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33
hollowness of possessed genius with which Maugham instills Stickland
in the book.
In a plummeting step-by-step fall you get to know Strickland.
Maugham begins with what is a super ordinary man ("He was null. He
was probably a worthy member of society, a good husband and father,
an honest broker; but there was no reason to waste one's time over
him.") Maugham spends a calculated amount of time describing to you
the ordinariness of Strickland's life and character, here, of Strickland
and his wife:
They would grow old insensibly; they would see their son and
daughter come to years of reason, marry in due course – the one a
pretty girl, future mother of healthy children; the other a handsome,
manly fellow, obviously a soldier; and at last, prosperous in their digni-
fied retirement, beloved by their descendants, after a happy, not unuse-
ful life, in the fullness of their age they would sink into the grave.
This builds you up for the descending into Strickland's empty
soul. And one day in a natural Sartrian movement of absolute freedom,
Strickland just leaves. Something must have smoothly and silently bro-
ken inside of him to make him just move away. He has no more emo-
tion, and Maugham spends the rest of the book expertly showing us this
in contact after contact between the narrator and Strickland.
In meeting after meeting, Strickland proves himself to be nothing
else but empty of normal response ("Then, what in God's name have
you left her for?" – "I want to paint.") He "just wants to paint," which is
an extremely mild way of putting that he needs to madly pursue a gen-
ius demon inside of him. Strickland simply repeats, "I've got to paint"
until finally he is confronted with "You are a most unmitigated cad" to
which he replies, "Now that you've got that off your chest, let's go and
have dinner."
34
He is so dry it makes you laugh. But then you realize that Strick-
land is seriously empty and the emotions waver to sadness and then dis-
gust for him. You are not expecting how removed Strickland is from
normal social behavior and you begin guessing what has happened in-
side of him. Maugham has a way of letting you identify with the narra-
tor ("I could not struggle against his indifference.").
Strickland has "the directness of the fanatic and the ferocity of
the apostle." He becomes not so much an intricate character but a fan-
tastically unbelievable character. In fact, describing Strickland the man
becomes the goal of the book.
Does Strickland not have the same morals as the pursuer of Lo-
lita? It is an all-out pursuit of beauty, and that is the only moral rule.
When confronted that if everyone acted like him, "the world couldn't go
on," Strickland replies, "That's a damned silly thing to say. Everyone
doesn't want to act like me. The great majority are perfectly content to
do the ordinary thing." This is not really impressive reasoning, but rea-
soning is not what Strickland does well.
"You evidently don't believe in the maxim: Act so that every one
of your actions is capable of being made into a universal rule."
– "I never heard it before, but it's rotten nonsense."
– "Well, it was Kant who said it."
– "I don't care; it's rotten nonsense."
The narrator (does the narrator have a name?) continues to reason
with Strickland, but to no avail, there is no end to his depth of indiffer-
ence, he simply doesn't feel those feelings that others feel about social
commitment and responsibility towards others.
I enjoyed seeing how those back in England responded to the
news of him in Paris. They try to understand him ("Charles Strickland
hollowness of possessed genius with which Maugham instills Stickland He is so dry it makes you laugh. But then you realize that Strick-
in the book. land is seriously empty and the emotions waver to sadness and then dis-
In a plummeting step-by-step fall you get to know Strickland. gust for him. You are not expecting how removed Strickland is from
Maugham begins with what is a super ordinary man ("He was null. He normal social behavior and you begin guessing what has happened in-
was probably a worthy member of society, a good husband and father, side of him. Maugham has a way of letting you identify with the narra-
an honest broker; but there was no reason to waste one's time over tor ("I could not struggle against his indifference.").
him.") Maugham spends a calculated amount of time describing to you Strickland has "the directness of the fanatic and the ferocity of
the ordinariness of Strickland's life and character, here, of Strickland the apostle." He becomes not so much an intricate character but a fan-
and his wife: tastically unbelievable character. In fact, describing Strickland the man
They would grow old insensibly; they would see their son and becomes the goal of the book.
daughter come to years of reason, marry in due course – the one a Does Strickland not have the same morals as the pursuer of Lo-
pretty girl, future mother of healthy children; the other a handsome, lita? It is an all-out pursuit of beauty, and that is the only moral rule.
manly fellow, obviously a soldier; and at last, prosperous in their digni- When confronted that if everyone acted like him, "the world couldn't go
fied retirement, beloved by their descendants, after a happy, not unuse- on," Strickland replies, "That's a damned silly thing to say. Everyone
ful life, in the fullness of their age they would sink into the grave. doesn't want to act like me. The great majority are perfectly content to
This builds you up for the descending into Strickland's empty do the ordinary thing." This is not really impressive reasoning, but rea-
soul. And one day in a natural Sartrian movement of absolute freedom, soning is not what Strickland does well.
Strickland just leaves. Something must have smoothly and silently bro- "You evidently don't believe in the maxim: Act so that every one
ken inside of him to make him just move away. He has no more emo- of your actions is capable of being made into a universal rule."
tion, and Maugham spends the rest of the book expertly showing us this – "I never heard it before, but it's rotten nonsense."
in contact after contact between the narrator and Strickland. – "Well, it was Kant who said it."
In meeting after meeting, Strickland proves himself to be nothing – "I don't care; it's rotten nonsense."
else but empty of normal response ("Then, what in God's name have The narrator (does the narrator have a name?) continues to reason
you left her for?" – "I want to paint.") He "just wants to paint," which is with Strickland, but to no avail, there is no end to his depth of indiffer-
an extremely mild way of putting that he needs to madly pursue a gen- ence, he simply doesn't feel those feelings that others feel about social
ius demon inside of him. Strickland simply repeats, "I've got to paint" commitment and responsibility towards others.
until finally he is confronted with "You are a most unmitigated cad" to I enjoyed seeing how those back in England responded to the
which he replies, "Now that you've got that off your chest, let's go and news of him in Paris. They try to understand him ("Charles Strickland
have dinner."
33 34
