓✓ (2)
- Peaches are not in season and, therefore, very expensive ✓✓ (2)
- It is only three francs✓/The amount is very small. ✓ /She glances at it suggesting that it is inadequate. ✓ (1)
- The guest contradicts herself. ✓ She goes against what she says ✓ She becomes fat. ✓ She suffers from obesity because she followed her own example. ✓Her example is not worthy of being followed. ✓ (2)
- a) She thinks he is being funny/joking. ✓ (1)
b). He has no money left/cannot afford food/he hasspent all his money on her. ✓ (1) - a) Smug/satisfied/complacent/triumphant/victorious. ✓ (1)
b). He was not responsible for her weight gain/for what happened to her ✓
She brought it upon herself/the immortal gods had a hand in it/it was fate. ✓ (2) - yes. He should not punish the waiter for his guest’s behaviour, he should have returned with a better tip.
OR
No. He really did not have enough money to give the waiter a better tip. ✓✓ (2) - yes. He is trying to impress his guest by pretending to be rich. ✓✓
OR
No. He was trying to be polite to his guest by not stopping her from ordering all the expensive dishes. ✓✓ (2) - The title is suitable because the entire story is about the luncheon. /It is suitable because the word “luncheon” refers to a formal lunch and this is what the story is about. ✓ (1)[18]
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