The Moon and Sixpence · Chapter
XVII explained
The narrator decides to move to Paris, feeling stagnant in London.
What happens
The narrator decides to move to Paris, feeling stagnant in London. Before leaving, he visits Mrs. Strickland, who has become successful with her typing business but remains concerned with social appearances. She expresses no interest in her husband's fate but offers conditional financial help if he is in need.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak of Dirk Stroeve’s complete s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Convention vs. Individuality
The narrator's decision to leave London contrasts with Mrs. Strickland's adherence to social conventions and her concern for appearances.
- Gender Roles and Marriage
Mrs. Strickland's discomfort with her own business success and her refusal to let her daughter work or act highlight restrictive gender expectations.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Decides to leave London for Paris, feeling stale and seeking a fresh start.
- Mrs. Strickland
Has built a successful typing business, but is preoccupied with social status and her children's futures.
Key passages
“We were like tramcars running on their lines from terminus to terminus, and it was possible to calculate within small limits the number of passengers they would carry.”
The narrator feels that life in London has become predictable and monotonous, like a tram following a fixed route.
The narrator expresses his desire for change and escape from routine.
“It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.”
The narrator reflects that suffering usually makes people small and resentful, contrary to the common belief that it improves character.
The narrator's cynical view of Mrs. Strickland's offer to help her husband.
