Анализ отрывка из романа «Разрисованная вуаль» У.С. Моэма «Walter did not come back to dinner that evening...» (Английская Литература)

The text I’m going to analyze is taken from the novel «The Painted Veil» by William Maugham. Since I’ve already read the whole book I suppose it would be easier for me to interpret its separate parts. The given extract refers to when Kitty and Walter live in Mei-tan-Fu, the city which is seized with the cholera epidemic. The subject of the passage is the main character, Kitty. I believe that the author’s goal is to shape her feelings into words as so to make them visible for a reader. He does not try to tell about her state directly but he turns to an indirect way of narration through the usage of various stylistic devices.

As we know, the whole novel is titled «The Painted Veil». In our English classes, I and my groupmates guessed why W. S. Maugham chose this title which seems to have nothing in common with the plot. We concluded that ‘the painted veil’ represents the fake side of a person’s life that he usually shows while being with other people. «The Painted Veil» is what we see when we meet someone who tends to conceive some facts he or she does not want other people to know because he or she is afraid of being poured ridicule on. «The Painted Veil» opens when Kitty meets real-life tragedies face to face. In this extract, we see the sincere woman who is combating her fears and fatigue. A woman whose veil has flown away left her alone with the troubles.

Though the whole text represents the narration the composition is not homogenous. The subject of the narration is not just a sequence of events; it varies from paragraph to paragraph. In the second paragraph, William Somerset uses a psychological insight as though to make a reader put his feet in Kitty’s shoes. The third paragraph refers to her past where there was a place for Charlie whose drawing takes its part here. The last-but-one paragraph is filled with predictions concerning the future of Kitty and her child’s. A few sentences here are devoted to Walter whose as Kitty suggests will be still with her. Though the passage is not rich in events its composition is rather inquisitive because it touches on both the past and the future, Charlie and Walter. In my opinion, such a way of narration is chosen to highlight Kitty’s shaky state. She is ashamed of her future with Charlie but she is not sure whether she is destined to see it. The narration is led by an author outside the story. He is a guide whose main is to develop the character of the woman for a reader to make it more touchable.

As I’ve already mentioned the story takes place in Mei-tan-Fu, China. I am not sure about the date so I will not have a guess. The settings are unique that’s why I think that it is impossible to imagine the novel taking place in some other place. The area especially in this part of the novel bears the greatest importance to both characters’ development and raising actions. It is an epidemic city filled with death and grief where the brave nuns boldly fight the illness which is primarily a verdict for Kitty.

ut it is the place where this naughty girl acquires her power.

Kitty is waiting for Walter who is expected to come to dinner. In a short while, Kitty sits at the table with no desire to eat. She sits on the chair immersing in a strange state which is caused by her exhausted body and soul. She reflects on her life thinking about all she has been going through and all she is going to face. After all, she can hardly keep her eyes open. Exhausted with her thoughts she falls asleep.

If I am told to I would divide this text into 4 parts with the titles «Exposition», «Weightlessness», «Past» and «Future» accordingly. The part «Exposition» covers the first paragraph which indicates the general situation. The title «Weightlessness» may seem inappropriate, but I guess this abstract noun perfectly describes a person who has lost his life path. As I have already noted the paragraphs number four and five refers to certain periods of Kitty’s life that’s why I’ve titled them in such a way that highlights it.

Undoubtedly the key mood of the extract is a lyrical one. The narration goes slowly with no unpredictable events. It perfectly matches with the mental state of the protagonist whose tiredness brings about indifference towards everything. The lyrical mood has risen with various stylistic devices that enrich the language in expressiveness. The row of the flowery metaphors starts with the first one: «sinking into the long rattan chair» which is used to highlight how worn out this woman is. She hardly feels her body which like a dead one falls into the hold of the chair. The next lexical stylistic device is metonymy which is used in the sentence «The silence rested her. » Silence is the thing that brings peace and quiet that’s why it is commonly associated with the rest. When a person is flat out he is itching to find a safe place to be alone. This device also underlines that Kitty is a tired person looking for shelter just to catch her breath. The sentence «Her words floated upon the surface of her mind» contains a bright metaphor. The implicit similarity is between Kitty’s scattered thoughts which are so hard to catch and the clouds slowly floating upon the sky. In the same sentence we also see the simile through via the word «like» which also emphasizes their likeness: «like little white clouds reflected on a still lake». The next sentence I want to draw your attention to is «It was singular that, though their way of life so profoundly moved her, the faith which occasioned it left her untouched». Here Maugham uses antithesis which aims at emphasizing how contradictory woman’s feeling. Even for her, it is hard to explain why the nun’s faith has left her untouched when their way of lay has impressed her so strongly. There is also a syntactic stylistic device known as «asyndeton» which is used in the following sentences: «She gave a little sigh: perhaps it would make…»; «… Superior of her unhappiness and its cause; but she dared not: she could not bear…»; «… how indifferent it left her; she could not see…». The asyndeton leaves an impression of the incomplete thoughts which are like pieces of paper spread over Kitty’s mind. The passage is not deprived of the irony which can be observed in this sentence: «It was like making a blunder at a party; there was nothing to do about it, it was dreadfully mortifying, but it showed a lack of sense to ascribe too much importance to it. » This comparison partially eases the narration’s tone and demonstrates what the character thinks about her mistake. Another ironic moment is in this fragment: «… so that he might not seem to have a paunch. » The author laughs at Charlie’s weak point concerning his appearance. Such epithets as «animal» and «repulsive» reveal his real personality that is hidden behind the perfect picture. It can be still observed in his facial features which cannot be hidden. The antithesis in the sentence «It was a pity that with his great qualities, his unselfishness and honour, his intelligence and sensibility, he should be so unlovable. » is a tool that shows how contradictory the reality can be. Sometimes you cannot explain why you feel in the way you do because there is no sensible reason for it. Though Walter was an unselfish, honourable, intelligent and sensitive man he cannot break the ice in Kitty’s heart. The fourth paragraph starts with the rhetorical question «And the future?» that shows how lost now she is. She hasn’t the answer neither has the author. I have heard that W. S. Maugham is a king of metaphors. After I’ve analyzed this extract I cannot agree with this quote more. The language used in the novel will probably astonish lovers of good literature.

The author does not state his opinion directly. Judging from the language he uses to tell us about his character he sympathizes with the character. As Kitty claims there is nothing to do about the mistakes she has already made. So does Maugham. They are nothing in comparison with the tragedy she is about being told. Well, I share the author’s point of view. Our life is too fragile to torment ourselves with some commonplace things. You never know what period you’re given on the Earth so do not waste your time on quarrels, worries or trifles.