1. Mr.

Know All Summary

Mr. Know-All William Sommerset Maugham It was after World War II and the narrator was traveling from the USA to Japan. As accommodations were difficult to get, he had to share a room on the ship. On entering his cabin he encountered his roommate's luggage and toilet things which had already been unpacked. He immediately disliked his roommate because all these items seemed to be very kitsch. To top things off, he noticed the man's name Kelada did not appear to be British. This is the first sign that the narrator is prejudiced against non-Britons. When the narrator finally met Mr. Kelada, he disliked him immediately. Kelada was very chatty, he seemed to know everything and was involved in everything, not sensing that he was disliked by every body. He was very proud of his British passport although it was clear that he was not English by birth but a native of one of the British colonies. Although he despised Mr. K, when he was offered a drink (something that was difficult to get in those days because of prohibition), the narrator gladly accepted. This shows that if he can gain something from this relationship, he'll take advantage of it. The narrator is being two-faced. There was another dogmatic person on the ship, Mr. Ramsey. He was taking his wife, who had been in the States for a year on her own, to Kobe were he was working. In contrast to her husband and Mr. K., she was very modest. Although she wore simple clothes, she looked perfect. She was adored by all. One evening at dinner, the conversation drifted to the subject of pearls. As Mrs. Ramsey was wearing a string of pearls, Mr. K. an expert on the subject, declared that it was a genuine string of pearls which costs many thousands of dollars and he would bet a hundred dollars on it.Mr. Ramsey seemed pleased with himself and claimed that Mr. K was wrong. The pearls had been bought at a department store for only eighteen dollars. Well, this argument had to be solved in some way. Both men...

Mr. Know All

1. Often in our self indulged lives we don t take a moment to step back and look deeply at the true characters of the people around us. Instead we are happier with making our unsupported judgments on people and continuing to go about our own concerns. Mr. W. Somerset Maugham

wrote a story called, Mr. Know-All, that shows us how we too often tend to act judgmental towards others, but later when we pause and take a closer look, we may find that they are truly greater in character than we are. The story starts with the narrator already expressing his dislike for the character, Mr. Max Kelada. He hasn t even met the man before and he has already chosen to disassociate him. I was prepared to dislike Max Kelada before I knew him. When I went on board I found that Mr. Kelada s luggage was already below. I did not like the look of it; there were too many labels on the suitcase, and the wardrobe trunk was too big. (Pg. 303-304) Here we can defiantly see a dislike for Mr. Kelada, before he even has a chance to show who he is, he isn t liked. He hasn t even received the chance to say one word of greeting or small talk, yet he is looked down upon as a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of a shoe because of his luggage. When the narrator finally meets Mr. Kelada he is set on the fact that he does not like him. He searches for the smallest reason not to like him and decides that Mr. Kelada isn t formal enough with the way he addresses him. I do not like to put on airs, but I cannot help felling that it is seemly in a total strange to put mister before my name when he addresses me. Mr. Kelada, doubtless to set me at my ease used no such formality. I did not like Mr. Kelada. (Pg. 305) I could understand someone s irritation if they were a doctor, or a General, or something of importance with not being labeled right; but to be upset because someone is talking friendly to you is being just plain rude. After a few days the narrator is sure that he does not like Mr. Kelada,...

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The story takes place in international waters on an ocean going liner sailing from San Fracisco, U.S.A to Yokohama, Japan on the Pacific ocean. As the war had just ended, it was difficult to get accomodations. Therefore, the narrator had to share a cabin with a total stranger, but he expected him to be one of his own countrymen. Instead, he was deeply shocked to realize it was a chatty Levantine of oriental origin, Mr. Max Kelada, who was not British, but a native of one of the British colonies (he did have a British passport). Although his origin isn't stated precisely, his name suggests Spanish, Portugese, Syrian or even Jewish origin. The narrator mentions Mr. Kelada's "hooked nose", which might imply an antisemitic remark against Jews. The narrator was prepared to dislike Mr. Kelada even before he saw him. When he first entered the cabin, he saw Mr. Kelada's luggage and toilet things that had already been unpacked. The man's name and the sight of his things aroused a strong repulsion in him since he was prejudiced against all non- Britons, feeling superior to them. The irony of the story lies in the fact that the list of Mr. Kelada's "negative" traits presented in the beginning of the story shows an orderly, neat and tidy gentleman. When the narrator met Mr. Kelada, his hatred got even stronger. He abhorred the cultural differences between Kelada and himself. He both detested and despised Mr. Kelada's gestures. Therefore, the description of Kelada is negative and biased. The narrator's prejudice is based on several cultural differences between him and Mr. Kelada: a) A total stranger should address a gentleman with "Mr." and be formal. b) A gentleman shouldn't be pushy. c) A gentleman should be modest. d) A gentleman should keep quiet during meals. e) A gentleman shouldn't be too chatty and argumentative. f) A gentleman shouldn't show off and boast about his super knowledge. g) A gentleman shouldn't be too dogmatic. Mr. Kelada was a person that seemed to know everything and was involved in everything, not sensing that he was disliked by everybody. He was very chatty and talked as if he had been superior to everybody else. The passengers mocked him and called him Mr. Know - All even to his face. There was another dogmatic person on the ship - Mr. Ramsay who was an American Consular Serviceman stationed in Kobe, Japan. He was on his way to Kobe after having picked up his pretty little wife, who had stayed on her own in New York for a whole year. She looked very modest. Her clothes were simple although they achieved an effect of quiet distinction. She looked perfect and was adorable.

One evening, the conversation drifted to the subject of pearls. As Mrs. Ramsay was wearing a string of pearls, Mr. Kelada announced that it certainly was a genuine one which had probably cost many thousands of dollars. He was ready to bet a hundred dollars on it. Mr. Ramsay, on the other hand, that his wife had bought it for 18 dollars in a department store. When Mr. Know - All took out a magnifying glass from his pocket, he noticed a desperat appeal in Mrs. Ramsay's eyes. He then realized that Mrs. Ramsay got the pearls from her lover.Since Mr. Kelada didn't . want to destroy Mrs. Ramsay's marriage, he ruined his reputation instead - he told everybody that he was wrong and that the string was an excellent imitation. He gave Mr. Ramsay a hundred dollars. The story spread all over the ship and everybody mocked Mr. Kelada. Later, while the narrator and Mr. Know - All were in their cabin, an envelope was pushed under the door. It contained a hundred dollar bill from Mrs. Ramsay. It was then that the narrator learned to value the dark skinned Levantine. He was amazed at Mr. Kelada's generosity. This story shows that first impressions are often misleading and that appearances are sometimes deceptive. Mr. Kelada who is described as a disgusting person who shows off all the time and knows everything better than others, is in reality a sensitive, brave gentleman who wouldn't hurt others. On the other hand, Mrs. Ramsay, whose modesty and good qualities no one questions, has been unfaithful to her husband. The moral of the story is that we must not judge a book by its cover. Rather than judging a person by his looks, color or origin we should observe his behaviour and reactions in difficult situations.

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