The Moon and Sixpence-Maugham

2022.11.07 Reality and ideals, the embodiment of human nature. This book is both simple and profound. Strickland, the protagonist, is a talented painter and a late bloomer (? I don't know if this word is used here correctly). His courage in pursuing his ideals is what I need to learn from, but from a moral perspective, he is indeed deeply disgusted with his irresponsible family and his views on women. It just seemed that it was because of these that he was restrained. The contradictions and complexity of human nature are vividly reflected in this book.

I look at Strickland from the author's point of view and think he is a strange person, but if I look at it from Strickland's point of view, I think he is a real person. As the saying goes, madmen and geniuses are always in the same mind, but if you think about it from another perspective, maybe the crazy thing is the world. They never think that they are madmen and geniuses. These are the evaluations given to them by others. Why do you say this, because there is never any real empathy in the world.

For ordinary people, you can pick up the sixpence as long as you lower your head, but you have to sit on a rocket to touch the moon. When you go to pick up six pennies, you will temporarily lose sight of the moon, but Strickland has always walked firmly to get close to the moon. When people around him pity him and help him, he will reach out to take it, but he will look at the people who pity him indifferently or even with contempt. Yes, he only has the moon in his eyes.

The routine life is boring, which breeds fantastic ideas. The greatness of a person comes from the perseverance deep in the heart. I admire the protagonist's perseverance and courage. If possible, I think I will have the capital in the future to give up everything to pursue what I want.

In a society where sixpence is everywhere, how easy is it to be the moon in your heart? I have read this book off and on for half a year, and recently I finally finished it. At first glance, I felt that the male protagonist was too selfish, and gave up his wife and children at all costs, which can be said to be for his ideals, but after all, he is already in his forties. But when I read the second part, I suddenly understood him very much, and in the end I even admired him, and wanted to be like him, doing whatever he liked at all costs. In today's society, most people are wrapped up in money and interests and have forgotten their original intentions and move forward at a loss. I think if I can do what I like like the protagonist, I will be happy!

I think Strickland in this book is a pure egoist. I don't agree with his approach, but I think this book makes people think about how to find a balance between ideals and reality.

This book showed me a man who risked everything to pursue his dreams. Strickland's character is very complex, he is selfish but determined, and his experience is also very bumpy. This reminds me of Gatsby in "The Great Gatsby". They are all people who keep working hard for their ideals. The style of this book is realistic and profound, making people think deeply.

The writing is very realistic and worthy of young people reading for a few more years.

After reading this book, I want to be like Strickland, to abandon everything in real life and find a place that I fall in love with at first sight, and live there. However, real life is sixpence, and ideal life is the moon, which is probably out of reach.

How to have the moon and sixpence at the same time? Strickland gave up sixpence and devoted himself to pursuing the fantasy world in his heart. He taught me that a person should have ideals and pursuits, and should not be afraid of the world's vision and dare to break away from the world and find his own paradise.

I like to meet different people, and this book brings me different pleasures. Please always believe that the world must be beautiful and colorful. Life will ultimately be written by ourselves [laughs][laughs]

Indeed, he dares to leave everything in his comfort zone, regardless of pursuing what he wants in his heart. I think this behavior is very brave. Most people may not have such courage, including myself. However, I do not approve of his way of doing things. Maybe geniuses have their own personalities, but St. I think I might not be able to accept Rickland's character. If I had such a friend, I think I would avoid him. Perhaps it was his character that allowed him to go all the way on the road of painting and create amazing paintings. His persistence and determination may be more worthy of our learning. It can be regarded as reading another book, and I am happy for myself [laughs].

Books worth reading

In the book, I am a very thoughtful person, which completely attracted me to slowly understand what kind of person Strickland is.

There is another translation that I have been reading before. This translation is also great.