Truthfulness, Criticism And Sublimation--W.S.M’s3Perspectives Of Realism In The Razor’s Edge

My thesis analyzes W. S. Maugham’s realism in his novel "The Razor’s Edge" in three parts-its truthfulness, the critical technique and the sublimation of the realism. It focuses on Maugham’s skills in realize each of them respectively in a novel and at the same time makes them an integrated work. It focuses on Maugham’s techniques that reflect the truthfulness of realism in a critical tone, which also foreshadows the third part sublimation of realism. In other words, the critical style which W. S. Maugham mastered is aimed at revealing most of them don’t "pass the razor’s edge" and therefore, the question of "who passes and how to" becomes the ultimate topic both in the novel and in my thesis.The first Chapter, which is on the "truthfulness", identifies initially that the realism in The Razor’s Edge conforms to the two key points of Realism Definition-"true" and "typical". Then the following words are written to appreciate the truthfulness of realism in "The Razor’s Edge" from the two perspectives-"true" and "typical". And then, I analyze Maugham’s splendid techniques in reaching them respectively. In Technique1, the characters are reasonable and quite human for their circumstances. Maugham does not make the characters always be greedy for their purpose; instead, he shapes them with varied personalities, being natural, pitiable, and affectionate. Additionally, Maugham’s2nd technique, which is called First-person-narrative style-A narrative grace that makes the true realism style, is analyzed in many aspects with detailed examples.The second chapter is about critical attitude towards reality. The thesis stresses Maugham’s4techniques. First, Within the scope of realism, however, Maugham does not criticize them thoroughly, instead, Maugham writes in such perfectly human detail-revealing with irony and accepting all the contradictions and subtle flaws of humanity. Second, Maugham examines on the five supporting characters with great detail about their abundant material lives, while brings out their lack of soul, and this is the basic ironic art throughout the novel. Third,"Maugham" criticizes the characters with various tones and writing styles. Fourth, the Razor’s Edge also contains obvious satire to the societies where each person lives. In all, the supporting characters, with so many troubles in the spiritual world, don’t gain the salvation of the soul and don’t "pass over the razor’s edge". Maugham reveals this in the novel in a critical art, which embodies another dimension of his realism style—critical realism.The sublimation of realism, which is focused on the third chapter, reveals the author’s mastered skills in managing to answer a holy and deep question-"what is the true meaning of people’s life". To achieve this, Maugham arranges5stages during which the leader role’s spirit sublimates step by step.