All Just a Facade

The Monarchs were stiff aristocrats and the narrator was a lower class than the couple. Yet, the Monarch’s were the one’s in need of the painter while the Monarchs ended up being no use for the narrator. As Henry James’ “The Real Thing” progressed, the narrator’s views on the Monarchs changed.

In the opening scene, the narrator judges the couple bases purely on appearance, as they looked wealthy. He believes that they have been recommended to him to have a portrait drawn of them, but in fact they are looking to exhibit their services as models. Not only does he believe they are wealthy, but the narrator also thinks that they are the “real thing”. He has bought the fact that they are the real version of what he must convey in a painting. So, he believes that they are the perfect models for his upcoming book.

At the end of the story, it is obvious his view has changed completely. He understands that they are not in fact wealthy, and although they are labeled “aristocrats” they aren’t the real thing. Their clothing and attitude is just a facade of grandeur, and the painter notices it. In the end, the narrator’s “real” aristocrats are cleaning his dishes.