c. Answer the following questions in about 30 words each.
1. How did the woman know the narrator? Why did she want to meet him
2. What impression did the narrator gather of the woman when he met her
3. Why was the narrator panic-stricken while they were waiting for the asparagus
to be cooked?
4. Why did the narrator order coffee for himself also?
5. What is the waiter's contribution in allowing the woman to have a gorgeous meal?
Answers
Answer:
1) The woman knew the narrator through his works and was an ardent fan of his. She used to write letters to him all the time, appreciating his pieces and she wanted to meet him for lunch since they were both in Paris.
2) The narrator gathers a vivid image or impression of her when he meets her for the first time at Foyot's. He sees her as a talkative and unattractive woman in her forties.
3) The narrator was panic-stricken as they waited for the asparagus to be cooked since he was worried that he wouldn't have enough money to pay for all the extravagant dishes the woman was ordering and that he wouldn't be able to save any of the money for himself for his expenditure for the rest of the month.
4) The narrator was trying his best to keep the bill to a minimum. He had cut down his coffee intake over the past few weeks to save up for the lunch and even ordered the cheapest dish, mutton chops, at the brunch. However, the woman was ordering expensive dishes and got coffee. The narrator didn't get coffee for himself to avoid that cost.
5) After the meal was almost done, the waiter walked past their table with a basket of peaches, which tempted the woman. She took one and started eating it. In this manner and by constantly recommending dishes to her, the waiter ensured the woman's joy in brunching at Foyot's.