“The Happy Man”
Analysis “The Happy Man”
Ринчино Сарюна, гр. 02194
I’m going to analyze a novel “The Happy Man” by Somerset Maugham, a well-known English novelist, short-story writer, playwright and essayist. William Somerset Maugham was born in Paris, educated at King’s school in Canterbury and studied to be a doctor at St. Thomas Hospital in England. He was one of the best known writers of his time as hi was master of short stories.
The story starts with the narrator thinking and telling the reader about his attitude to giving advice to somebody. He thinks it to be quite difficult and even impossible to give the right advice as “we know nothing of the others”. He tells that once a man, Stephens by name, came to his apartment to ask whether it was worth going to Spain to live. The author doesn’t happen to know Stephens before and it seems for him quite odd. Stephens tells the author about his life and job and asks if there is any opportunity for a surgeon to work in Spain. The author tells him about his attitude to it and Stephens goes away. Many years later the narrator happens to be in Seville and there he meets Stephens. The story ends with Stephens thanking the author.
Though the story is told by the narrator, the main character of the story is Stephens. His character is dynamic as he becomes fully another person to the end of the story. Somerset Maugham characterizes Stephens indirectly, but it isn’t very difficult to understand what kind of person he is through his actions, appearance and behavior. In the beginning of the story Stephens is described as a diffident, disillusioned, disappointed person. He tells only a few words about his life as if there were not any pleasant memories. He doesn’t say too much about his wife, job and it is clear that he isn’t satisfied with his marriage and job. He wants to start a new life but still hesitates.
But in the end of the story we can see completely different person. He becomes more confident. The author writes about Stephens
Ринчино Сарюна, гр. 02194
I’m going to analyze a novel “The Happy Man” by Somerset Maugham, a well-known English novelist, short-story writer, playwright and essayist. William Somerset Maugham was born in Paris, educated at King’s school in Canterbury and studied to be a doctor at St. Thomas Hospital in England. He was one of the best known writers of his time as hi was master of short stories.
The story starts with the narrator thinking and telling the reader about his attitude to giving advice to somebody. He thinks it to be quite difficult and even impossible to give the right advice as “we know nothing of the others”. He tells that once a man, Stephens by name, came to his apartment to ask whether it was worth going to Spain to live. The author doesn’t happen to know Stephens before and it seems for him quite odd. Stephens tells the author about his life and job and asks if there is any opportunity for a surgeon to work in Spain. The author tells him about his attitude to it and Stephens goes away. Many years later the narrator happens to be in Seville and there he meets Stephens. The story ends with Stephens thanking the author.
Though the story is told by the narrator, the main character of the story is Stephens. His character is dynamic as he becomes fully another person to the end of the story. Somerset Maugham characterizes Stephens indirectly, but it isn’t very difficult to understand what kind of person he is through his actions, appearance and behavior. In the beginning of the story Stephens is described as a diffident, disillusioned, disappointed person. He tells only a few words about his life as if there were not any pleasant memories. He doesn’t say too much about his wife, job and it is clear that he isn’t satisfied with his marriage and job. He wants to start a new life but still hesitates.
But in the end of the story we can see completely different person. He becomes more confident. The author writes about Stephens