The author of the extract under analysis is a well-known English novelist, short-story writer, playwright and essayist Somerset Maugham. Maugham’s education happened at the King’s School in

Text Analysis

The Happy Man

The author of the extract under analysis is a well-known English novelist, short-story writer, playwright and essayist Somerset Maugham. Maugham’s education happened at the King’s School in Canterbury and Heidelberg University, Germany, before he went on to study medicine at St Thomas’s Hospital in London. But his hobby was literature and theatre. The experiences of his life in London inspired his first novel “Liza of Lambeth” (1897) that circled around London’s slums and the Cockney lifestyle. Great success as a novelist came with “Of Human Bondage” (1915) which was autobiographical in all but the names he chose. All his best novels are written about artists: in “The Moon and Sixpence” (1919) he tells readers the story of the French painter Paul Gaugin as it would be if the painter were an Englishman, “Cakes and Ale” (1932) is based on some facts from Th. Hardy’s life, the main character of “Theatre” (1937) is a London actress. Somerset Maugham was also a master of the short story. He could convey human relationships and feelings with a startling reality.

The text under analysis is a short story The Happy Man. The title of the story reveals its subject matter, but it is only when we have read the whole story we shall understand what underlies this title.

The story is told from the point of view of the I of the story. From the point of view of presentation the text is a 1st person narrative with dialogues of the characters.

Since the text under consideration presents a story it belongs to belles-lettres style, emotive prose substyle.

The character drawing is of a mixture type because the author both describes his character directly through words and through his actions, attitudes to others. There is only one character in the story except the narrator.

Reading the monologue of the narrator we can understand that he is an intelligent and wise person: “I know little of myself; I know nothing of others.” He knows that it`s impossible to know another person as well as oneself. He is responsible: “Who am I that I should tell the others how they should lead the life?” So he understands that he is responsible for his words, advice. And he doesn`t want to feel guilty in case his advice fails to bring something positive. The author also produced an impression of a good philosopher. His thoughts are very wise and deep, I agree with all of them.

Stephens was a little, thick-set and stout man. There was nothing special in his appearance except the eyes which contradicted his attitude to his life. I think, he was an easy-going, open-hearted man, because he came to a stranger to ask for advice. He didn’t care how he looked like. He was dressed in a blue suit good deal the worse for wear. It was baggy at the knees and the pockets bulged untidily. He was emotional. He was very excited and nervous when he came to the narrator, we can understand it by his behaviour: he had some difficulty in lighting a cigarette; he reached out for his hat and holding it in one hand absent-mindedly stroked it with the other. Stephens needed somebody to give him a push. So he came to the narrator for advice. He was romantic, because he wanted to live in Spain. In the beginning the readers see him as an unhappy man in England and in the end a happy man in Spain. The author used some stylistic devices to describe Stephens: epithets (forcible ring, a cursory glance, a bullet-shaped head, a bacchanalian smile), metaphors (eyes twinkled, shone), antonomasia (a young Silenus).

By this story, the author shows us that our life is full of compensations. Taking the risk, you lose something but also you can find something, which could be really important for you. The text can be divided into 3 parts: a philosophical part with author’s reflections about life, a dialogue between the narrator and Stephens in narrator’s London apartment and a lyrical and romantic part – about 15 years later in Seville, Spain.

The 1st paragraph is a monologue of the author. Here we see the narrator`s negative attitude to giving advice. The author expresses his thoughts using a lot of stylistic devices: a parallel construction mixed with gradation: heaven knows, I know little of myself: I know nothing of others. The author gives a lot of arguments for supporting his point of view. He used extended metaphors: Each one of us is a prisoner in a solitary tower. Life is a difficult business and I have found it hard enough to make my own a complete and rounded thing. There are men who flounder at the journey`s start, the way before them is confused and hazardous, and an occasion, however unwillingly, I have been forced to point the finger of fate. I have seen myself for a moment wrapped in the dark cloak of Destiny. The author uses a wide range of rhetorical questions: how can one advise another how to act unless one knows that other as well as one knows himself? Who am I that I should tell this one and that how he should lead it? What shall I do with my life? In the exposition we learn that the action takes place in a young narrator’s apartment in London near Victoria station late one afternoon. The development is presented in the chain of events: the arrival of the stranger, his conversation with the narrator, Stephens life story and his problem. Then the action breaks and is renewed fifteen years later, when the narrator happens to be in Seville, looks for an English doctor and finds one. Hyperbole: I begged him to sit down, metaphors: to keep body and soul together; when he caught sight of me; epithet: an apologetic laugh The author used parallel constructions in Stephens`s speech: I`ve never been, I`ve never done, I have no; But there’s sunshine there, and there’s good wine, and there’s colour, and there’s air you can breathe. The dialogue between the narrator and an English doctor where the latter refuses to take the fee is the climax of the story. The denouement is shown in the conversation of 2 old acquaintances. Epithet: a dim recollection; metaphor: the words were hardly out of his mouth; euphemism: no longer in her first youth; inversion: Poor I have been and poor I shall always be.

The form of speech of the text under analysis is equally direct and indirect. The prevailing forms of utterance are narration and dialogue.

The text is told in mixture type of speech. The types of speech have peculiarities at each language level.

On the phonological level in the written type of speech full forms of modal and auxiliary verbs are presented: I had not been tempted, I have been forced, would have startled, could not have imagined etc. Although contracted forms of the spoken type prevail: don’t mind, I’ve never done, I can’t stick, I’ll stay, It’s been etc.

On the morphological level both types of speech are presented. Let us proceed with the analysis of the tense-forms. The prevailing tense-form used in the story is the Past Indefinite. It denotes the past action and a succession of past actions: I explained my errand and he asked me to come in. The Present Indefinite tense is used in the spoken type to denote actions and states continuing at the moment of speaking, habitual actions: Heaven knows, I know little of myself: I know nothing of others. Yes, but I don’t practise. The Present Continuous expresses a continuous action going on at the moment of speaking: She’s willing. The construction ‘to be going to’ is used to denote an intention: I’m not going to tell you the story of my life. The Present Perfect tense is used to denote the action preceding the moment of speaking: I’ve just read the book of yours about Spain. I’ve never been anywhere. I don’t exactly know why you’ve come to me. The Present Perfect Continuous is used to denote the action in progress which began at a certain moment in the past and continues into the present: I’ve been married for six years. The Past Continuous tense denotes a continuous action in progress at a certain moment in the past: He was looking at me intently. When I was beginning to think. Several examples of Past Perfect denote an action of which both the beginning and the end precede some moment of time in the past: When I was beginning to think that I had worked enough for that day. When he had satisfactorily achieved this feat I asked him if I should not put it on a chair for him. The Future Indefinite denotes a prediction I hope you won’t think it very odd for a perfect stranger to talk to you like this. For you will lead a wonderful life. Poor I have been and poor I shall always be or a decision made at the moment of speaking: I shall be very glad. The Future in the Past Indefinite is used to denote simple facts in the future viewed from the past: I was wondering if I’d ever see you again. The Future in the Past Perfect is used to denote an action completed before a certain moment of time in the future treated as such at some moment in the past: The sight of it would have startled a squeamish patient.

As to the nouns both proper (Carmen Victoria Station, Camberwell etc) and common ones are used, as countable and uncountable (material nouns: wine, lumber, air and abstract nouns: information, money, indisposition, colour, confidence, sunshine). There are some examples of use of partitives in the text: a means of livelihood, a good bottle of wine, a glass of wine.

Among the articles the nominative meaning prevails: a ring, a cigarette, a chair, a patio etc. Nevertheless, the specifying meaning is present: the short sharp sentences he used, the money, the town, etc – the reader knows or can work out which particular thing the author means. There are plenty of examples of the use of the indefinite article with a descriptive attribute: a perfect stranger, a great risk, a cursory glance, a dim recollection, a modest apartment. The classifying meaning: a medical officer, a doctor. The numeric meaning: a moment, for a day or two.

The infinitives present in the text are used in different functions:

· It is a dangerous thing to order the lives of others – a subject;

· who are prepared to force upon their fellows measures – an object;

· measures that must alter their manners – a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· I have always hesitated to give advice – an object;

· for how can one advise another how to act - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate; an object;

· We can only guess at the thoughts and emotions of our neighbours; And life is smth that you can lead but once; and who am I that I should tell this one or that how he should lead it - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· I have found it hard enough to make my own a complete and rounded thing – an AM of result and consequence;

· I have not been tempted to teach my neighbour what he should do with his – an object; a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· I have been forced to point the finger of fate – an object;

· what shall I do with my life - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· when I was beginning to think - a part of a compound verbal aspect predicate;

· He asked if he might come in - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· begged him to sit down – the objective with the infinitive construction;

· I asked him if I should not put it on a chair for him - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· I hope you don’t mind my coming to see you like this – an attribute;

· I wanted to ask you about it – an object;

· I hope you won’t think it very odd for a perfect stranger to talk to you like this – an object;

· I’m not going to tell you the story of my life; I can’t stick it any more - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· And that’s all I’ve got to look forward to for the rest of my life – an attribute;

· I wanted to know – an object;

· Let me say what I have to say straight out – an object, a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· Do you think I could earn a living there - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· Is it a madness to give up a good safe job – a subject;

· you must decide for yourself; But this I can tell you - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate;

· but are content to earn just enough – an object;

· I happened to be in Seville – an object;

· Have you come to see me – an AM of purpose;

· he asked me to come in – an object;

· You might have hesitated to let him remove your appendix, but you could not have imagined a more delightful creature to drink a glass of wine with - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate(2x); an attribute;

· I could not failto perceive that she was the mistress of the house - a part of a compound verbal modal predicate; an object;

· As he stood at the door to let me out – an AM of purpose;

· if I came here I should earn just enough money to keep body and soul together – an AM of result and consequence;

· I want to tell you – an object.

There are some gerunds in the text:

o he had some difficulty in lighting it without letting go off his hat – an attribute; an AM of condition;

o I hope you don’t mind my coming to see you like this – a direct object;

o And I thought perhaps you wouldn’t mind giving me some information – a direct object;

o I was wondering if ever I’d have a chance of thanking you for all you’ve done for me – an attribute.

In the text we can find the following examples of Participle I:

§ He quickly did this and while doing it dropped his umbrella – an AM of time;

§ He reached out for his hat and holding it in one hand absent-mindedly stroked it with the other – an AM of time;

§ I happened to be in Seville and having some trifling indisposition asked the hotel porter – an AM of attendant circumstances;

Participle II can be found in these sentences:

- I have not been tempted; I have been forced – a predicative;

- I have seen myself for a moment wrapped in the dark cloak of Destiny – a part of a complex object.

In the story we can find some examples of the Imperative Mood: Let me say what I have to say straight out; then go. There is a complex sentence with subordinate clauses of condition (first conditional): But if you say take it, I will; if you say stay where you are, I’ll stay. There are some complex sentences with Subjunctive II: I was wondering if ever I’d have a chance of thanking you for all you’ve done for me. He looked to me as though he knew a good bottle of wine when he saw it.

The modal verbs which can be found in the text convey the following meanings:

Ø measures that must alter their manners – probability bordering on assurance;

Ø for how can one advise another how to act – astonishment;

Ø We can only guess at the thoughts and emotions of our neighbours – possibility;

Ø And life is smth that you can lead but once – physical ability;

Ø and who am I that I should tell this one or that how he should lead it – moral obligation; advisability;

Ø I have not been tempted to teach my neighbour what he should do with his – advisability;

Ø what shall I do with my life – request;

Ø He asked if he might come in – request;

Ø I asked him if I should not put it on a chair for him – request;

Ø I can’t stick it any more – impossibility;

Ø Let me say what I have to say straight out – necessity;

Ø Do you think I could earn a living there – possibility;

Ø you must decide for yourself – strong obligation;

Ø But this I can tell you – possibility;

Ø I could not fail to perceive that she was the mistress of the house – intellectual ability;

Ø You might have hesitated to let him remove your appendix, but you could not have imagined a more delightful creature to drink a glass of wine with – supposition, uncertainty; possibility.

On the syntactic level both written and spoken types of speech are present. At the point of the spoken type the story is characterized by the use of many short and elliptical sentences (I shall be very glad. Certainly. Why Spain?). In the written type compound, complex and composite sentences are used. They prevail in narrations.

On the lexical level neutral words prevail, though there are some bookish words – solitary, irreparable, flounder, surmise, indisposition, errand, perceive. We can see medical terms- medical officer, infirmary, consulting room, patient, medical appliances. Idioms: I can’t stick it any more; earn a living; to keep body and soul together; bear an expression; be at home somewhere.

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