On Anthentic Existence In W. Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge

The Razor's Edge (1944), one of the best novels of William Somerset Maugham, has been ranked in Modern Novels:The 99 Bests (1984) by the English critic Anthony Burgess. This novel described the conflict between the existential meaning and the social reality, which characterized that postwar society. In the novel, Larry, who was the protagonist, tried to pursue the self-perfection and the meaning of existence. His pursuit reflected the general situation of many people then, especially those who witnessed and experienced the cruelty and absurdity of war and death. The positive attitude towards life and the individual value implied in this novel also contributed a lot to the novel's success. It pointed out that people should embrace the authentic world with great courage and be a contributor to the community.This thesis will explore the meaning of existence and the value of individuality through studying The Razor's Edge in the light of such terms as absurdity, authentic existence, responsibility and freedom. Besides Introduction and Conclusion, the thesis includes three chapters. These chapters aim to elaborate on the three stages:facing the uncertainty of existential meaning, exploring humanity and pursuing self-perfection and finding the meaningful and authentic existence.Introduction gives a brief summary of The Razor's Edge and the critical review on Maugham and his works. Then, it explains the terms concerning existentialism, which will be referred to in the thesis. The Introduction also states the aim and significance of the thesis.Chapter One investigates the uncertainty of existential meaning. After the First World War, many people felt that their life was full of lies and disappointments, which resulted from the absurdity of modern society, the loss of belief and enslavement from social conventions. The doubt about the existential meaning motivated people to think over what the essence of life was. Such a doubt thus became the starting point to search for an answer. As long as people realized this doubt, they would start to think it over and search for the essence of life.Chapter Two studies the characters'searching for authentic existence. The searching consists of the exploration of humanity through the freedom from substance and lust, and the pursuit of self-perfection through the improvement on self-cultivation and the salvation of others. Chapter Three tries to analyze the attempt to find a meaningful and realistic lifestyle through the characters'exploration of the meaning of existence and the difference between their attitudes and choices towards life-style in that postwar society. It points out that people should face the challenges in life bravely and make every effort to create a new and better one.Though Maugham has described the absurdity and nothingness of life as well as the selfishness and darkness of human nature when facing the emptiness of people's spirit and the disappointing life, he couldn't be simply labeled as a skeptic or pessimist as some critics stated. After all, Maugham was a humanist and life philosopher. In this novel, the exploration of self-value and authentic existence in a turbulent society had made an uncountable influence on the social value of existence and individuality of the twentieth century. Furthermore, it will continue to bring courage and hope to the people living in such a material society today and in the future.