The Real Thing and Other Tales

"The Real Thing and Other Tales" by Henry James is a compilation of stories from the late 1800s that dives into the intricacies of who we are, how we see the world, and what's actually real, using the characters' lives as a window. These stories put a spotlight on the confusing parts of social expectations and what people show the world. "The Real Thing" starts off with an artist's surprise encounter with Major Monarch and his wife. The artist first thinks they want to be painted, but then learns they just want to be in a book cover, struggling with their fall from an easy life. Their desires and circumstances lead the artist to question what he thinks about them, especially when he imagines them as possible figures in his art, leading to an exploration of genuine substance versus outward appearances. While they may embody the "real thing" in many ways, he wonders if they have what it takes to truly come alive on canvas.