Mr.

Know All -- Questions for Discussion

Who is in the story and what do they do...??
Describe the following people and their relationship to each other..
the narrator
Mr. Kelada
Mr. Kelada's relationship to the other passengers on board the ship (before and after
the pearls)
Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey
Describe the events...
at dinner leading up to and including Mr. Kelada's appraisal of the pearls...
the next morning in Mr. Kelada's cabin on the ship
Did your opinions about the people in the story change...
Did your opinion of the narrator change !ow
Did your opinion of Mr. Kelada change !ow
What did the author do and how did he do it...??
"hat point#of#view is the story written from (e.g. first#person$ third#person limited$ third#
person omniscient$ alternating person)
!ow does the story's %&' affect your opinion of and beliefs about the people and events in
the story
Do you believe the narrator accurately describes the events and people in the story
"hen is the narrator correct in his thin(ing
"hen is the narrator incorrect in his thin(ing
Does the story's author share the opinions and %&' of the story's narrator
Describe the writer's true opinion of...
Mr. Kelada
)he narrator
)he Ramseys
"hy did the author choose to tell the story with...
his choice of the narrator
Mr. Kelada as the narrator's cabin#mate
with the Ramseys and the pearl discussion at dinner
Mr. Know-All by Somerset Maugham - pg 1
1
2
Mr Know-All
By Somerset Maugham
* was prepared to disli(e Max Kelada even before * (new him. )he war had +ust finished and
the passenger traffic in the ocean#going liners was heavy. ,ccommodation was very hard to
get and you had to put up with whatever the agents chose to offer you. -ou could not hope
for a cabin to yourself and * was than(ful to be given one in which there were only two
berths. .ut when * was told the name of my companion my heart san(. *t suggested closed
port#holes and the night air rigidly excluded. *t was bad enough to share a cabin for fourteen
days with anyone (* was going from /an 0rancisco to -o(ohama)$ but * should have loo(ed
upon it with less dismay if my fellow#passenger1s name had been /mith or .rown.
"hen * went on board * found Mr Kelada1s luggage already below. * did not li(e the loo( of it2
there were too many labels on the suitcases$ and the wardrobe trun( was too big. !e had
unpac(ed his toilet things$ and * observed that he was a patron of the excellent Monsieur
3oty2 for * saw on the washing#stand his scent$ his hair#wash$ and his brilliantine. Mr
Kelada1s brushes$ ebony with his monogram in gold$ would have been all the better for a
scrub. * did not at all li(e Mr Kelada. * made my way into the smo(ing#room. * called for a
pac( of cards and began to play patience. * had scarcely started before a man came up to
me and as(ed me if he was right in thin(ing my name was so#and#so.
4* am Mr Kelada$1 he added$ with a smile that showed a row of flashing teeth$ and sat down.
4&h$ yes$ we1re sharing a cabin$ * thin(.1
4.it of luc($ * call it. -ou never (now who you1re going to be put in with. * was +olly glad when *
heard you were 5nglish. *1m all for us 5nglish stic(ing together when we1re abroad$ if you
understand what * mean.1
* blin(ed.
4,re you 5nglish1 * as(ed$ perhaps tactlessly.
4Rather. -ou don1t thin( * loo( an ,merican$ do you .ritish to the bac(bone$ that1s what *
am.1
)o prove it$ Mr Kelada too( out of his poc(et a passport and airily waved it under my nose.
King 6eorge has many strange sub+ects. Mr Kelada was short and of a sturdy build$ dean#
shaven and dar(#s(inned$ with a fleshy$ hoo(ed nose and very large$ lustrous and li7uid
eyes. !is long blac( hair was slee( and curly. !e spo(e with a fluency in which there was
nothing 5nglish and his gestures were exuberant. * felt pretty sure that a closer inspection of
that .ritish passport would have betrayed the fact that Mr Kelada was born under a bluer s(y
than is generally seen in 5ngland.
4"hat will you have1 he as(ed me.
* loo(ed at him doubtfully. %rohibition was in force and to all appearances the ship was bone#
dry. "hen * am not thirsty * do not (now which * disli(e more$ ginger#ale or lemon#s7uash.
.ut Mr Kelada flashed an oriental smile at me.
4"his(y and soda or a dry Martini$ you have only to say the word.1
Mr. Know-All by Somerset Maugham - pg 2
3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
4
0rom each of his hip#poc(ets he fished a flas( and laid them on the table before me. * chose
the Martini$ and calling the steward he ordered a tumbler of ice and a couple of glasses.
4, very good coc(tail$1 * said.
'"ell$ there are plenty more where that came from$ and if you1ve got any friends on board$
you tell them you1ve got a pal who1s got all the li7uor in the world.1
Mr Kelada was chatty. !e tal(ed of 8ew -or( and of /an 0rancisco. !e discussed plays$
pictures$ and politics. !e was patriotic. )he 9nion :ac( is an impressive piece of drapery$ but
when it is flourished by a gentleman from ,lexandria or .eirut$ * cannot but feel that it loses
somewhat in dignity.
Mr Kelada was familiar. * do not wish to put on airs$ but * cannot help feeling that it is seemly
in a total stranger to put mister before my name when he addresses me. Mr Kelada$
doubtless to set me at my ease$ used no such formality. * did not li(e Mr Kelada. * had put
aside the cards when he sat down$ but now$ thin(ing that for this first occasion our
conversation had lasted long enough$ * went on with my game.
4)he three on the four$1 said Mr Kelada.
)here is nothing more exasperating when you are playing patience than to be told where to
put the card you have turned up before you have had a chance to loo( for yourself
4*t1s coming out$ it1s coming out$1 he cried. 4)he ten on the (nave.1 "ith rage and hatred in
my heart * finished. )hen he sei;ed the pac(. 'Do you li(e card tric(s1
48o$ * hate card tric(s$1 * answered.
4"ell$ *1ll +ust show you this one.1
!e showed me three. )hen * said * would go down to the dining#room and get my seat at
table.
4&h$ that1s all right$1 he said. 4*1ve already ta(en a seat for you. * thought that as we were in
the same state#room we might +ust as well sit at the same table.1 * did not li(e Mr Kelada.
* not only shared a cabin with him and ate three meals a day at the same table$ but * could
not wal( round the dec( without his +oining me. *t was impossible to snub him. *t never
occurred to him that he was not wanted.
!e was certain that you were as glad to see him as he was to see you. *n your own house
you might have (ic(ed him downstairs and slammed the door in his face without the
suspicion dawning on him that he was not a welcome visitor. !e was a good mixer$ and in
three days (new everyone on board. !e ran everything. !e managed the sweeps$
conducted the auctions$ collected money for pri;es at the sports$ got up 7uoit and golf
matches$ organi;ed the concert$ and arranged the fancy#dress ball.
!e was everywhere and always. !e was certainly the best#hated man in the ship. "e called
him Mr Know#,ll$ even to his face. !e too( it as a compliment. .ut it was at meal times that
he was most intolerable. 0or the better part of an hour then he had us at his mercy. !e was
hearty$ +ovial$ lo7uacious and argumentative. !e (new everything better than anybody else$
Mr. Know-All by Somerset Maugham - pg 3
5
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
6
and it was an affront to his overweening vanity that you should disagree with him. !e would
not drop a sub+ect$ however unimportant$ till he had brought you round to his way of thin(ing.
)he possibility that he could be mista(en never occurred to him. !e was the chap who (new.
"e sat at the doctor1s table. Mr Kelada would certainly have had it all his own way$ for the
doctor was la;y and * was frigidly indifferent$ except for a man called Ramsay who sat there
also. !e was as dogmatic as Mr Kelada and resented bitterly the <evantine1s coc(sureness.
)he discussions they had were acrimonious and interminable.
Ramsay was in the ,merican 3onsular /ervice$ and was stationed at Kobe. !e was a great
heavy fellow from the Middle "est$ with loose fat under a tight s(in$ and he bulged out of his
ready#made clothes. !e was on his way bac( to resume his post$ having been on a flying
visit to 8ew -or( to fetch his wife$ who had been spending a year at home. Mrs Ramsay was
a very pretty little thing$ with pleasant manners and a sense of humour. )he 3onsular
/ervice is ill paid$ and she was dressed always very simply2 but she (new how to wear her
clothes. /he achieved an effect of 7uiet distinction. * should not have paid any particular
attention to her but that she possessed a 7uality that may be common enough in women$ but
nowadays is not obvious in their demeanour. -ou could not loo( at her without being struc(
by her modesty. *t shone in her li(e a flower on a coat.
&ne evening at dinner the conversation by chance drifted to the sub+ect of pearls. )here had
been in the papers a good deal of tal( about the culture pearls which the cunning :apanese
were ma(ing$ and the doctor remar(ed that they must inevitably diminish the value of real
ones. )hey were very good already2 they would soon be perfect. Mr Kelada$ as was his
habit$ rushed the new topic.
!e told us all that was to be (nown about pearls. * do not believe Ramsay (new anything
about them at all$ but he could not resist the opportunity to have a fling at the <evantine$ and
in five minutes we were in the middle of a heated argument. * had seen Mr Kelada vehement
and voluble before$ but never so voluble and vehement as now. ,t last something that
Ramsay said stung him$ for he thumped the table and shouted=
4"ell$ * ought to (now what * am tal(ing about. *1m going to :apan +ust to loo( into this
:apanese pearl business. *1m in the trade and there1s not a man in it who won1t tell you that
what * say about pearls goes. * (now all the best pearls in the world$ and what * don1t (now
about pearls isn1t worth (nowing.1
!ere was news for us$ for Mr Kelada$ with all his lo7uacity$ had never told anyone what his
business was. "e only (new vaguely that he was going to :apan on some commercial
errand. !e loo(ed round the table triumphantly.
4)hey1ll never be able to get a culture pearl that an expert li(e me can1t tell with half an eye.1
!e pointed to a chain that Mrs Ramsay wore. 4-ou ta(e my word for it$ Mrs Ramsay$ that
chain you1re wearing will never be worth a cent less than it is now1
Mrs Ramsay in her modest way flushed a little and slipped the chain inside her dress.
Ramsay leaned forward. !e gave us all a loo( and a smile flic(ered in his eyes.
4)hat1s a pretty chain of Mrs Ramsay1s$ isn1t it1
4* noticed it at once$1 answered Mr Kelada. 46ee$ * said to myself$ those are pearls all right.1
4* didn1t buy it myself$ of course. *1d be interested to (now how much you thin( it cost.1
Mr. Know-All by Somerset Maugham - pg 4
7
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
8
4&h$ in the trade somewhere round fifteen thousand dollars. .ut if it was bought on 0ifth
,venue * shouldn1t be surprised to hear that anything up to thirty thousand was paid for it.1
Ramsay smiled grimly.
4-ou1ll be surprised to hear that Mrs Ramsay bought that string at a department store the day
before we left 8ew -or($ for eighteen dollars.1 Mr Kelada flushed.
4*t1s not only real$ but it1s as fine a string for its si;e as *1ve ever seen. "ill you bet on it *1ll
bet you a hundred dollars it1s imitation.1
4Done.1
4&h$ 5lmer$ you can1t bet on a certainty$1 said Mrs Ramsay.
/he had a little smile on her lips and her tone was gently deprecating.
43an1t * *f * get a chance of easy money li(e that * should be all sorts of a fool not to ta(e it.1
4.ut how can it be proved1 she continued. 4*t1s only my word against Mr Kelada1s.1
><et me loo( at the chain$ and if it1s imitation *1ll tell you 7uic(ly enough. * can afford to lose a
hundred dollars$1 said Mr Kelada.
4)a(e it off$ dear. <et the gentleman loo( at it as much as he wants.1 Mrs Ramsay hesitated a
moment. /he put her hands to the clasp.
4* can1t undo it$1 she said. 4Mr Kelada will +ust have to ta(e my word for it.1
* had a sudden suspicion that something unfortunate was about to occur$ but * could thin( of
nothing to say.
Ramsay +umped up.
4*1ll undo it.1
!e handed the chain to Mr Kelada. )he <evantine too( a magnifying glass from his poc(et
and closely examined it. , smile of triumph spread over his smooth and swarthy face. !e
handed bac( the chain. !e was about to spea(. /uddenly he caught sight of Mrs Ramsay1s
face. *t was so white that she loo(ed as though she were about to faint. /he was staring at
him with wide and terrified eyes. )hey held a desperate appeal2 it was so clear that *
wondered why her husband did not see it.
Mr Kelada stopped with his mouth open. !e flushed deeply. -ou could almost see the effort
he was ma(ing over himself
4* was mista(en$1 he said.1 *t1s a very good imitation$ but of course as soon as * loo(ed
through my glass * saw that it wasn1t real. * thin( eighteen dollars is +ust about as much as
the damned thing1s worth.1
!e too( out his poc(et#boo( and from it a hundred#dollar note. !e handed it to Ramsay
without a word.
Mr. Know-All by Somerset Maugham - pg 5
9
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
10
4%erhaps that1ll teach you not to be so coc(sure another time$ my young friend$1 said Ramsay
as he too( the note.
* noticed that Mr Kelada1s hands were trembling.
)he story spread over the ship as stories do$ and he had to put up with a good deal of chaff
that evening. *t was a fine +o(e that Mr Know#,ll had been caught out. .ut Mrs Ramsay
retired to her state#room with a headache.
8ext morning * got up and began to shave. Mr Kelada lay on his bed smo(ing a cigarette.
/uddenly there was a small scraping sound and * saw a letter pushed under the door. *
opened the door and loo(ed out. )here was nobody there. * pic(ed up the letter and saw that
it was addressed to Max Kelada. )he name was written in bloc( letters. * handed it to him.
4"ho1s this from1 !e opened it. 4&h?1
!e too( out of the envelope$ not a letter$ but a hundred#dollar note. !e loo(ed at me and
again he reddened. !e tore the envelope into little bits and gave them to me.
4Do you mind +ust throwing them out of the port#hole1
* did as he as(ed$ and then * loo(ed at him with a smile.
48o one li(es being made to loo( a perfect damned fool$1 * said. 4"ere the pearls real1
4*f * had a pretty little wife * shouldn1t let her spend a year in 8ew -or( while * stayed at
Kobe$1 said he.
,t that moment * did not entirely disli(e Mr Kelada. !e reached out for his poc(et#boo( and
carefully put in it the hundred#dollar note.
Mr. Know-All by Somerset Maugham - pg 6
11
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
12