The Moon and Sixpence

well done

As the notes above mention, Maugham derived much of "The Moon and Sixpence" from the life of Paul Gauguin. And although Charles Strickland (Gauguin's proxy in the novel) is at the center, he is in fact not the main character. Let me explain.

First, Maugham formed his novel around several different characters. None of these are Strickland himself.

First is Strickland's wife -- and indeed when the narrator first meets her, Strickland himself is a non-entity. And when he throws it all away to become a painter, it is a total surprise (or would be, if one didn't know what was coming from elsewhere). Later the novel shifts to follow Dirk Stroeve, friend of the narrator and acquaintance of Strickland. Finally Maugham turns to the narrator's discussions with people who knew Strickland after he had gone to the South Seas.

So Strickland's presence is actually quite minimal. But in the end I think that is not surprising. Because he is not the real main character.

The real main character is art. That is where the action is, and that is -- I think -- why Maugham wrote "about" Strickland/Gauguin, made the painter a thoroughly unpleasant character, and then made him a creator of wonderful beauty.

The point is, in the end, how art and beauty supersede the individual, and come to mean something completely beyond him or her. This may sound like wannabe nonsense. But Maugham develops and explores the theme without a hint of pretense or condescension.

Since this is Maugham, it goes almost without saying that the writing is excellent, and the characters themselves memorable and well-drawn.

Totally recommended. Even -- maybe especially -- for people skeptical about modern art.

This is an excellent book on genius.