The Moon and Sixpence · Question
How does The Moon and Sixpence develop the theme of The Primitive and the Civilized?
Answer
The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham develops The Primitive and the Civilized across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Strickland finds his true artistic voice in Tahiti, where the primitive, untamed environment allows him to shed the constraints of European civilization and connect with a more elemental, sensual way of life.
Strickland is described as having something primitive, partaking of obscure forces of nature, like a satyr or faun, and possessing a sensuality that seems curiously spiritual.
Strickland is described as having an untamed, wild quality, likened to 'wild beings of the world’s early history' and a satyr, highlighting the clash between primal instinct and civilized norms.
Strickland's primitive cruelty contrasts with Dirk's civilized compassion and the nurse's serene kindness.
Evidence in the book
- XXVI
Strickland is described as having something primitive, partaking of obscure forces of nature, like a satyr or faun, and possessing a sensuality that seems curiously spiritual.
- Chapter of Reflection on Blanche Stroeve's Betrayal
Strickland is described as having an untamed, wild quality, likened to 'wild beings of the world’s early history' and a satyr, highlighting the clash between primal instinct and civilized norms.
- XXXV
Strickland's primitive cruelty contrasts with Dirk's civilized compassion and the nurse's serene kindness.
- XLI
Strickland's raw, instinctual desire is described as a primitive force, contrasting with the civilized expectations of society.
- XLV
The chapter contrasts the orderly, English nature of Wellington with the wild, mysterious beauty of Tahiti, emphasizing the island's primal allure.
- XLVII
The chapter contrasts the brutal, primitive life of Marseilles' low quarters with the civilized comfort the narrator knows, highlighting Strickland's immersion in a raw, savage existence.
- XLIX
Strickland's immediate sense of home in Tahiti contrasts with his rejection of European society, suggesting a deep affinity for a more 'primitive' way of life.
- LI
The contrast between Strickland's life in the bush with Ata and the European society he left behind underscores the theme of returning to a simpler, more 'primitive' existence.
