If anything the narrator appears to be comfortable in his own skin.
He doesn’t need to involve himself with others or push his opinion on others. This could be important as it might suggest that the narrator has a degree of humility. He is sure of himself if not confident without having to boost his ego by way of giving others advice. However it is also possible that the narrator is solid in his consideration of who he himself is. In many ways some critics might suggest that the narrator is protecting himself from others and it may be a case that he does not want to bear the responsibility of guiding someone in the wrong direction.
Somerset maugham short stories in spanish full#
His guiding principle is that everyone is different and that he himself may not necessarily have a full insight into how another person thinks or why they act a certain way. The narrator himself, like Stephens, appears to be a relatively happy man. Mistakes are easily made and the narrator believes that it is better for an individual to make the mistakes for themselves rather than be guided by someone else. It is by following this directive that the narrator ensures that he will live a peaceful life and not be the one responsible for a new found calamity in someone else’s life. Again responsibility for change rests entirely with the individual themselves. He is also ensuring that he cannot be blamed should an individual’s life change negatively due to any actions they might take. It is for this reason that the reader suspects that the narrator declines on giving advice to others.
What might work for one person may not necessarily work for another. It might also be a case that Maugham is suggesting that everybody’s circumstances are different. In that way nobody but the individual can be blamed for the decisions they have made. If anything responsibilities for an individual to make changes in their life should be left entirely to the individual themselves. Some people like Stephens will be successful while others might make the wrong choice or take the wrong path and only end up making their lives worse. This could be important as Maugham through the narrator could be suggesting that at the end of the day only the individual themselves can make a decision as to whether or not to make changes in their life.
Somerset maugham short stories in spanish how to#
The reader aware that the narrator does not feel qualified to tell others how to live their life. There is a sense that he is uncertain as to whether any advice he gives to an individual will be of benefit to them. It is also noticeable that the narrator is hesitant to give advice not only to Stephens but to others too. If anything Maugham may be criticising life in England and giving favour to a life in Spain.
Maugham may be making comparisons about the quality of life in both countries. This may be important as by having Stephens find happiness in Spain rather than in England. Stephens though full of doubt when he spoke to the narrator about a possible move to Spain has found complete happiness. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Maugham may be exploring the theme of uncertainty. Somerset Maugham we have the theme of uncertainty, happiness, change, humility and gratitude.
0 kommentar(er)
