The Painted Veil Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Painted Veil - Literature review ExampleW. Somerset Maughams sassy the Painted Veil is today recognized as a 20th century classic. The novel itself takes its title from a Percy Bysshe Shelley sonnet that states, Lift non the painted veil which those who live / Call Life (Maugham, ix). One considers that both the sonnet and the title hold a great degree of insight into the novels inter-workings. Specifically, the novel follows a variety of characters through personal challenges and foibles that are revealed after removing the metaphorical painted veil. This recognition carries with it a number of read questions for the novel. For instance, is the work a bildungsroman -- a novel of development or is it merely a critique of human impuissancees? This essay argues that the novel functions to demonstrate that life is the perennial negotiation between moments of development and human weakness, and as such the central theme is one of adaptation and flip. Analysis Throughout the nov el tremendous periods of change occurs, most notably in slew Fanes life. The most notable developmental change in Kittys life occurs in place relation to the specific places she lives and the people she encounters. One considers Kitty Fanes life throughout the early stages of the novel as largely seeking a much firmly established identity or goal. In the early stages of the novel Kittys weak identity is established as she faces pressure from her sustain to marry. The text notes that, Mrs. Garstin was a hard, cruel, managing, ambitious, parsimonious, and stupid woman (Maugham, p. 19). This cruel and managing influence becomes a central area of concern in the novel as it drives much of Kittys decision-making. Not being able to recognize her mothers social ambitions, Kitty rushes herself into an unhappy marriage with Walter Fane. Of course a notable teddy bear in Kittys life occurs as she moves to Mei-tan-fu. Upon moving here, Kitty states, I feel like one of those old sailors wh o set sail for undetected seasand I think my soul hankers for the unknown (Maugham, p. 153). This is a highly significant statement within the text as it indicates that Kitty has achieved a new occasion in life. To an extent the notion of this area as contributing to Kittys new purpose in life is directly attributed to her becoming comport-to doe with with the French nuns these individuals work with the poor and take care of the orphans in the area. One considers that throughout a great portion of Kittys life her actions have been motivated out of self-interest and her mothers irrational expectations. Her move to Mei-tan-fu then has allowed her to remove herself from her dysfunctional and ineffective adulterous affair with Charlie Townsend, as wellspring as discover and throw herself into a life-pursuit that extends beyond her immediate self-interests. These are both things that she could not achieve in London or in compound Hong Kong. art object Mei-tan-fu largely represents a period of awakening and stability for Kitty one recognizes that this peace is soon punctured by further moments of human weakness and strife. Despite Kittys new sense of purpose, her relationship with Walter is still recognized as containing considerable strife. Even Kittys newfound purpose and stability is not able to rectify the situation with Walter. It is not long before he gains cholera. It seems that to an extent Maugham implements Walters cholera as a change of symbolic comment on the nature of their relationship as sick of dysfunctional. The text states, I do not know what Walter has in that dark, twisted listen of his, but Im shaking with terror. I think it may be that death will be really a release (Maugham, p. 220). While Kitty is vague as to whose death would be a release it seems clear that the cholera in this instance functions outside of the direct realms of a spell device and more in terms of a symbolic comment on the nature of the relationship. From the perspec tive of the novel as one of development it seems