Question

Answer in your own word.

Describe the use of irony and humour in “The Luncheon”.

Answer 1

In this story, the writer uses humour and irony to depict the character of the woman. The narrator takes the woman to an expensive restaurant called Foyot's. He is startled when he sees the high prices on the menu, but relieved when his guest tells him, "I never eat anything for luncheon," and "I never eat more than one thing." After stating this, ironically the woman eats some of the most expensive things available, like salmon and caviar, while the poor author only eats a mutton chop. Looking at it, she takes him to task for eating a 'heavy luncheon and tells him that he should follow her example and never eat more than one thing for luncheon. She said that she would eat the asparagus because the writer 'insists' when it was she who had asked for them. In the end, when she repeats once again that he should follow her example and never eat more than one thing for luncheon, the writer retorts that he would do better than that he would not eat anything for dinner that night.