Text analysis “The Happy Man ” by W. Somerset Maugham

essayist. He was one of the best known writers of his time as hi was master of short stories.

 William Somerset Maugham

theme of uncertainty, happiness, change, humility and gratitude.
The story starts with the narrator thinking and telling the reader about his attitude to giving advice to somebody. He thinks it to be quite difficult and even impossible to give the right advice as “we know nothing of the others”.

narrator.
He was a young man when he advised well.
He is a wise man: he knows that it is impossible to know another persons as well as oneself to give advice which would be good for person.
He is bold enough for a man who dares to give the life changing advice to a man he see for the first time.

The main character of the story is Stephens.
His character is dynamic as he becomes fully another person to the end of the story.
In the beginning of the story Stephens is described as a diffident, disillusioned, disappointed person. He wants to start a new life but still hesitates.
In the end of the story we can see completely different person. The author writes about Stephens that “we couldn’t imagine a better person to drink a glass of wine with”.

compares every man to “a prisoner in a solitary tower”, life to “a difficult business”.
Another metaphor is used when he says that “some people flounder at the journey’s start”.

modest apartment
a total stranger
an apologetic laugh
a cursory glance
a little man
a wonderful life
and others

The author employs many contextual synonyms

Dangerous - hazardous
Unwillingly -forced
Confused - embarrassed
a total stranger - a perfect stranger
Alter - change
Twinkled - shone