Summary of Mr. Know- All (Maugham)

Unit 11: Critical and Creative Thinking

Flax-Golden Tales

Mr. Know -All
| Four Levels of Interactions

W. Somerset Maugham, England (1874 – 1965)

For : BA / BBS First Year

Literal Comprehension :
When the First World War ended, the writer ‘Somerset Maugham ‘ decided to go to Japan from America by ship. It was very difficult to get a good seat in the ship. But he managed to get in cabin seat in the ship. His cabin partner , max Kelada , was much talkative. At first the writer thought that he was a Negro but later he came to know that he was also an English man . However , he hated his chatty nature . He introduced with everyone in the ship and conducted a lottery action . He said that he had good knowledge of everything . So they called him ‘ mr. know all’ . Although alcohol was strictly prohibited to carry, he uttered writer to have cocktail “ mix wine ” . Once the writer, Mr . kelada, Mr and Mrs Ramsays got chanced to have dinner in the same table . Mr. ramsays was in the consular service posted at Kobe , Japan . He had spent one year in alone in japan because his salary was very low . Now he had come to take his wife with him . Mr. kelada said that he was going to japan to examine pearls . He saw a pearls chain around mrs ramsays neck and said that they were original . When Mr. Ramsays told him to guess the price, he said that they could cost upto 30, 000 dollars . but when Mr. Ramsay said that they were false , he didn’ t believe and they had bet of one hundred dollars . When Mr. Kelada was going to check the pearls , Mrs ramsay looked nervous. Although the pearls were original , Mr. kelada said that they were false to save Mrs . Ramsays . The next day when she returned his money , the writer was surprised to know the reality . He also know that Mr. kelada was really mr . know all. Then he began to like Mr. kelada.

Interpretation:
The writer may be trying to show humanity and nature of women. Outer cover can never represents the inner reality . Although Mr. kelada is hated by all, he is proved to be the best example of humanity . He became fool and lost money and prestige but he saved the happy married life of Mr and Mrs Ramsay . This story also shows the duel character of women.

Critical thinking:
Although this story gives the moral lession. Some ideas of the writer are not convincing . After reading this story we can ask some questions. If alcohol was not allowed to carry how did Mr. kelada offet cocktail to the writer ? Did Mr. kelada know everything ? Then why did people hate him?

Assimilation :
I am very much affected by this story. After reading this story, I know that we can’t judge people from their appearance . This story also taught me that it is not easy to understand the character and secrecy of women. Now I won ’ t believe in women easily.