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One of the characteristics of Realism, in American literature at least, is the ironic use of perceptions of "appearance" vs. "reality." With this in mind, Henry James's "The Real Thing" and "The Beast in the Jungle" are two works wherein such characteristics can be shown to operate as James employs cleverly woven twists of "appearance" and "reality" in each of the plots.



In James's "The Real Thing," the plot is centered on an unnamed artist and his interactions with two sets of models: the Monarchs (members of genteel society), and Miss Churm and Oronte (members of the working class). The ironically named Monarchs are a couple who appear as though they have "ten thousand a year" but whose lives diverge dramatically from the literal definition of a monarch. Upon introduction to the artist, they unwittingly deceive him into initially assuming that they are interested in commissioning a portrait; in fact, the Monarchs are seeking work as sitters. The case of mistaken identity......

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