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szdaily -> Budding Writers -> 
Review of ‘The Moon and Sixpence’
    2018-08-15  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

“The Moon and Sixpence” is a novel written by English author W. Somerset Maugham. It talks about Charles Strickland, a middle-aged English stockbroker, who abruptly abandons his wife and children to pursue his desire to become an artist. The story is based on the life of painter Paul Gauguin.

It took me a long time to finish reading this novel, which was totally different from my normal quick reading speed. It was not because the novel is long; it was because of the behavior of the main character, which really confused me.

Live a stable life and do what seems good for you, or live a thrilling life and do what makes you happy. This question perplexes almost everyone, and I think most of us would choose the first option. I do not want to discuss about the advantages of either choice, though I think the choice of the masses would likely be more reasonable. Here I want to talk about the second choice of Strickland, the main character.

Strickland is an out-and-out romanticist. For him, wealth, honor, and those physical barriers enjoyed by mere mortals are all meaningless. They are just the chains of desire, a rancid and filthy substance. Only art and an ideologically beautiful dream are worth pursuing. Although he has been badly hurt by the pursuit of his dreams before, he quickly bestirs himself and keeps running to it. For art, for this so-called beauty, everything can be sacrificed, including his wife, children, harmonious family life, and his own responsibilities.

Strickland’s wife is a lonely and unfortunate woman who has to overwork to earn a living instead of being a cheerful housewife. This is because of Strickland, who abandons his duty to be a responsible husband and father. He also destroys another happy family life by stealing the wife of Stroeve away. However, in the end, Stroeve chosses to die to end her pain, all because Strickland abandons the responsibility to love and be loved. How can a morally handicapped person have the qualifications to pursue ideological perfection? Can we say that selfishness can be glorified under the name of art? Is the plain life, because of its stability and harmony, not worthy of being admired?

To look up at the beautiful stars, one needs to be down-to-earth. The moon symbolizes a brave and far away dream, whilst the sixpence symbolizes a normal and happy life. Admittedly, the moon is so pure and beautiful, but what makes our life colorful is that unremarkable tiny sixpence.

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