Mabel Analysis

Mabel by W. S. Maugham
Short story analysis

At the beginning, I would like to say some things about the title of the story. It doesn‘t represent anything significant, because it is only a woman‘s name and reader can‘t forecast what is going to happen in the story. The reader can only guess that Mabel is protagonist‘s name. The title doesn‘t states the cause of the conflict. This story comprises all four mine elements of the plot. The exposition lies in the opening paragraph. It represents the setting in which the action takes place. It is the journey to Mandalay, the narrator is in Pagan in Burma. It is just a short stay at the riverside village. He comes to a pleasant little club where he meets a man sitting on the veranda. He is tall, thin, with a big moustache, wear khaki shorts and a khaki shirt. His name is George. Here we meet very important character – secretary (a flat character, who doesn’t change through the story), who is telling the story about George, and the reader for the first time confronts Mabel‘s name. She is inactive character, because about her we know only from the others, but she is the main character at the same time because this story is about her. The time of the story is not indicated. But as we see the atmosphere is friendly, warm and homelike. It is interesting that the story is told by the secretary to the stranger who doesn‘t even know characters personally. He has only seen George for a short moment. But these means make the story exceptional. The development takes up most of the story. Here the author reveals Mabel‘s temper. She is round character because she changes through the story. She is stubborn and strong woman which knows what she wants very well and knows how to get it. George is a round character as the Mabel. He is weak and timid man which is afraid to strike a snag. The development includes three episodes. First episode represents the scene where George makes all arrangements for the marriage and he goes to