# What Appearance vs. Reality means in The Lodger

> The Buntings' respectable, comfortable home and their own 'pleasant cosy picture of married life' mask their desperate poverty and the lodger's murderous secret, illustrating how outward respectability can conceal inner decay and danger.

## Explanation

The Buntings' respectable, comfortable home and their own 'pleasant cosy picture of married life' mask their desperate poverty and the lodger's murderous secret, illustrating how outward respectability can conceal inner decay and danger.

Mr. Sleuth appears to be a quiet, respectable lodger, but his true nature and activities are hidden beneath this facade.

The Buntings' clean, well-furnished room and respectable appearance conceal their desperate poverty and hunger.

The stranger appears as a gentleman but behaves oddly; the top-floor rooms look bare and mean to Mrs. Bunting but delight Mr. Sleuth, hinting at hidden purposes.

Mr. Sleuth's request to turn pictures to the wall and his reading of scripture contrast with his unsettling behavior.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/concepts/cos-appearance-vs-reality
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se
- All concepts: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_lodger_se/concepts