Characters

The short story “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl features two characters: Billy Weaver and the landlady. 

Billy Weaver is one of the the main characters of the story. He arrives in town looking for accommodation and stops at the landlady’s boarding house, even if he previously made up his mind to check into a pub. He is impressed by the cozy atmosphere and does not realize that anything is wrong, even when it is too late.

The landlady is seen only through Billy’s eyes. She is a middle-aged woman who appears harmless. She is skilled in taxidermy and has several pets which are preserved in this way, in lifelike positions, which at first fool Billy into thinking they are alive. 

Billy Weaver

Outer characterization

Billy Weaver is the main character in the short story “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl. He is 17 years old. He lives in London, and he has a sister. He is most likely recently hired. At the beginning of the story, he travels by train to Bath, for work-related purposes, as he is told to find accommodations then report to the Branch Manager. He has never been to Bath before. Billy is dressed in a formal outfit: “a navy-blue overcoat, a new brown trilby hat, and a new brown suit”. According to the landlady, Billy is “tall and handsome" and has “beautiful teeth”. 

Inner characterization

Billy appears to be a young man who enjoys having fun. This is shown by his preference for a pub instead of a boarding house: “a pub would be more congenial than a boarding-house. There would be beer and darts in the evenings, and lot...