On a Chinese Screen · Question
How does On a Chinese Screen develop the theme of Loss of Tradition and Modernity?
Answer
On a Chinese Screen by W. Somerset Maugham develops Loss of Tradition and Modernity across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The book mourns the erosion of ancient Chinese civilization—its temples, philosophy, and social order—under the pressure of Western influence and modernization, embodied by the 'last philosopher' and the students who tear down the old without building anything meaningful in its place.
The minister laments the decay of temples and the loss of reverence among Western-educated students, contrasting the beauty of ancient art with the emptiness of modern change.
The old pilot's nostalgia for the days of tea clippers and reckless gambling contrasts with the present indifference of younger men, symbolizing the erosion of a once-thriving maritime culture.
The coolies' timeless, unchanging labor from childhood to old age reflects a tradition of suffering that persists despite modernity, highlighting the loss of individual dignity.
Evidence in the book
- V: The Cabinet Minister
The minister laments the decay of temples and the loss of reverence among Western-educated students, contrasting the beauty of ancient art with the emptiness of modern change.
- X: The Glory Hole
The old pilot's nostalgia for the days of tea clippers and reckless gambling contrasts with the present indifference of younger men, symbolizing the erosion of a once-thriving maritime culture.
- XX: The Beast of Burden
The coolies' timeless, unchanging labor from childhood to old age reflects a tradition of suffering that persists despite modernity, highlighting the loss of individual dignity.
- XXVIII: The Dining-Room
The faded grandeur of the dining room symbolizes the loss of a once-thriving colonial lifestyle and the encroachment of modernity.
- XXXI: The Stripling
The contrast between the traditional causeway, burial grounds, and villages and the youth's bold, forward-looking ambition hints at the tension between old ways and new aspirations.
- XXXVIII: The Philosopher
The philosopher laments the decline of Confucian learning and the rise of Western education, symbolized by his daughter being the 'last flower of this great nation’s Fall.'
- LVIII: A Libation to the Gods
The scene contrasts the old woman's quiet, devout ritual with the busy, indifferent harbor, suggesting the erosion of traditional religious practices in the face of modern commerce and change.
