Abstract

William Somerset Maugham is a controversial English writer in literary. Some critics regard him as “in the very first row of the second-raters” because of his lack of figure of speech and language. However, he has become one of the most popular writers in the 20th century and his works are widely read in the world. Most researches on Maugham’s works mainly focus on his three long novels Of Human Bandage, The Moon and Sixpence and The Razor’s Edge, and there are only a few researches specializing on The Painted Veil which describes the unfortunate marriage life between the hero Walter and the heroine Kitty. So far researches on this novel have been mainly related to the themes of Chinese image, the view of marriage, Kitty’s self-redemption and self-realization. 

This paper tries to analyze the heroine Kitty’s growth and self-actualization from the perspective of Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory, a new perspective. As Kitty’s psychology changes a lot after she goes to the Mei-tan-fu, a cholera infected place, her behavior is also motivated by different levels of needs, which exactly conforms to Maslow’s need hierarchy theory. Therefore, this paper applies Maslow’s need hierarchy theory to analyze Kitty’s growth and self-actualization. It is hoped that this paper will help people to have a clear picture of The Painted Veil and a better understanding of the human psychology change. Moreover, it can also give enlightenment to individuals that, when one is faced with problems, he can gain happiness as long as he can keep the awareness of rational needs and a clear direction towards self-actualization. 

Keywords: William Somerset Maugham；The Painted Veil；Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory; image; growth and self-actualization; 

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Brief Introduction of William Somerset Maugham and The Painted Veil-1

1.2 Significance of This Study-2

1.3 Structure of the Paper-2

2. Literature Review-4

2.1 Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory-4

2.2 Previous Studies on the Application of Maslow's Need Hierarchy Theory to the Analysis of Literary Works-5

2.3 Previous Studies on William Somerset Maugham and The Painted Veil-5

3. Kitty’s Initial Defective Image in The Painted Veil-7

3.1 Kitty’s Desire for Amusement-7

3.2 Kitty’s Desire for Superiority-8

3.3 Kitty’s Ignorance of Love-9

3.4 Kitty’s Loss of Independence in Marriage-9

4. Kitty’s Growth and Self-actualization -11

4.1 Kitty’s Pursuit of Safety-11

4.2 Kitty’s Pursuit of Love and Belongings-12

4.2.1 Kitty’s Reflection on Her Love Affair with Her Lover-12

4.2.2 Kitty’s Treasure of Friendship with Waddington-13

4.2.3 Kitty’s Desire for Belongings: Home and Identity-14

4.3 Kitty’s Pursuit of Esteem-15

4.4 Kitty’s Pursuit of Self-actualization-16

4.4.1 Kitty’s Sense of Self-fulfillment in Her Service in Convent-16

4.4.2 Kitty’s Desire for Freedom-17

5. Conclusion-19

References-20