Topic: Appearance versus Reality
Introduction
Writers write short stories, novels, and even movie makers’ often use the theme of ‘appearance versus reality’ to compare and contrast of the characters or situations. Appearance versus reality creates an interesting mood or element to the storyline, which would attract viewers and readers to continue watching the movie or reading the story.
The ‘appearance versus reality’ theme in literature focuses on how characters or situations initially appear one way to the reader, but then end up being the complete opposite. This theme is clearly reinforced in the short stories reading class in the first semester. Great examples of appearance versus reality are shown in the characters portrayed in the stories. In this essay, the characters in the three short stories written by Roald Dahl are explored. Firstly, I would look at the character, Mary, the wife of Patrick Maloney in the short story “Lamb to the Slaughter”. Then , I would focus on the skillful Finger Smith character from the short story “The Hitchhiker”, and thirdly the kind and loving landlady from the short story” The Land Lady”. The characters from these three different short stories provide strong evidence of their deceiving appearances and the true reality of their unpredictable actions.
Lamb to the Slaughter
Appearance versus reality is explored by author including Roald Dahl, who wrote the short story “Lamb to the Slaughter”. The character Mary Maloney has a deceiving appearance. By using her alibi, she hides the reality of what she had done. In the short story “Lamb to the slaughter”. Mary Maloney, the wife of Patrick Maloney, is described as an innocent woman that is pregnant. She appears to be a dedicated wife, as she waits for her husband to come home from work; she prepares meals, drinks and sews. She is deeply in love with Patrick. Mary is unaware of what her husband is going to tell her when he gets home. After Mary has been told that her husband is intended to leave her, she is forced to unleash her cold hearted plan. Without mourning, she murdered her husband by striking him with a frozen lamb leg with such a great force that he died instantly. Because she had just murdered her husband, she must prove her alibi. She also deceived the groceries shop assistant, then she cooked and served the lamb leg to the police. Therefore she could successfully erase the evidence of the murder with her tricks.
In the story, Mary’s using her deceiving appearance of being a dedicated wife to cover the brutal murder of her husband. The horror of this story was that Mary used the lamb leg as the murder weapon. Ironically, she offered the policemen the cooked leg and asked them to accept her hospitality. Mary did it in order to conceal her truth crime. This provides a good proof of appearance and reality theme in the short story “Lamb to the Slaughter”.
Hitchhikers
Usually pick-pockets are interpreted as someone who is greedy and steals from helpless old ladies, but Finger Smith is different. The Finger Smith Character from the short story, “The Hitchhiker” is described as if he looks like a giant rat. It is because he is a small ratty-faced man and his eyes are like rat’s eyes. As the driver was anxious about the heavy fine, this character helps the driver by stealing the ticket book and record book from the police officer with their names written down on it, and shows it to the driver. The driver is instantly astonished of what he has done, and as well as curious about this hitch hiker. The driver notices he has perfectly long fingers as if it does not belong to him. He appears to be quick and clever. The hitchhiker says he is a ‘finger smith’ and is extremely proud of his job, he proves it to the driver by taking his belongings without him noticing. The Finger Smith is greatly skilled at his profession and could steal from anyone without getting caught. However he only steals from the rich and not the poor. In appearance the Finger Smith appears to be a greedy person who pickpockets, but in reality he only steals from the rich people.
The Landlady
The short story “The Landlady” presents the literary term ‘appearance versus reality’ as a great example. As Billy Weaver discovers that the mysterious landlady, her appearance is not what Billy has expected. In the beginning, the land lady appears to be a kind and loving woman who offers a comfortable place for guests to stay for bed and breakfast. Billy is instantly attracted to this accommodation offer. The landlady even offered him tea. However Billy does not know that the tea is poisoned, and by signing the guest book he will die, just like the previous guests. Later on, in the story Billy notices the pets does not move as they are stuffed dead animals. Billy then discovers that the dead animals are stuffed by the landlady when they pass away. It is assumed the two previous guests has been poisoned by the tea and have been stuffed as well. From the evidence shown in “The Land Lady”, the landlady is appeared to be harmless and generous, but the reality of her reactions actions is deadly. We can infer that the landlady would poison Billy with her ‘tea’, and will stuff him as if he was a dead animal.
Conclusion
The characters portrayed in ‘The Landlady’, The Hitchhiker’ and ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ have all shown the theme of ‘appearance versus reality‘. The great movie director, Alfred Hitchcock, had adapted Dahl’s three short stories and succeeded to create suspense, mystery and murder with this theme in his TV episodes and movies.
Mary Maloney who played the role of a loving housewife deceives the police and groceries shop assistant with her alibi. The hitchhiker deceives the driver and the police, as he appears to be a pickpocket. The land lady, as she fools Billy with her attractive guest house offers and service. The ‘appearance versus reality’ theme creates a suspenseful twist to the story. Moreover, characters appear to be one way, but ends up being the complete opposite. Appearance versus reality is a very important theme in literature, as it is used everywhere. Not only does novels, short stories and movies posses the theme ‘appearance versus reality’. During our daily lives, this theme takes place. You never know what a person does, who this person is, just by judging from their appearance.
