The text under analysis is written by British playwright, novelist and short story write Somerset Maugham. The story “The Ant and the Grasshopper” reveals the paradox of Appearance and Reality, it’ s one of his
“somersault stories” in which every move is opposite to what can be expected.
In еhe story we have the theme of justice, trust, fear, morality, embarrassment, happiness and struggle. The story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator.
George Ramsey has worked all his life and has set aside some money to provide for his retirement. He has been diligent and astute unlike his brother Tom. However rather than being satisfied that he will have a peaceful retirement George can’t believe that Tom has inherited a half a million pounds. There is a sense that George feels as though there was an injustice in life. It is very much the ant (George) versus the grasshopper (Tom).
Just as the grasshopper made no provisions for the winter. Tom too made no provisions for his future. The narrator’s reaction to Tom’s success in life is also interesting as it mirrors his feelings towards the ant. The author begins the story with a well-known fairy tale, about «The Ant and the Grasshopper»
From the first lines we notice irony in narrator’s speech.
Ex.: Admirable fable, classic answer.
The language at the beginning of the story is quite expressing, strong and forcible as lots of bookish words and phrases are used there
Ex.
Rewarded, giddiness, perversity, inconsequence, prudence, seek to, could not help.
As the story progresses we come to know about 59-year men and his scapegrace brother. The theme of contrast goes through all the story. It’s just One family but two brothers, two different personalities and life styles.
With a help of numerous literary devices, the author tries to show the inner side of each character:
To describe George and his attitude to his brother Tom the author uses the following devices:
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Simile:
“He looked as though the burden of the whole world sat on his shoulders”
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Hyperbole:
“You’ve done everything in the world for him”
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Irony:
“He had never taken more than a fortnight holiday’s in the year for a quarter of a century”
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Pararell constructions:
“He had a good wife to him he had never been unfaithful even in thought and four daughters to whom he was the best fathers”
It is clear to the reader that George has struggled through life. Looking after his wife and family and at the same time making sure that he has a substantial pension to help him in retirement. The certain opposition is the description of Tom and his life:
To show his position and status in the family the author uses
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Metaphor:
“I suppose every family has a black sheep “
“Tom had been a trial to his for 20 years”
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In description of Tom’s hilarious life, we meet anaphora:
“He wanted to enjoy himself. He would listen to no expostulation. He left his wife and his office. He had a little money and he spent to happy years in the various capitals of Europe.
He certainly had a very good time. He was charming and unscrupulous.”
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To add emotion and produce some sort of shock value the other uses zeugma and oxymoron:
“He left his wife and his office”
“He was charming and unscrupulous “
“He had a little money and he spent to happy years in the various capitals of Europe”
“He was in most to me using companion and though you knew he was perfectly worthless you could not but enjoy his society”
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Some Chiasmus can be found in his description:
“He made a steady income from his friends and he made friends easily “
“Tom Ramsay knew everyone and everyone you knew Tom Ramsay”
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Ellipsis:
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“Half a 1mln pounds, a yacht, a house in London, and a house in the country”
The contrast can be found not only in description of two brothers but in Tom’s character as well.
On one hand, Tom is charming, Easy going, an amusing companion, good looking, hilarious man.

On the other hand, Tom is unscrupulous, lazy, arrogant, wild, thoughtless, selfish, dishonest, a gambler, dishonorable.
Comparing Tom to George he has not struggled at all. He has gone from one calamity to another and has often been bailed out of trouble by George due to George’s fear of embarrassment. He has borrowed money off not only George, but others too and never paid any of the money back. To an outsider Tom might be untrustworthy.
However, he is charming enough that people find it easy to lend him money even though they may never get the money back. In modern terms Tom might be considered, rightly or wrongly, to be a lovable rogue or scoundrel. A man who charms people by deception, yet the same people can’t help but like Tom’s character.
All these characterize Tom as a too faced person.
Speaking about narrator’s attitude to the characters it’s obvious that he has a dubious opinion concluding to the piculiar use of adjectives. The narrator is quite critical and ironical to George.
Whether it is insensitive of the narrator to laugh there is no disputing that he likes and supports Tom Ramsey.
Something that is noticeable by the fact that the narrator attends dinners with Tom. If anything, the narrator has been true throughout the story favouring the grasshopper over the ant.
There is also no doubting that the happiest character in the story is Tom. Not only because he has inherited half a million pounds but because he has lived his life as he wants to. Even if that life has been at the expense of others. It is also ironic that though Tom has made no significant contribution to society he at the end of the story is the most successful of all the characters. This fact one more time supports the idea of irony in the text.
Nevertheless, that the story is build up on the contrast and Tom and George are two different personalities, there is something that Tom and George have in common. George and Tom have one thing in common. A love for money. Though money is a necessity in life both men are also aware of its power and its ability to influence others.