Sample Plot Summary- An Uncomfortable Bed

Sample Plot Summary- An Uncomfortable Bed

In “An Uncomfortable Bed” by Guy de Maupassant, the main character faces an internal conflict where he tries to outsmart his friends, antagonists, but winds up tricking himself instead.

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As the story unfolds, the main character, who is also the narrator, travels to a country home to join his friends who have gathered for hunting and relaxation. However, he fears that his friends are out to play a practical joke on him, so he anticipates an event that will make him the target of the joke (conflict).

The narrative continues when late at night everyone retires to bed, and the main character expects the practical joke to be played in his bedroom. He searches for any unusual sign of mischief in his bedroom but finds none.

The rising tension in the tale comes at the time when the man must go to sleep. He cleverly inspects the bed for trouble and finds none. He places the bed onto the floor and slowly falls asleep feeling that no trouble will come to him.

At the climax of the story, the man is awakened in the darkness of his room when a body falls on top of him, scaring the daylights out of him. He fights to get the body off but soon realizes that the body is of the butler who has come to serve the morning tea. All of his friends come to hear the commotion, and laugh their heads off when they see him on the floor with the butler on top of him.

As a resolution to the conflict of the main character, his efforts to evade being victim to a practical joke backfired on him. He comes to realize that the joke is on him.