Maharashtra State Board Class 10 English Lesson The Luncheon Summary, Line by Line Explanation, along with difficult word meanings from English Kumarbharati Book
The Luncheon – Are you looking for Theme, Summary and Lesson Explanation for Maharashtra State Board Class 10 Chapter The Luncheon from English Kumarbharati Book. Get Chapter Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings.
The Luncheon Maharashtra State Board Class 10 English
– William Somerset Maugham
- The Luncheon Introduction
- Theme of the Lesson The Luncheon
- The Luncheon Summary
- The Luncheon Summary in Hindi
- The Luncheon Lesson Explanation
Related Link : The Luncheon Question Answers Class 10 Maharashtra State Board
The Luncheon Introduction
The Luncheon by William Somerset Maugham is a witty short story about a deceitful lunch date. It follows a writer who gets tricked by an admirer into a luxurious lunch at a very expensive restaurant.
Theme / Central Idea of the Lesson The Luncheon
Superficiality: The story criticizes the obsession with material possessions and appearances. The focus on the luxurious restaurant and expensive dishes highlights the shallowness of the woman’s priorities.
Irony: The story is filled with irony. The woman who admires the writer’s work doesn’t seem to value him as a person, and the expensive lunch becomes a punishment for the writer as he struggles financially.
The Luncheon Summary
The story is about a writer who meets a woman who admires his writing. She tricks him into a fancy lunch at a super expensive restaurant called Foyot’s.
The writer is actually quite poor and can barely afford to eat. But the woman keeps saying she only wants a little something to eat. But, that is not true. She orders a few expensive dishes, (namely Salmon, Caviar and Asparagus) and dessert and calls them “snacks”. The bill ends up being huge, leaving the writer broke for the rest of the month.
Then, years later, the writer runs into the woman again. She’s overweight now, and the writer can’t help but feel a bit of satisfaction. In his mind, it’s like she finally got her punishment for ordering an expensive lunch that day.
The Luncheon Summary in Hindi
कहानी एक लेखक के बारे में है जो एक महिला से मिलता है जो उसकी लेखनी की प्रशंसक है। वह उसे फोयोट्स नाम के बहुत महंगे रेस्टोरेंट में फैंसी लंच के लिए कहती है।
दरअसल, लेखक काफी गरीब है और मुश्किल से खाना खा पाता है। महिला कहती रहती है कि उसे बस थोड़ा बहुत खाना है। लेकिन, ये सच नहीं है। वो कई महंगे व्यंजन (जैसे सैमन, कैवियार और शतावरी) और मिठाई मंगवाती है और उन्हें नाश्ता बताती है। बिल बहुत ज्यादा आ जाता है, जिससे लेखक पूरे महीने के लिए आर्थिक रूप से बदहाल हो जाता है।
सालों बाद, लेखक फिर से उस महिला से मिलता है। अब उसका वजन बढ़ गया है, और लेखक थोड़ी संतुष्टि महसूस किए बिना नहीं रह पाता। अपने मन में, वह सोचता है कि उसे आखिरकार महंगा लंच ऑर्डर करने की सजा मिल गई।
The Luncheon Lesson Explanation
Passage: I caught sight of her at the play and in answer to her call. 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 hardly think I would have recognised her. She addressed me brightly.
Word Meaning
Caught sight of: To see someone briefly or unexpectedly.
Interval: Break between the acts of a play.
Addressed: This means to speak to someone.
Explanation: The narrator saw the woman while watching the play. The woman called out to the narrator.
The play has a short pause in the middle, called the interval. The narrator went to see the woman during this break. It had been a long time since they last saw each other.
If someone hadn’t told the narrator her name, he wouldn’t be able to recognise her.
Despite not recognizing her at first, the woman greeted the narrator in a friendly and happy way.
Passage: “Well, it’s many years since we first met. How time does fly! We’re none of us getting any younger. Do you remember the first time I saw you? You asked me to luncheon.”
Word Meaning
Luncheon: A more formal word for lunch
Explanation: A long time has passed since the author and the woman first encountered each other. The woman asks if the author remembers their first meeting. The woman reminds the author that he had asked her for lunch.
Passage: Did I remember?
It was twenty years ago and I was living in Paris. I had a tiny apartment and I was earning barely enough money. She had read a book of mine and had written to me about it. I answered, thanking her, and presently, I received from her another letter saying she was passing through Paris and would like to have a chat with me. But her time was limited and the only free moment she had was on the following Thursday and would I give her a little luncheon at Foyot’s afterwards ? Foyot’s is a restaurant and it was so far beyond my means that I had never even thought of going there. I had eighty francs (gold francs) to last me the rest of the month and a modest luncheon should not cost more than fifteen. If I cut out coffee for the next two weeks, I could manage well enough.
Word Meaning
Barely: Hardly enough
Passing through: Travelling through a place for a short time
Chat: An informal conversation
Afterwards: Later on
Means: here, Financial resources
Francs: Former currency of France (replaced by the Euro in the year 2002)
Modest: Not expensive or large
Explanation: The story takes place 20 years ago in Paris. The narrator was a struggling writer living in a small apartment.
A woman who read and liked one of the narrator’s books writes him a letter. She informs the narrator that she’s visiting Paris and wants to meet and talk to him. The only free time she has is next Thursday. She proposes lunch at Foyot’s afterwards.
Foyot’s is an expensive restaurant that the narrator had never even considered going to. The narrator has only 80 francs left for the month, and a simple lunch shouldn’t cost more than 15 francs.
The narrator convinces himself that skipping coffee for two weeks will make up for the extra cost, allowing him to accept the invitation.
Passage: I answered that I would meet my friend at Foyot’s on Thursday at half-past twelve. She was, in appearance, imposing rather than attractive and she gave me the impression of having more teeth, white and large and even, than were necessary for any practical purpose.
Word Meaning
Imposing: Grand, impressive, or commanding attention
Explanation: The narrator agreed to meet the woman for lunch at a fancy restaurant called Foyot’s on Thursday at 12:30 pm.The woman wasn’t necessarily beautiful, but she had a strong presence. The woman had a lot of very white, straight teeth, even more than what might be needed for just chewing food. The author uses a touch of sarcasm here, implying that her teeth were a noticeable feature and perhaps a bit excessive.
Passage: She was talkative, but since she seemed to want to talk about me, I was prepared to be an attentive listener.
Word Meaning:
Talkative: This means someone who enjoys talking a lot.
Explanation: The woman liked to chat a lot. It seemed like she mostly wanted to talk about the narrator himself and his work. Because of this, the narrator was happy to listen closely to what she had to say.
Passage: I was startled when the menu was brought, for the prices were a great deal higher than I had thought. 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.”
Word Meaning:
Startled: surprised suddenly, often in a way that frightens you.
Reassured: made someone feel less worried or anxious.
Generously: in a way that shows a willingness to give more than is necessary.
Nowadays: in the present time.
Salmon: a type of fish with pink or orange flesh
Explanation: When the fancy menu arrives, the narrator is shocked by the high prices. He was expecting a much cheaper lunch. The expensive menu made the narrator nervous.
The woman tries to calm him down by saying she barely eats lunch. Despite claiming to eat little, she immediately asked if they served an expensive dish of salmon fish.
Passage: Well, it was early in the year for salmon and it was not on the menu, 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 had a little caviar. I never mind caviar.”
Word Meaning
Caviar: The salty eggs of fish (considered a delicacy)
Explanation: The restaurant didn’t list salmon as an option as Salmon wasn’t usually available at that time of the year. The narrator checked with the waiter to see if they had any salmon anyway. Luckily, the restaurant had just received a fresh salmon, the first one they had that season. The narrator decided to get the salmon for the woman, even though it wasn’t on the menu.
The waiter asked the woman if she would like something to eat while they waited for the salmon.
Never eat more than one thing: The guest politely declined, saying they only eat one course at a meal.But then the woman mentioned that she wouldn’t mind having caviar, a very expensive type of dish of fish eggs.
Passage: I knew I could not afford caviar, but I could not very well tell her that. For myself, I
chose the cheapest dish on the menu and that was a mutton chop.
Word Meaning
Mutton: The flesh of a mature sheep used as food
Explanation: Caviar is a fancy and very expensive food made from fish eggs. The narrator realized that he didn’t have enough money for it. He felt awkward or embarrassed to admit he couldn’t afford it. He looked at the menu and picked the most affordable option for himself, which happened to be a simple mutton chop.
Passage: “I think you’re unwise to eat meat,” she said. “I don’t believe in overloading my stomach.”
She ate the caviar and she ate the salmon. She talked gaily of art and literature and music. But I wondered what the bill would come to. When my mutton chop arrived, she took me quite seriously to task.
Word Meaning
Unwise: Not showing good judgement.
Overloading: Filling something to its full capacity or beyond.
Gaiety: Cheerfulness and liveliness.
Took me to task: To criticize or scold someone.
Explanation: The woman tells the narrator that it was not a wise decision to eat meat and that she didn’t believe in overeating. The woman ate caviar and salmon and talked about art, literature and music.
The narrator was worried about the cost of the meal, especially since the woman had ordered expensive dishes.
When the mutton chop arrived that the narrator had ordered for himself, the woman criticised the narrator for his choice of food.
Passage: “I see that you’re in the habit of eating a heavy luncheon. I’m sure it’s a mistake. Why don’t you follow my example and just eat one thing? I couldn’t possibly eat anything more unless they had some of those giant asparagus. I should be sorry to leave Paris without having some of them.”
Word Meaning
Asparagus: A green vegetable with long, thin stalks.
Explanation: The woman disliked eating heavy dishes in lunch, judging the narrator’s choice of mutton chop. This is ironic because she soon ordered another dish for herself. She wondered if the restaurant had giant asparagus and expressed that she would regret not eating asparagus in Paris.
Passage: My heart sank. I had seen them in the shops and I knew that they were horribly expensive. My mouth had often watered at the sight of them.
Word Meaning
Heart sank: To feel suddenly disappointed, discouraged, or worried.
Mouth watered: To feel a strong desire to eat something, usually because it looks or smells delicious.
Explanation: The narrator felt a sudden feeling of disappointment or worry. He had seen asparagus at shops before and wanted to eat it but knew that he couldn’t afford as they were too expensive.
Passage: “I’m not in the least hungry,” my guest sighed, “but if you insist, I don’t mind having some asparagus.” I ordered them.
“Aren’t you going to have any?”
“No, I never eat asparagus.”
Word Meaning
In the least: This means “not at all” or “to no degree.”
Sighed: This means to breathe out deeply, often expressing sadness, boredom, or weariness.
Insist: This means to state a demand or request in a forceful way.
Explanation: The woman said that her stomach was full but if the narrator insisted, she would have some asparagus also. It sounds like she was doing the narrator a favour by eating. The narrator goes ahead and orders the asparagus. The woman asks the narrator if he would order any asparagus for himself. The narrator denies and tells her that he never eats asparagus.
Passage: We waited for the asparagus to be cooked. Panic seized me. It was not a question now of how much money I should have left over for the rest of the month, but whether I had enough to pay the bill. It would be mortifying to find myself ten francs short and be obliged to borrow from my guest. I knew exactly how much I had and if the bill came to more. I made up my mind that I would put my hand in my pocket and with a dramatic cry, start up and say it had been picked. Of course, it would be awkward if she had not money enough either to pay the bill. Then, the only thing would be to leave my watch and say I would come back and pay later.
Word Meaning:
Seized: Took hold of suddenly and powerfully
Mortifying: Feeling extreme embarrassment or humiliation
Obliged: Forced or compelled to do something
Dramatic cry: A loud, exaggerated expression of surprise or distress
Explanation: The narrator starts to feel very worried and scared as they were waiting for asparagus. He was not just worried about having enough money left for the month, but now he was worried he won’t even have enough to cover the entire bill at the restaurant. It would be humiliating for him to be even a small amount short of the bill amount.
He came up with a crazy plan to pretend that his money was stolen if the bill amount was higher than he expected. But, this plan could also be embarrassing especially if the woman couldn’t pay either. As a last resort, he’d offer his watch as a security and would promise to return later with the money.
The whole situation was stressful for the narrator because he couldn’t afford the fancy lunch and was desperately trying to avoid looking bad in front of his guest.
Passage: The asparagus appeared. I watched her thrust them down her throat in large mouthfuls. At last, she finished.
Word Meaning
Thrust: to push something forcefully in a particular direction.
Explanation: The expensive asparagus dish the narrator reluctantly ordered finally arrived. The woman ate the asparagus very quickly, taking big bites and swallowing it whole.
Passage: “Coffee?” I said.
“Yes, just an ice cream and coffee,” she answered. I was past caring now, so I ordered coffee for myself and an ice cream and coffee for her.
Word Meaning:
Past caring: No longer interested or concerned.
Explanation: The narrator asked the woman if she wanted coffee after the meal. The woman, despite claiming not to eat much, ordered ice cream along with coffee.
The narrator is exhausted by the woman’s pretense and her expensive tastes. He simply orders what she asks for and gives up trying to control the situation.
Passage: “You know, there’s one thing I thoroughly believe in,” she said, as she ate the ice cream. “One should always get up from a meal feeling one could eat a little more.”
Word Meaning
Thoroughly: Completely, entirely.
Explanation: While eating her dessert, the woman expressed a strong belief. Her belief was that an ideal meal was one that left one wanting just a tiny bit more and not feeling completely satisfied.
Passage: “Are you still hungry?” I asked faintly.
“Oh, no, I’m not hungry. You see, I don’t eat luncheon. I have a cup of coffee in the morning and then dinner, but I never eat more than one thing for luncheon. I was speaking for you.”
Word Meaning
Faintly: In a weak or quiet voice.
Explanation: The narrator is trying to subtly hint that the woman had eaten quite a bit by asking if she was still hungry. The bill was likely to be high, and he was worried about the cost. The woman denied being hungry. She said that a big lunch wasn’t her usual habit. She emphasized her light eating habits, having only a cup of coffee in the morning, one dish for lunch and then dinner.
Basically, the woman was pretending that she barely ate anything, even though she clearly enjoyed a luxurious lunch.
Passage: “Oh, I see.” Then a terrible thing happened. While we were waiting for the coffee, the head waiter came up to us bearing a large basket full of huge peaches. But surely peaches were not in season then? Lord knew what they cost! I knew a little later, for my guest going on with her conversation, absent-mindedly took one.
Word Meaning
Bearing: In this context, bearing means carrying something.
Explanation: The narrator says that something undesirable happened when the head waiter came with a basket of peaches. The woman, seemingly unaware of the cost, casually grabbed a peach to eat. This added to the narrator’s anxiety as he anticipated a hefty bill.
Passage: “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.”
Word Meaning
Miserable: This means unhappy, pitiful, or in a very bad state.
Explanation: The woman is pointing out that the narrator has eaten a substantial amount of meat, and she had only a snack so she would eat the fruit. Here, she tries to downplay her extravagant meal by calling it a “snack”.
Passage: 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.
Word Meaning
Inadequate: Not good enough; insufficient
Tip: A small amount of money given to someone who has provided a service.
Penny: A British coin, the smallest unit of British currency.
Explanation: The bill arrived and it was time to pay for the meal. The narrator barely had enough money left to leave a small tip for the waiter, which wouldn’t be considered very generous. The woman he had lunch with noticed the small amount of money he left as a tip. The narrator realized the woman probably thought he was cheap because of the small tip.
The narrator has no money left for the rest of the month, even though it’s just the beginning of the month. The expensive lunch has left him financially broke.
Passage: “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!”
Word Meaning
Retorted: Replied in a quick and sometimes sharp way
Gaily: Happily and in a carefree way
Humorist: Someone who tells jokes and makes others laugh [a funny person].
Explanation: The woman is giving advice to the narrator as they shake hands goodbye. She believes that it is healthy to only eat one thing for lunch. The narrator agrees with the woman in a sarcastic way. He says that he will do even better than that and skip dinner altogether. The woman laughs and thinks the narrator is joking. She calls the narrator a comedian (humorist). She gets into a cab and drives away.
Passage: But I have had my revenge at last. I do not believe that I am a vindictive man, but when the gods take a hand in the matter it is understandable to observe the result with satisfaction. Today, she weighs twenty- one stone.
Word Meaning
Vindictive: This means having a strong desire to punish someone for something they have done to you.
Take a hand: This is an idiom that means to become involved in something or to influence something.
Stone: A unit of weight equal to 6.3 kilograms. It’s an old British unit of measurement.
Twenty- one stone: 21 stone is equal to 133.356 kilograms.
Explanation: The narrator is saying that even though the expensive lunch incident happened many years ago, he feels he finally got revenge. He doesn’t consider himself someone who holds grudges, but in this case, things worked out in his favour. So, it’s okay for him to be happy about the outcome.
The woman who tricked him into the expensive lunch is now very overweight.