Sample II. Stylistic analysis of the story A FRIEND IN NEED. by William Somerset Maugham

Sample II

Stylistic analysis of the story A FRIEND IN NEED

by William Somerset Maugham

William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was an English writer, playwright and essayist. His popularity lies in the fact that by early 1930’s he had become the highest paid author of his era. During the peak of his popularity, Maugham also earned praise as one of the most significant travel writers. During his life he went through World War I and II. For half a decade, Maugham studied medicine. Though, the experience would continue to influence his writing for the rest of his life. He achieved a great success as a novelist with such novels as “Of Human Bondage”, “The Razor’s Edge”, a dramatist with his plays “Our Betters”, “The Circle”, but he is best known for his short stories. They are cool and pessimistic but always fascinating. When Maugham described people and places in his stories, he did it mostly from his personal experience.

The title of this story is the beginning of a well-known proverb: “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. On the one hand, we can expect that the story is about friendship, for example, one friend has a problem and the other helps him to solve it. But, on the other hand, the title makes us think why the author gives only the first part of the proverb. By the title the story seems to end positively, with happy end whereas the events of the story are tragic.

This text tells us about two men who are namesakes. The action takes place in some office, where Burton the Elder is a prosperous businessman. Burton the Young, the poor card-player, asks him for help as he gets into trouble: he is down and out and close to commit suicide. That is why, he asks for a job. He is given a job but on an unusual condition wherefore Burton the Young dies.

In my opinion, the problem of this story is both the appearance and manner of a person can give us the impression of a very different man. We should not draw a conclusion from the growth, from the look in the eyes, from the shape of the jaw, mouth of the person we meet. We should not consider first impressions of a person are always right. The second problem, as far as I am concerned, is everyone must strive for a good life by way of a healthy living, good breeding, job stability and hope only on yourself. No one is obliged to do something for someone.

The main idea is every person must shape his own future. Everything depends on the person himself. Everyone must rely upon himself, because “Self-help is the best help”.

The story is a first person narration with descriptive passages, portrayals of the characters (“He was always well-dressed and smart-looking. He was handsome in a way, with curly hair and pink-white cheeks”), and dialogues of the characters (“I can swim”, he said. “Swim! ”)

The prevailing tone is dramatic, tragic, emotional, and pessimistic. The author underlines the matter-of-fact mood of Burton the Elder. He sends his fellow to his death on purpose. He doesn’t plan to employ him, because he even hasn’t a vacancy in his office. His actions are followed by complete indifference towards Burton the Young. (“I didn’t say anything, I shrugged my shoulders, he looked at me for a moment and then he nodded; I didn’t say anything for a moment or two, I was a trifle shocked; He gave a little mild chuckle and he looked at me with those kind blue eyes of his”). He doesn’t confess his guilt.

This story may be divided into the following four parts. The exposition presents appearance of one of the main characters in this story. All the details of his appearance speak of Burton the Young’s nature and lifestyle. (“There was no harm in him…he drank too much…he was a card-player”). The development of the plot is presented by the actions in the office. The climax is at the end of the story as ““Done”, he said”, it is the highest, the most dramatic point of the action that has the event of the greatest interest and intensity. After climax we found the outcome of the story as “We shook hands. I wished him good luck and he left me… The currents round the beacon were more than he could manage. ” Everything is made clear after these words.

In the first part of the story there is litotes: “He wasn't a bad chap. ” This means an intentional use of understatement that renders an ironical effect. The author uses also an irony. Such as “Come back and see me in another 35 years and I’ll see what I can do”. These are words of Burton the Elder. This phrase is full of mockery. There are quite a lot of epithets in the story (“a kindly little chuckle, an insane answer, a pretty good swimmer”). It helps in making the characteristics of a person, thing or place more prominent than they actually are. The author uses ellipsis (“Swim! ”, “Done”, he said. ) to allow the reader to understand an appropriate utterance, intonation by using their imagination. A metaphor is used in the story: “He rubbed his chin with his hand” – it means that he thought with some doubt.

The grammatical peculiarities are expressed by a lot of short and elliptical sentences. For example: “Thirty five”, he said. “Swim! ”, “Done”, he said.

The lexical peculiarities of the text are expressed by colloquial words (“done, chap, fellow”), bookish (“hitherto, dissipation”). The use of colloquial English helps to make the story more vivid. Bookish words in Burton the Elder’s speech show his education to Burton the Young.

It was not difficult for me to read this story, because its language is very emotional and at the same time rather simple. The story doesn’t contain any special terms or complex structures. I liked the plot as it contains a great deal of the burning issues of those times when William Somerset Maugham lived and at the same time it deals with up-to-date problem. So it gives the readers food for thought making us analyze situations from everyday life.