The Landlady By Roald Dahl Analysis

In the short story “The Landlady” the author Roald Dahl demonstrated the lesson that when something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Throughout the story the protagonist, Billy, is welcomed in to a seemingly perfect Bed and Breakfast by a sweet, old lady who turns out to have a twisted side to her.
At the beginning of the story the Bed and Breakfast seems exactly too good to be true because the cost was much lower than expected. Dahl writes, “It was fantastically cheap. It was less than half of what he had been willing to pay.” Through this quote the reader understands that this Bed and Breakfast is extremely good pricing and that because of the great deal it seems a bit strange of why a place so nice is so inexpensive. However after Dahl writes “‘If that is too much,’ She added, ‘then perhaps I can reduce it just a tiny bit.’” By adding this, it adds a sensation that the landlady will do anything in order to make sure that Billy stays there.
Next, the landlady who seems kind but somewhat odd makes a couple comments that sounds as if she is shopping at a store. She says, “‘I see someone standing there who is just exactly right…like you’” This doesn't just seem like a faltering compliment. It seems as if she is looking at like she was a child in a candy store.

The text states, “her blue eyes travelled slowly all the way down the length of Billy’s body.” The lady keeps checking him out like she is proud of what she has earned by having him stay.
Shortly after, Billy notices that his is the only coat on the coat rack and he questions if there are any other visitors staying. The landlady says “‘We have it all to ourselves.’ She said, smiling at him over her shoulder.” However, a while after he is informed that he is the only visitor the landlady states, “‘But my dear boy, he never left. He’s still here. Mr. Temple is also here. They’re on the third floor, both of them together.’” At this point in the story the reader has a clear view that something wacky will happen. Why would the landlady first state that there is nobody else but then contradict that statement unless she were hiding something?
After Billy notices that the bird in the window and the dog by the fire are actually not alive the lady explains, “‘I stuff all my little pets myself when they pass away.

Will you have another cup of tea?’” It is a bit sinister to stuff old pets yourself and keep them on display in your living space. Also once explaining this the landlady quickly changes the subject so that Billy wont have time to speculate on that information. Billy then declined the offer for more tea because he thought “…the tea tasted faintly of bitter almonds.” From that information the reader can infer that there may be some poison in the tea because bitter almonds extract a poison called hydrogen

cyanide.
The story ends with the landlady telling Billy once again that he is the only other person visiting. “…she said. ’Only you.’” From this cliffhanger and ominous foreshadowing the reader can infer that the Billy’s story didn't end very well. After reading this short story the reader knows that if something seems too good to be true it probably is.