The picture comes from the Internet, and the infringement contact is deleted
Maugham is one of Britain's most prestigious writers and is recognized as one of the writers of the 20th century who wrote in English and had the largest readership. "Blade" is the last of Maugham's four masterpieces of novels. In the novel, the author takes his real name as the narrator.
Through Maugham's narration, readers learn about Maugham's and his friends' experiences during the two world wars, different but fascinating, especially the protagonist Larry's experience, which is unforgettable. He is a maverick, does not demand himself with worldly rules, he listens to his inner voice and strives to find the answer to life.
In Larry's experience, he has appeared with three women, all three of whom are attracted to Larry's gentleness and purity. The three women have different personalities and different attitudes towards relationships, so their respective lives are also very different.
First, Isabel's pursuit of a material life has been fulfilled
Isabel and Larry were childhood sweethearts, and the elders of both sides also knew each other. Larry was engaged to Isabel before entering the war, and in everyone's eyes, getting married after the war was a matter of course.
But after the war, Larry's temperament changed dramatically, and after a period of repairs, he still could not agree with the life path that most people thought was right and should be, and he made a different plan for himself and resolutely carried it out.
Isabel believes that working to earn money is what a man should do, which is good for the family and good for society. It can be said that Isabel is a materialist, and there is nothing wrong with materialism.
She has to have her own car, big house, good food and wine, nice clothes, social gatherings, high-class cabin to play around, eat high-end restaurants, and she wants to take advantage of her youth and have fun in time.
Isabel grew up in a privileged environment, and it was natural to have this idea, which was her life. When she arrived at Larry's inn in Paris, her heart must have been filled with disgust and fear, and she could not have lived such a life with Larry.
Isabel and Larry's separation is inevitable, because two people with very different outlooks on life cannot have a common future. Isabel is married to Gray, who has always been in love with her, and Gray can give Isabel the life she wants.
Material Isabel is awake and she knows how to sustain her. She educates her children very well and cleans up her housework very neatly.
When Gray was devastated by the economic crisis, Isabel did her duty as a wife and stayed by his side through the most difficult days.
Isabel has an innocent affection for Larry, and when they meet later, they still get along very well. Isabel is full of affection for Larry, but she never wants to betray Gray and her family.
She and Gray will always live happily ever after. Because she knows what kind of life she wants and what she can do to maintain the family.
Second, Su Shan's sobriety and pragmatism finally found a home in life
Susan met Larry at her worst time, when Susan was ill and had no income. Larry took her and her daughter to a small town to breathe fresh air, recuperate, and when she was well, Larry left Susan.
Susan wondered what Larry had done to him, but she was grateful for what he had done. Susan knew that she couldn't catch him, so she was glad that she was not in love with him, and only by not loving him could she feel his kindness and tenderness.
Susan was born in a small town, and her father died when she was very young, and she was dependent on her mother. At the age of seventeen, he met a painter who came to town to collect style, and Susan fell in love with him. Later, when the painter was leaving, he brought her to Paris.
Susan left that town and began a completely different life. That painter's work was unpopular and difficult to sell. A year later, the painter could no longer afford to support Susan, so he introduced her to another painter.
Since then, Susan has been lingering among various painters, because she loves Paris and the atmosphere of art. As long as anyone can provide room and board, Susan will become his mistress.
Su Shan is not just thinking about asking for money from the other party, she will clean up the residence, take good care of the other party, and make a good dish.
Sometimes it is others who abandon her, and sometimes it is she who abandons others, no matter what the situation, Susan will break up peacefully, without making any noise or noise. This quality has brought Susan a good reputation.
Finally, Susan met a boss. The owner rented an apartment for Susan and had a fixed monthly pocket money. Susan finally had her own place to live, and when she had nothing to do, she began to paint, although she had no painting skills, but after so many years of art edification, she had her own characteristics.
Susan is very measured, circulating between all kinds of men, she is kind to people, never adds trouble to others, and does not find trouble for herself. When the boss wanted to marry her, she agreed.
She didn't love the boss much, but the boss regarded her as a treasure and was willing to take care of her daughter. With such a strong backing, she has a guarantee for the rest of her life.
Su Shan resolutely gave up her previous free and easy life, lived a happy life with her boss steadily, and with the help of her boss's money, she became a valuable painter.
Third, Sophie, who regards love as everything, without love, there is nothing
Sophie met Larry and Isabel when she was a teenager, married a handsome lawyer as an adult, and then had a baby, and the family lived happily together.
Misfortune struck too suddenly, and a car accident took the lives of her husband and children, leaving Sophie alone. Since then, Sophie's world has collapsed, she drank and drunk, and mingled with all kinds of people. Her family couldn't do anything about her, so they had to send her monthly living expenses and let her go to other countries.
Sophie degenerates into a low-level woman, drunk all day long, with promiscuous drugs. When she met Larry, Isabel and others a few years later, her current situation aroused sympathy. Larry was willing to marry her to get her out of that dirty life.
Sophie agreed, and this was her best chance to start over, but Sophie finally did not resist the temptation to live in an empty room and drink, she resumed her alcoholism, quietly left Larry, returned to her original life, and finally died tragically by having her throat cut.
These three people have different personalities and different life experiences, Isabel has always lived a rich life and has hardly suffered the hardships of life.
Su Shan has seen all the things in the world, experienced the warmth and coldness of the world, and the world is difficult. In the end, he seized the opportunity in front of him and achieved a turnaround in his life.
The worst thing is Sophie, who was supposed to live a heavenly life, suddenly fell into hell, and death may be her best relief.
Love is beautiful, especially for women, how happy it is to form a family with a loved one. But then again, in life, no matter how beautiful love is, you can't treat love as the whole of life.
Because love is not the whole of a person, only by not taking love as the whole can you think calmly and spend this life peacefully.
Isabel doesn't take love as everything, and when she discovers that Larry can't give her the life she wants, she gives up. She still loves Larry, but she won't betray her family and husband.
Susan loved someone and gave birth to a child, but that person is gone, and she wants to continue to live. The last boss, Susan can't say how much she loves, but compared to the superior conditions he can provide, whether she loves it or not, it doesn't matter how much she loves, the important thing is that the boss loves her and can make a qualitative change in her life.
Only Sophie is everything in love, and when love disappears, she gives up on herself, even if Larry wants to save her, then if she doesn't want to live, then no one can do it.
Life is so treacherous, for some people it is smooth, some people are miserable, some people seem to live in heaven, some people seem to live in hell.
Some people say that character determines destiny, but from the three women Larry has lived, it can be seen that how to treat feelings will lead a life.