LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #56. The Moon and Sixpence (authored by William Somerset Maughm)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#56. The Moon and Sixpence

The Moon and Sixpence is a well-known classic novel by William Somerset Maughm. The background setting of this novel takes us back to the time period of the late 1800s and early 1900s. The story is told by a writer who is remembering events from his past. At the beginning, he describes his early adult life in London, where he spends time with writers and people interested in literature. Through a friend, he gets to know Mrs. Strickland and later meets her husband, Charles Strickland, a stockbroker who becomes the main character of the novel.

At first, the narrator sees Strickland as a boring and serious man. Because of this, it shocks everyone when Strickland suddenly abandons his family and goes to Paris, leaving her poor and alone. Mrs. Strickland asks the narrator to travel to France and find him. Since rumors suggest that Strickland eloped with another woman, the narrator expects a scandal. But when he finally meets Strickland in Paris, he discovers something surprising: there is no woman involved. Instead, Strickland has left for a completely different and unexpected reason.

 

(Charles Strickland said) “Life isn’t long enough for love and art.”

ð     Charles Strickland means to say that total dedication to artistic creation requires sacrificing one’s private life such as emotional relationships, comforts, and social conventions. He believes "love" (i.e., emotional attachment) is an inferior, distracting, and temporary illusion, while "art" is a consuming, permanent pursuit worthy of his entire existence. Charles Strickland abandons his wife, children, and career to pursue painting, demonstrating that for him, art is not a hobby but a necessary, all-consuming passion. That is, he views romantic love as a distraction and even a "disease". It is because he believes that humanity "can do nothing except love," making it a low-priority distraction for a genius. Through this line, Charles justifies his selfish, often cruel behavior. He treats people as instruments, not human beings, because he deems social niceties secondary to his creative mission. "The Moon" (symbolizing high art/ideals) is prioritized over the "sixpence" (symbolizing comfort, family, and social standing).  

 

(narrator of the story): “To the acute observer no one can produce the most casual work without disclosing the innermost secrets of his soul.”

ð     Narrator suggests that creating art is an attempt to express deep emotions or a state of mind, which is connected to Charles Strickland whose unusual and troubled personality can be understood through his paintings. Even small or casual works can show a person’s true feelings, personality, and hidden thoughts—especially to someone who observes carefully. In other words, an artist’s inner self naturally appears in their art.

Even if artists try to hide their emotions or act differently, their work still reflects their real instincts and emotions. A thoughtful viewer or critic can read between the lines by looking beyond unimportant details and better understand the artist’s personality and way of thinking.  

 

“Love is absorbing; it takes the lover out of himself; the most clear-sighted, though he may know, cannot realize that his love will cease; it gives body to what he knows is illusion, and, knowing it is nothing else, he loves it better than reality. It makes a man a little more than himself, and at the same time a little less. He ceases to be himself. He is no longer an individual, but a thing, an instrument to some purpose foreign to his ego.”

ð     Although the narrator speaks about romantic love, it mainly explains Strickland’s relationship with art. His desire to paint becomes so strong that he ignores comfort, reputation, and even the pain he causes others. Art controls his life completely. This describes love as a powerful force that can completely take over a person’s life and thinking. It suggests that love—or any deep passion—can make someone lose control of themselves and become devoted to something greater than their own needs.

Through this quote of the narrator, we assume that love can create a fantasy that feels more important than reality. Even if people know the feeling may not be completely real, they still choose to believe in it because it gives their life meaning and intensity. A person deeply in love or obsessed with a passion can stop thinking about their own happiness. They become like a tool or servant to that emotion or goal.

Love can make someone feel more powerful, emotional, or inspired than before. At the same time, it can weaken their independence because they are controlled by their feelings. Even logical people often cannot imagine their passion ending. While they are experiencing it, the emotion feels permanent and overwhelming.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

The novel is widely understood to be influenced by the life of French Post-Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin. Much like Gauguin—who resigned from his financial career at the age of 34 after the French stock market collapse to pursue art—Strickland gives up a stable, conventional lifestyle to follow his artistic ambitions.

While reading this story, I have repeatedly found myself asking: ‘what would I do if I were torn between a powerful, all-consuming passion and my family? Would I be willing to leave them behind in order to pursue my dream? And if I did, could I still consider my life truly happy?’

My answer is no. I do not believe I would feel genuinely fulfilled if I caused pain to my loved ones by choosing personal ambition over them. Some might argue that prioritizing family over one’s own passion means failing to fully “own” one’s life, or lacking the courage to chase personal dreams. They might ask, “Why be so cautious? Where is your confidence to pursue what you want?” I, in turn, would ask them the same question and listen to their response.

I do not judge artists like Gauguin or the character Strickland in the novel as simply selfish. However, I do believe that as mature and responsible individuals, we must accept accountability for our choices. When we commit to a family, we also accept the responsibility to care for their emotional well-being, even if this sometimes requires sacrificing personal ambitions or giving up certain dreams. I would not describe someone who makes such a sacrifice as a coward. Rather, I would see them as a quiet hero carrying an unfulfilled dream with dignity.