Curtis Junior High
“The Landlady” Character Analysis Essay
What a Lady!
Student Name
Ms. Jermstad, Period X
February 12, 2009
How many people present their true character traits the first time they meet someone?
Most people put on a façade in the hopes of fooling others. Roald Dahl, in his short story, “The
Landlady,” presents an old landlady antagonist who reveals her interesting personality slowly.
She lures Billy Weaver, the protagonist, into her Bed and Breakfast in order to kill him and
present him as a stuffed animal. Throughout the entire pursuit of Billy, the landlady proves she
has unique character traits. The antagonist is hospitable, crafty, and creepy.
In the beginning, the landlady warmly welcomes Billy Weaver into her Bed and
Breakfast. After she invites Billy in, she says, “‘[The room is] all ready for you, my dear” (Dahl
173). Billy walks into a comfortable environment with a fireplace and peaceful animals. The
landlady has a room ready for the traveling boy. To make the place even more appealing, the
woman offers Billy the small price of “Five and sixpence a night, including breakfast” (Dahl
173). No one would walk away from such a generous offer, especially, a young boy who does
not have much money. In fact, it would be foolish to walk away from such a deal. The generosity
the landlady gives Billy illustrates her personality.
Using careful skill and cunning art, the landlady also fools Billy into thinking she
possesses no danger. To get him to stay in her Bed and Breakfast, she flatters him and tells him
he is “just exactly right” (Dahl 174). Billy enjoys the compliments and stays.
Later, the two boardinghouse residents are having a discussion about the lost men who may have
been connected to the landlady and Billy starts to see her deception. Using her craftiness, she
averts the conversation, and Billy no longer thinks ill of the woman. The sneaky landlady
deceives Billy.
The landlady’s most evident character trait, creepiness, leaves the reader feeling
disturbance. The entire time that the naïve boy resides in the Bed and Breakfast, the woman
follows him around and stares at him. The narrator tells the reader, “He could feel her eyes
resting on his face, watching him over the rim of her teacup” (Dahl 177). Another disturbing
thought is that no one else is in the Bed and Breakfast and no one has been there for two years.
Dahl lets his reader assume she kills and stuffs her guests for decoration. Every move the
landlady makes is eerie.
Although the landlady seems like a harmless old lady, she has many other surprising
character traits. She intrigues Billy by welcoming him, deceiving him, and making him feel
uncomfortable. As her hunting of Billy continues, she proves she has human character traits, no
matter how strange they are. Most people have interesting character traits.