Skin (short story)
Encyclopedia
Skin is a macabre short story
written by author Roald Dahl
.
It is featured in 'A Roald Dahl Selection', a compilation of several short stories by Dahl that has been edited by Roy Blatchford.
parlor owner named Drioli walks through the streets of Paris
. When he passes by an art gallery and sees a painting by Soutine
, he reminisces about a time long-ago when they were friends. Thirty years earlier, Soutine had been in love with Drioli's wife Josie. Once when they were all drunk, Drioli asked Soutine to paint a picture on Drioli's back and then tattoo over it. Josie posed for it, and Drioli still has the tattoo on his back. During the Second World War, Josie died and Drioli lost his business, being forced into panhandling.
Drioli enters the art gallery, and shows the crowd his incredible tattoo. Several people make bids for it, also inquiring after Drioli's health because the picture actually does not have any value as long as he is alive. Two men in particular offer unusual proposals. One says he will pay for a skin-grafting operation so that the artwork may be removed from Drioli's back, and that he will also pay for the artwork thus obtained; other patrons warn that Drioli would never survive the surgery. The other man, claiming to be the owner of the Bristol Hotel in Cannes
, asks Drioli to become an employee of the hotel and to live a life of luxury while exhibiting his back to the guests, somewhat like a model. Drioli, who is hungry, accepts the latter's proposal (though actually he doesn't like this man's appearance) and leaves the gallery with him. His new "patron" invites Drioli to have a good meal together and asks him how he wants to have his duck.
The narrator
then explains that there is no Bristol Hotel in Cannes, and that a heavily varnish
ed painting matching exactly the description of Drioli's tattoo turned up for sale at an auction in Buenos Aires
a few weeks later. The implication is that the alleged hotel owner murdered Drioli in order to obtain the art on his back. Rather than stating this explicitly, the narrator says that the evidence "causes one to wonder a little, and to pray for the old man's health, and to hope fervently that wherever he may be at this moment, there is a plump attractive girl to manicure the nails of his fingers, and a maid to bring him breakfast in bed in the mornings."
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
written by author Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
.
It is featured in 'A Roald Dahl Selection', a compilation of several short stories by Dahl that has been edited by Roy Blatchford.
Plot summary
On a cold night in 1946, a former tattooTattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
parlor owner named Drioli walks through the streets of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. When he passes by an art gallery and sees a painting by Soutine
Chaim Soutine
Chaïm Soutine was a Jewish painter from Belarus. Soutine made a major contribution to the expressionist movement while living in Paris....
, he reminisces about a time long-ago when they were friends. Thirty years earlier, Soutine had been in love with Drioli's wife Josie. Once when they were all drunk, Drioli asked Soutine to paint a picture on Drioli's back and then tattoo over it. Josie posed for it, and Drioli still has the tattoo on his back. During the Second World War, Josie died and Drioli lost his business, being forced into panhandling.
Drioli enters the art gallery, and shows the crowd his incredible tattoo. Several people make bids for it, also inquiring after Drioli's health because the picture actually does not have any value as long as he is alive. Two men in particular offer unusual proposals. One says he will pay for a skin-grafting operation so that the artwork may be removed from Drioli's back, and that he will also pay for the artwork thus obtained; other patrons warn that Drioli would never survive the surgery. The other man, claiming to be the owner of the Bristol Hotel in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, asks Drioli to become an employee of the hotel and to live a life of luxury while exhibiting his back to the guests, somewhat like a model. Drioli, who is hungry, accepts the latter's proposal (though actually he doesn't like this man's appearance) and leaves the gallery with him. His new "patron" invites Drioli to have a good meal together and asks him how he wants to have his duck.
The narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
then explains that there is no Bristol Hotel in Cannes, and that a heavily varnish
Varnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner or solvent. Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss...
ed painting matching exactly the description of Drioli's tattoo turned up for sale at an auction in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
a few weeks later. The implication is that the alleged hotel owner murdered Drioli in order to obtain the art on his back. Rather than stating this explicitly, the narrator says that the evidence "causes one to wonder a little, and to pray for the old man's health, and to hope fervently that wherever he may be at this moment, there is a plump attractive girl to manicure the nails of his fingers, and a maid to bring him breakfast in bed in the mornings."