- The main character Adolph Knipe is an engineer, employed to build a great automatic computing engine by Mr. Bohlen. After the success of the computing machine, Knipe is told to take a vacation. However, Knipe dreams of building a machine to create stories and novels. He spends his "vacation" designing the machine and after much reluctance, Mr. Bohlen agrees to finance the project. The machine is a success and Knipe "buys" out all the competition. At the end of the story, it becomes clear that a t least one half of the books published this were produced by the machine.
- An interesting element in the story is the perspective from which it is written. It is narrated from another writer, one who is now in poverty, being forced to choose whether to accept the "golden" contract across his desk or let his children starve.
- "... Today, as the secret spreads, many more are hurrying to tie with Mr. Knipe. And al the time the screw turns tighter for those who hesitate t sign their names. This very moment, as I sit here listening to the howling of my nine starving children in the other room, I can feel my own hand creeping closer and closer to that golden contract that lies over on the other side of the desk. Give us strength, Oh Lord to let our children starve."
- This quote not only relates to the story but life today. Everyone is being forced to conform and amalgamate into monster corporations/cliques and it seems like we don't have a choice.
The Butler:
- The story is about a butler named Tibbs. His employer, George Cleaver is a nasty man who wishes to climb the social ladder. However, his dinner parties never have any spark. One day, Tibbs suggests serving superb wine. Cleaver sends Tibbs to find the greatest wines in the world. Tibbs, manages to get ahold of some great wines but the parties are still lifeless. One day, Tibbs suggests that he instruct the chef (Monsieur Estragon) to stop putting vinegar in the salad dressing because vinegar is the enemy of wine. Cleaver than mocks the butler at the next dinner party saying that Tibbs said he can't taste his wine if he has a little vinegar with the salad dressing. However, the tables turn when Tibbs reveals that he has served him the same cheap wine he always had and that he and Monsieur Estragon had the expensive wine themselves. With that, they promptly quit and drive away in a small car they own together.
- Although George Cleaver is the millionaire and powerful one, his vocabulary is quite low class and rude. He uses words like "Hogwash, Flippin" and bad grammar in general. This creates a stronger bond with the butler whose manners and language make him seem like the more "upperclass" and better man.
- "The wine you are drinking sir... happens to be that cheap and rather odious Spanish red..."
- At this point, Cleaver had just mocked the butler. After hearing Mr. Cleaver brag about how much he knows about wine, it felt like he really got is comeuppance.
The Landlady:
- This is perhaps the creepiest short story in the book. It is about a young man named Billy Weaver who travels to another town on a business meeting. His train arrives late at night and he passes by sign that said "Bed and Breakfast". He is immediately drawn to the building and peers through the windows and sees that it is a lovely charming place. He is about to look at another hotel when he has a strange and sudden urge to knock on the door. At once, a lady comes to the door and welcomes him in. She tells him that his room is ready and he can't seem to refuse. The only thing she asks is he should sign the guest book. After washing up, he goes downstairs to sign it. There are only two entries before him, the first being three years old. The name seems to ring a bell and when he asks her if he was in the news, he denies it. In fact, she tells Billy that both guests have never left and that they are still here.
- Right from the beginning, you know there is something wrong. As the story continues, things becomes more and more suspenseful which keeps the reader glued to the page. A very good technique that Roald Dahl uses in when Billy starts to recall the first guest's name in the paper. " Wait just a minute. Mulholland... Christopher Mullholland... wasn't that the name of the Eton school boy who was on a walking tour through the West Country, and then all of a sudden..." "Milk?" As you can see, Billy is just a few words away from revealing what happened to the other guests but is interrupted. He almost has it but is deterred by the creepy lady.
- "Excuse my asking, but haven't there been any other guests here except them in the last two or three years?... No, my dear, she said. Only you."
- At this point, its clear that something fishy is going on, something almost magical. The last sentence almost sends a chill down your spine because the reader feels like the young man is finished, already under some strange spell.
