# Futility of Western Superiority in On a Chinese Screen

> Theme guide for On a Chinese Screen by W. Somerset Maugham.

The narrative critiques the arrogance of Westerners who believe in their racial and technological superiority, yet are shown as spiritually empty, corrupt, or hypocritical, while the Chinese philosopher argues that Western dominance rests solely on the machine gun, not on moral or cultural excellence.

## Where it surfaces

- [II: My Lady's Parlour](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/ii-my-lady-s-parlour): Despite her efforts, the room is only a 'decent substitute' for the real English article, underscoring the impossibility of fully transplanting one's culture.
- [VI: Dinner Parties](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/vi-dinner-parties): The characters' self-importance and ignorance of local culture underscore the futility of their colonial posture.
- [I: Legation Quarter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/i-legation-quarter): The first secretary's flawless taste and self-assuredness are portrayed as both impressive and absurd, undercutting the notion of Western cultural superiority by revealing its emptiness and performative nature.
- [VII: The Altar of Heaven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/vii-the-altar-of-heaven): Untermeyer's attempt to assert his presence and achieve immortality is rendered meaningless by the caretaker's casual act, underscoring the futility of Western pretensions in the face of ancient culture.
- [XX: The Beast of Burden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xx-the-beast-of-burden): The chapter challenges the notion of Western superiority by revealing the coolies' endurance and the narrator's useless compassion, questioning the moral authority of the observer.
- [XXI: Dr. Macalister](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xxi-dr-macalister): The doctor's transformation from an idealistic missionary to a pragmatic businessman suggests the erosion of Western moral superiority in the face of practical realities.
- [XXVII: Sullivan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xxvii-sullivan): Despite his linguistic skill and cunning, Sullivan is utterly undone by a single act of Chinese authority, challenging any notion of Western invincibility.
- [XXIX: Arabesque](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xxix-arabesque): The wall's immense scale and the suffering it represents challenge any notion of Western superiority, highlighting the profound and alien grandeur of Chinese civilization.
- [XXXIII: The Song of the River](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xxxiii-the-song-of-the-river): The raw, agonizing song of the coolies challenges any notion of Western superiority, revealing the brutal reality of human endurance against nature.
- [XXXIV: Mirage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xxxiv-mirage): The man's ignorance of Chinese language and culture, and his reliance on American magazines for excitement, underscores the futility and self-imposed limitations of Western superiority in a foreign land.
- [XXXVII: The Seventh Day Adventist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xxxvii-the-seventh-day-adventist): The missionary's sense of superiority is undercut by his ignorance of Chinese culture and his mechanical approach to his mission, suggesting the emptiness of such attitudes.
- [XXXVIII: The Philosopher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xxxviii-the-philosopher): The philosopher argues that Western superiority is based solely on technological violence, not moral or intellectual achievement, and predicts its eventual collapse.
- [The Old Timer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xlv-the-old-timer): Despite a life of adventure and authority, the old timer ends up penniless and alone, suggesting the emptiness of Western colonial pursuits.
- [XLVII: Failure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xlvii-failure): The man's theatrical self-assurance and belief in his own capacity, despite clear failure, illustrate the hollow pretense of Western superiority in the colonial context.
- [XLVIII: A Student of the Drama](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xlviii-a-student-of-the-drama): The narrator's condescending attitude toward the professor's academic specialization and the professor's inability to engage with Chinese philosophy suggest the limits of Western intellectual frameworks.
- [XLIX: The Taipan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xlix-the-taipan): Despite his power and wealth, the Taipan is haunted by a mysterious grave and dies suddenly, underscoring the fragility of Western dominance and the ultimate futility of his material success.
- [L: Metempsychosis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/l-metempsychosis): The narrator's interpretation of the old man's past life as a philosopher who juggled facts suggests a critique of intellectual arrogance, which parallels Western assumptions of superiority.
- [LIII: The Sea-Dog](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/liii-the-sea-dog): Captain Boots' gentle, coaxing approach with the Chinese contrasts with typical Western assertiveness, yet his methods sometimes fail, highlighting the limits of Western control.
- [LVII: A City Built on a Rock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/lvii-a-city-built-on-a-rock): Despite Western assumptions of superiority, the narrator admits that sympathy and knowledge fail to provide any hold on the lives of the Chinese, rendering the observer powerless and baffled.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/themes/the_futility_of_western_superiority
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/themes