# The Artist as Outcast in The Moon and Sixpence

> Theme guide for The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham.

Strickland is depicted as a social outcast—selfish, brutal, and indifferent to others—yet his isolation is portrayed as necessary for his art, suggesting that true creativity often requires alienation from society.

## Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/i): Strickland is portrayed as a figure who made enemies, lived obscurely, and whose character was outrageous, yet his art is celebrated.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/ii): The narrator positions himself as an outsider in the literary scene, 'on the shelf' and out of step with the younger generation, mirroring the artist's isolation.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/iii): The narrator describes the literary circle as a 'mystic brotherhood' and notes the strange, unreal quality of the writers he meets, highlighting the artist's separation from ordinary society.
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xi): Strickland's isolation in a mean street, living in squalor, foreshadows his role as an artist who has abandoned social conventions.
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xiii): Strickland's rejection of social norms and polite behavior isolates him from conventional society.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xiv): Strickland's isolation from society and his indifference to blame position him as a monstrous outcast, driven by an uncontrollable creative instinct.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xv): Strickland's pursuit of art isolates him from his family and society, which views his passion as madness or selfishness, reinforcing the theme of the artist as an outcast.
- [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xviii): Stroeve is both a social outcast due to his buffoonish nature and a figure of pity, yet his sincere devotion to art sets him apart from more cynical contemporaries.
- [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xx): Strickland's ragged appearance and defiant attitude highlight his rejection of societal norms.
- [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xxi): Strickland works in isolation, scorns fame and public opinion, and lives a life wholly of the spirit, alienated from conventional society.
- [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xxiii): Strickland lives in poverty, refuses to conform, and alienates those around him, embodying the outcast artist.
- [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xxiv): Strickland's severe illness and poverty in a squalid attic highlight his rejection of societal norms and his isolated life as an artist.
- [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xxvi): Strickland's indifference to comfort, his rude and ungrateful behavior, and his inhuman quality mark him as an outcast even among those who care for him.
- [Chapter XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xxvii): Strickland's aggressive isolation and rejection of Stroeve's company underscore the artist's role as an outcast even among peers.
- [Chapter XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xxxiv): Strickland's abrupt departure after the quarrel and his emotional detachment highlight his role as an outcast who disrupts conventional relationships without remorse.
- [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xxxvi): Blanche's isolation and tragic end reflect the outcast status of those entangled with Strickland's artistic obsession.
- [Chapter XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xxxviii): Stroeve feels like an outcast after years of ridicule and Blanche's betrayal, seeking refuge in his childhood home.
- [XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xl): Strickland's social outcast status is highlighted by the narrator's revulsion and his own indifference to others' opinions.
- [XLI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xli): Strickland's complete indifference to social norms and his rejection of human bonds highlight his role as an outcast driven by artistic compulsion.
- [XLIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xliii): Strickland is depicted as living in Paris more lonely than an anchorite, indifferent to money and fame, and asking only to be left alone, embodying the artist as an outcast from society.
- [XLIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xliv): Strickland's sardonic humor, rudeness, and lack of conversational skill set him apart from society, reinforcing his role as an outcast artist.
- [XLVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xlvi): Captain Nichols, like Strickland, is a rogue and outsider, belonging to no class and living on the fringes of society.
- [XLVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xlvii): Strickland lives as a vagabond and outcast, painting a portrait for Tough Bill in exchange for supplies, illustrating his rejection of conventional society.
- [XLVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xlviii): Strickland is dismissed as a failed painter and beachcomber in Tahiti, yet his art later achieves fame, highlighting the artist's marginalization.
- [XLIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/xlix): Strickland's poverty, isolation, and inability to conform to regular employment highlight his role as an outcast, even in the remote setting of Tahiti.
- [LII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/lii): Strickland lives apart from society, isolated in the jungle, fully devoted to his art and his new life away from conventional expectations.
- [LIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/liii): Strickland lives isolated from society, forgotten by the world, yet finds fulfillment in his art, reinforcing his role as an outcast artist.
- [LV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/chapters/lv): Strickland's leprosy physically manifests his social and artistic isolation, yet he continues to paint obsessively, even on the walls of his decaying house.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/themes/the_artist_as_outcast
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_and_sixpence_se/themes