Appearances versus

Reality
Diplôme national du Brevet
international
Collège Edouard Branly
Nogent-sur-Marne
How does art and literature show that
appearances can be far from reality ?

Documents’ name:

-Does it matter?
-The Landlady
-The Luncheon

Introduction :
The theme that I am going to broach today is the contrast
between the appearances and the reality in literature and
art. This difference can be define as how an object or a
person look like and what actually it or he is. This difference
is perfectly express by this quote from the famous
playwright William Shakespeare: “All that glitters is not
gold.” In this presentation. These themes are the centre of
the 3 works that I am going to present today. The first work
is Does it matter? which is a war poem written by Siegfried
Sasson. In addition, I am going to use the The Landlady: a
short story written by Roald Dahl. To finish I am going to
use The Luncheon that is a short story written by William
Somerset Maugham . The key question that will be the
centre of my work is: How does art show that appearances
can be far from reality?
 Table of Content

-Theme and Introduction

-Table of content
-Does it matter?
-Introduction and poem
-The author
-The analysis
-The Landlady
-Introduction
-The author
-The analysis
-The Luncheon
-Introduction
-The author
-The analysis
-Conclusion
 Does it Matter ?
Introduction :
The first document that I am going to use today is
Does it matter? . This war poem, written by Siegfried
Sasson in 1917, wants to throw light on all the issues
the veterans faced and the society’s disrespectful
behaviour towards them.

The poem :
Does it matter?—losing your legs?...
For people will always be kind,
And you need not show that you mind
When the others come in after hunting
To gobble their muffins and eggs.

Does it matter?—losing your sight?...

There’s such splendid work for the blind;
And people will always be kind,
As you sit on the terrace remembering
And turning your face to the light.

Do they matter?—those dreams from the pit?...

You can drink and forget and be glad,
And people won’t say that you’re mad;
For they’ll know you’ve fought for your country
And no one will worry a bit.
The author : Siegfried Sasson

He was born in 1886 in an English wealthy family.

Before war he lived like a typical upper-class British: he
was hunting and studying but he was also writing texts,
prose and poems. When the war broke out he
volunteered for the army: he became a brave officer
but had a suicidal behaviour since his best-friend died.
He was wounded and returned home, he became a
pacifist and fought against this war: he wrote several
poems denouncing the commanders and the atrocity
of war including Does it matter? but felt guilty to let his
men alone and returned at war. He was finally sent to
England because of a shot in the head. He wrote
several memoirs and poems after the war. He died in
1967.
 My Analysis

Reasons why I have chosen it:

When I first read this text I found it poignant, striking
and also very effective for several reasons:
-The link between this poem and his atypical life
-Irony and satire
-All the literary devices that helps the reader to feel what the writer felt
-The strong message that he wanted to deliver to all his contemporaries.
First, this author had an atypical life that is totally linked to the story
in this poem. His really strange behaviour during the war and after is
linked to what he calls: “dreams from the pit”. These dreams are actually
nightmares for him and most the veterans: “drink and forget and be glad”.
In addition, there is a link because: he was born in a British wealthy family
where he experienced “hunting” and “gobbling muffins and eggs”. He had
himself experienced this gap between the people who continued their
lives during war and the veterans who were like “plants” in this moving
world.
In addition, irony and satire are central in this text. Indeed the
rhetorical question that makes the title and that is repeated 3 times (Does
it matter?) is ironic and satirical: it seems logic that the veterans lives
matters. He just wanted to throw light on the lack of concern from the
society towards the veterans. In my opinion, the most ironic parts
are: “there’s such splendid work for the blind”: he is in fact making fun of
the people who were saying that, because there were actually no works for
blinds. The second part that strikes me is: “For people will always be
kind”. This sentence is repeated twice and is satirical and ironic because it
actually denounces the lack of concern of the society. He uses irony and
satire to make his poem even more powerful and striking and to make the
people who read it full of empathy, ashamed or even guilty. Even today, we
feel empathy and shame for these veterans.
 To continue, the literary devices are really important in this poem:
they help to have stronger emotions and to feel what the author felt.
The one that is the most shocking is the rhetorical question “does it
matter?“ that is used to persuade the people at that time that there is
a real lack of concern towards them and that they were guilty. In
addition, the alliteration on “such splendid“ with the sound “s” helps
to feel the hypocrisy and the disrespect from the people who said
that towards the veterans.
Last but not least, the message that the author wanted to send
to his contemporaries is very striking and helps us to sympathize with
these veterans. In my opinion this message is that we should respect
the veterans, treat them as human beings and not as “plants” and be
more concerned with their lives. I found this message poignant
because we can feel how much he and the others suffered from their
past and from the society’s behaviour towards them. This reminds me
the story of Ron Kovic in “Born on the 4th of July”.

The link with the theme

This story is a good example of a gap between appearances and
reality because first there is a gap between the appearances of the
veterans’ mental health (“and you need not to show that you mind”
when the others are hunting and “gobbling muffins and eggs”; “forget
and be glad”) and what they are really feeling (it is ironical and they
do mind; they are drinking to forget). This gap show that appearances
can be far from reality.
 The Landlady

Introduction :
In addition, I am going to use the short-story The
Landlady written by Roald Dahl in 1959. This story
about a foreigner who decides to stay in a cheap and
cosy B&B. But the landlady who owns it is very
disappointing and horrific: she seems to try to kill
him or abuse him. But it ends with an open-ending...

1st extract of the story

Suddenly, in a downstairs window that was brilliantly illuminated

by a street-lamp not six yards away, Billy caught sight of a printed
notice propped up against the glass in one of the upper panes. It
said BED AND BREAKFAST. There was a vase of yellow
chrysanthemums, tall and beautiful, standing just underneath the
notice. He stopped walking. He moved a bit closer. Green curtains
(some sort of velvety material) were hanging down on either side
of the window. The chrysanthemums looked wonderful beside
them. He went right up and peered through the glass into the
room, and the first thing he saw was a bright fire burning in the
hearth. On the carpet in front of the fire, a pretty little dachshund
was curled up asleep with its nose tucked into its belly. The room
itself, so far as he could see in the half-darkness, was filled with
pleasant furniture. There was a baby-grand piano and a big sofa
and several plump armchairs; and in one corner he spotted a large
parrot in a cage. Animals were usually a good sign in a place like
this, Billy told himself; and all in all, it looked to him as though it
would be a pretty decent house to stay in. Certainly it would be
more comfortable than The Bell and Dragon.
 2nd extract of the story
“Seventeen!” she cried. “Oh, it’s the perfect age! Mr Mulholland was also seventeen. But I
think he was a trifle shorter than you are, in fact I’m sure he was, and his teeth weren’t
quite so white. You have the most beautiful teeth, Mr Weaver, did you know that?”[…]
 “Mr Temple, of course, was a little older,” she said, ignoring his remark. “He was actually
twenty eight. And yet I never would have guessed it if he hadn’t told me, never in my
whole life. There wasn’t a
blemish on his body.”
“A what?” Billy said.[...]
“That parrot,” he said at last. “You know something? It had me completely fooled when I
first saw it through the window from the street. I could have sworn it was alive.”
“Alas, no longer.”
“It’s most terribly clever the way it’s been done,” he said. “It doesn’t look in the least bit
dead. Who did it?”
“I did.”[...]
“Not in the least,” she said. “I stuff all my little pets myself when they pass away. Will you
have another cup of tea?”
“No, thank you,” Billy said. The tea tasted faintly of bitter almonds, and he didn’t much
care for it.
“You did sign the book, didn’t you?”
“Oh, yes.”
“That’s good. Because later on, if I happen to forget what you were called, then I can
always come down here and look it up. I still do that almost every day with Mr Mulholland
and Mr . . .Mr...”
“Temple,” Billy said. “Gregory Temple. Excuse my asking, but haven’t there been
any other guests here except them in the last two or three years?”
Holding her teacup high in one hand,inclining her head slightly to the left, she
looked up at him out of the corners of her eyes and gave him another gentle little smile.
“No, my dear,” she said. ‘Only you.'

The author : Roald Dahl

He was born in 1916 in Wales, Dahl's parents were
middle-class Norwegian immigrants. He was educated in
England at Repton School and later at Cambridge
University. Dahl began writing for children in the 1940s.At
this time he also started to publish short stories including
the collection named: Tales of the Unexpected and
continued all life long, his short-stories are known for
their dark humour, unexpected twists, and macabre
themes. His most famous works include "Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory," "Matilda”. Dahl was also a successful
screenwriter, writing the screenplays for two James Bond
films. Dahl died in 1990, but his legacy continues to live
through ages.
 My Analysis

Reasons why I have chosen it:

When I read this text for the first time I found it catchy and interesting
but also disappointing for several reasons:
-The dark humour and the implicit Roald Dahl used
-The twist in the tale and the open ending
-The strong morale of the story
First, Roald Dahl is indeed an author who loves dark humour and
implicit: this writing style is loved by British and Americans. This helps to
create engagement from the reader, mystery and suspense. It is
particularly the case in this short-story: “tasted faintly of bitter almonds”,
“it is the perfect age”, “There wasn’t a blemish on his body. ”, etc.
In addition, the twist in the tale and the open ending makes this
story even more interesting and catchy because it prompt us to read it a
second time to look for any clue. In my opinion, the twist in the tale is
when she say: “No, my dear, Only you”. This sentence that is also the
open ending is crucial because before that he seems to be really naive
and he is not shocked by all the strange mores she has. But, I think that
after seeing her behaviour while saying this sentence, he will start to
understand all her strange habits and will be more suspicious but in my
opinion it will be too late… By using this open ending and the implicit he
makes us image the worst possibilities for him even worst that the reality.
This style is one of the key of the horror movies it is why we are even
more shocked and horrified by this open ending.
Last but not least, this story has a strong and powerful morale especially
for young people like me who are approximately his age. This moral is in
my opinion that we should be suspicious for all the amazing services for a
cheap price: you will pay by an other way. This risk in this story is not
express explicitly but in my opinion he will be killed, abuse and stuffed.
This morale is even stronger thanks to the implicit and this open ending
that helps to feel all the feelings of the character and take inspiration
from his story.
 The link with the theme

This story is probably the best example for the theme

appearances vs reality because when he discovers this B&B he is
charmed by this beautiful and cosy place: e.g.  “vase of yellow
chrysanthemums, tall and beautiful”, “bright fire burning in the
hearth”, “pretty decent house to stay in. Certainly it would be
more comfortable than The Bell and Dragon” and found this very
interesting for its low price. But at the end of the story we
discovers that the Landlady has strange and horrifying habits and
looks like she wants to kill and abuse him: “There wasn’t a
blemish on his body.”, “I stuff all my little pets myself when they
pass away”, “The tea tasted faintly of bitter almonds” (taste of
amygdalin) and “No, my dear,” she said. ‘Only you.” This contrast
between this cheap cosy place and this Landlady who seems to
be a monster who abuses and kills her young customers show
that appearances can be far from reality.
 The Luncheon
Introduction :
Last but not least, I am going to use the Luncheon
which is a short-story written by William Somerset
Maugham in 1924. In "The Luncheon," a writer
meets an old lady for lunch in Paris to talk about his
book. The woman chooses an expensive restaurant,
orders an extravagant meal and doesn’t say a word
about his book, leaving the writer to pay the bill
despite his limited funds.

1st extract of the story

It was twenty years ago and I was living in Paris. I had a tiny
apartment in the Latin quarter overlooking a cemetery and I was
earning barely enough money to keep the body and soul together.
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 that 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; she was
spending the morning at the Luxembourg and would I give her a
little luncheon at Foyot’s afterwards? Foyot’s is a restaurant at
which the French senators eat and it was so far beyond my means
that I had never even thought of going there. But I was flattered
and I was too young to have learned to say no to a woman. Few
men, I may add, learn this until they are too old to make it of any
consequence to a woman what they say. 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.
 2nd extract of the story
She was not so young as I expected and in appearance imposing rather than
attractive. She was, in fact, a woman of forty (a charming age, but not one that
excites a sudden and devastating passion at first sight), and she gave me the
impression of having more teeth, white and large and even, than were necessary
for any practical purpose. She was talkative but since she seemed inclined to talk
about me I was prepared to be an attentive listener. I was startled when the bill of
fare was brought for the prices were a great deal higher than I had anticipated.
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.
[…]
‘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.

The author: William Somerset Maugham

William Somerset Maugham was a British playwright,
novelist, and short story writer. Born in 1874 in Paris,
Maugham was raised in England in a rich upper-class
family and educated at the King's School in Canterbury
where he studied medicine He began his writing career
as a playwright. In addition to his plays, Maugham was
also a prolific novelist and short story writer.
Maugham's short stories are known for their wit,
sophistication, and subtlety, and they often deal with
the themes of love, desire, and the human condition.
He was a keen observer of human nature, and he loved
writing about the complexities of human relationships.
He died in 1965, but he is still quite famous.
 My Analysis

Reasons why I have chosen it:

When I read this short-story for the first time I found it very catchy,
poignant and breathtaking for different reasons:
-The irony he used to make us laugh
-The caricature of the lady and the manipulation
-The strong message and the revenge
First, Irony is central in this book because it helps the reader to
understand the characters personalities and makes him laugh. One of the
most ironic and sarcastic moment is when she says: “I never eat more
than one thing. I think people eat far too much nowadays” but she finally
takes 5 dishes and a champaign and a coffee. What is also ironic is that
the narrator accepts to take her to an expensive restaurant even-though
he couldn’t offered it to himself.
Besides irony there is also the caricature of both characters and the
power the lady had on the narrator makes us laugh, reflects on meaning
of the social classes and the manners at that time but also makes us
sympathize for the narrator. Indeed both characters are caricatures one
represents the old demanding upper-class ladies and the other the young
and innocent boys . This power game between these two characters can
be seen as the predator against the pray: the lady because of her social-
class and her sex.
On the top of it, the strong message and the revenge show us the
problem of the social-classes and of the manners at that time: there was
too much power in the hands of the upper-class (in that case: boost the
career of a writer) that it was easy for them to manipulate people in
exchange (or not) of the help from their power. In addition, people from
the upper class were naturally polite and well-rise in the popular
imagination but that wasn’t always the case. This story also show that we
shouldn’t accept to do something beyond our means. But the “revenge”
that he takes on her at the end of the story makes this story even more
funny and shocking and shows that “karma” exists.
 The link with the theme

This story as a strong like with the theme for

reasons: the gap between the appearances and
his expectations in the first extract and when
she says: ‘I never eat anything for luncheon.’
and the reality she is talkative , ugly, self-
centred, insensitive, rude and she takes 5
dishes and the champaign for the luncheon.
This story show that being apart of a social-
class doesn’t that you respects all the
characteristics and manners of it.
 Conclusion

To conclude about how does

art and literature show that
appearances can be far from
reality  We have seen
different aspects of this
contrast from the mental
health of veterans to the
social-classes by passing
through the appearance of a
house. These aspects show
that art is a good way to
throw light on this contrast
and to pass the message that
We shouldn’t judge by its
cover.