Soul with Pursuit —— Reading The Moon and Sixpence

I don't think I have written anything for many years. I remember writing a short speech in Shenzhen four years ago, if you count. Now I want to write something, or someone I like says that writing can make people happy, so I can't help but want to try again. No matter what the quality is, at least there must be a beginning.

When I first saw The Moon and Sixpence, my first reaction reminded me of love and bread, or the spirit and flesh in The Unbearable Lightness of Life. However, through reading, we found that Mao Mu paid more attention to the excavation of soul, while Kundera thought deeply about philosophical consciousness.

I didn't like Strickland at first. I can't understand why I abandoned my wife and children and went to Paris alone to pursue some ridiculous artistic dreams. Maybe it's because I'm still in this moral world, but Strickland doesn't care at all. Morality can't be his bondage. He left his married wife 17 years, his two lovely children, his well-paid job as a stock manager and his middle-class life in yowza. In my opinion, Strickland is a complete jerk and scum.

In the dialogue with me in the book, he didn't deny his meanness, but he didn't leave his own soul, the soul of pursuing great art. In the dialogue between me and Strickland, he didn't feel guilty at all for abandoning his wife and children. The only thing he cared about was how he would draw, and even said, "Whether she wants a divorce or not has nothing to do with my two pence." What kind of soul does a person need to dust off his body so cleanly and get rid of the shackles of the secular world so neatly? Secular prejudice can't stop his contempt for stereotypes, and comfort and warmth have never tempted that stubborn heart. Maybe that's why I can become great later. This reminds me of a news I saw two years ago. A doctor of mathematics, a sea returnee, left everything behind and became a monk. There should be such a powerful soul to drive him to make such a decision, which we ordinary people can't do.

Strickland's life in Paris is very difficult. His living conditions are very poor. He is not full, and sometimes he drinks water to satisfy his hunger. If it hadn't been for me and Stroeve's help, he would have died long ago. Stroeve is a tragedy. He is also a painter. Maybe he is not a painter, but a man who paints for a living. He is mediocre in artistic creation, and only draws some beautiful-looking paintings to please Italian consumers, but he has a pair of eyes to discover genius. He was the first to discover Strickland's amazing artistic talent and thought he was a great painter. He recommended strickland's paintings to the gallery. Strickland's paintings were worthless at that time. When Strickland was dying, he begged his wife Blanche to take Strickland home and take good care of him, because he could not accept that an artistic genius died before his eyes. At first, his wife didn't agree at all, because she had met Strickland before, and found him annoying and unreasonable, because he looked down on her husband's paintings, which she couldn't understand, at least she thought was good. At Stroeve's pleading, Blanche finally agreed to take Strickland home to take care of him. But Blanche told Stroeve that if she took him home, it would do them great harm. She had a hunch that it would not end well. When I saw this place, I knew Stroeve was going to turn green. Sure enough, it is not only green, but also sad green, completely green.

When Blanche took care of Strickland, he didn't know whether he was fascinated by his wildness, unruly, wild and lonely, or by his burly figure, slender fingers and sexy lips under his red beard. Anyway, Blanche is determined to go with Strickland. Stroeve begged his wife not to leave her, and even knelt down and asked Blanche what she had done wrong. He can change it, but Blanche is still indifferent. Finally, Stroeve gave up his home and studio and let Strickland and Blanche live and use it, because he didn't want to see his wife suffer with Strickland. Stroeve is really the king of the cuckold world and told Blanche that whenever you want to come back to me, I can forgive you. If you need any help, just let me know and I can help you. When Danbulin Cheech learned that Strickland was with her only to satisfy a temporary desire, she chose to commit suicide in despair and never returned to Stroeve.

Stroeve is so humble and insignificant in front of his love. Dutch short-legged little fat man gave up all his dignity to keep his wife but got nothing. He doesn't blame his wife for falling in love with Strickland. As long as she comes back, he still loves her, even more. The "I" in the book says, "You must be the most self-respecting person I know." Stroff said, "I love her more than myself. I think there is only one reason why we still talk about self-esteem when we are in love. In fact, you love yourself the most. " Stroeve knew that Blanche didn't love himself very much, but he said, "I feel very happy because she allowed me to love her." Yes, Stroeve is humble, but at least in this respect, I think he is happier than me and at least allowed to love, but I can't, dare not cross the line.

In the last conversation between me and Strickland in the book, I try to understand why Strickland is with Blanche. Strickland replied simply and rudely, "Damn it, I just want to fuck her." I asked her why she took Blanche. He said he didn't. He told Lan Qi that if he had had enough fun, she would leave. But Blanche chose to risk following her and even supporting him. At that time, strickland was trying to draw a naked woman. When he finished the painting, he lost interest in her (the last painting was given to Stroeve). I told him that Blanche really loved him. He suddenly jumped up and said, "I don't need love." I have no time to love. This is the weakness of human nature. I am a man. Sometimes I want a woman. When my passion is satisfied, I will do other things. I can't conquer my desire, but I hate it It imprisoned my spirituality. I hope I can please all my desires in the future and devote myself to creation without hindrance. Because only when women fall in love will they take love seriously, which is very funny. They want us to believe that love is the whole of life, but in fact love is an insignificant part of life. I recognize sexual desire, sexual desire is normal and healthy, and love is disease. I don't have the patience to share joys and sorrows with them, and I have to be together all my life. " Then he went on to say, "If a woman falls in love with you, she will not be satisfied until she has your soul. Because she is weak, she desperately wants to command you. She won't be satisfied if you don't listen to her carefully. She has a shallow knowledge, hates abstract things and can't understand them herself. She only cares about material things, and she will be jealous of your ideal. A person's soul walks in the farthest corner of the universe, but she wants to imprison it in daily necessities. " (Strickland is simply a straight man with terminal cancer. Maybe times have changed. )

From a moral point of view, Strickland is an ungrateful little man who doesn't even know what it is. He doesn't cherish Blanche's love at all, and even treats her as a plaything. His abomination is clear on the paper, and the "I" in the book hates him. I really don't like him. However, The Covenant transcends the surface of morality and goes deep into the soul behind an immeasurable genius, exploring the judgment of human nature and seeking the meaning of life. Stroeve is mediocre, lacking in talent and kind-hearted. However, on the artistic balance, it is not who has a high moral level, but a greater pursuit of exploring the depths of the soul. Strickland's violent lust and primitive wildness, guided by his soul, broke free from the shackles of the secular world, making him incompatible with reality. He hates everything that tries to stop his soul, which seems to be his ungrateful defense.

"I" in the book learned from Captain Nichols how Strickland went from Marseille to Tahiti. When he was in Marseille, he lived in a shelter, and later he was kicked out. He lived on a piece of bread every day. Even though life was hard, I thought he was happy and romantic. Through the mouth of the hotel owner Tialei, I learned about his life in Tahiti. He married a girl named Aita, who was from the island and was introduced to him by the hotel owner and an employee of the hotel. I also had two children with him, and then one died. Through the mouth of Dr. Coutela, I learned about strickland's leprosy before his tragic death. After reading these, I realized that so many twists and turns ahead were just the foreshadowing for Strickland's final life and the ultimate sublimation of his soul. When he was dying, he painted the greatest work of his life on the wall of his hut. The pursuit of the soul has finally come to an end, and great power has finally been released. Seeing this scene, I can't help but be moved to tears. Hey, wait, isn't he an asshole? Why are you moved by this bastard? Perhaps the greatness of the soul is not judged by morality. He is a villain in life, but he is a hero in art. Although he later asked his wife to tell him that he was burned to death with himself when he died, the only person who saw this masterpiece was Dr. Coutela, but this did not hinder his greatness. At this moment, he has proved his perfection and nirvana is far away. As the "I" in the book says: I think Strickland knows that this is the work of a master. He has reached the realm of his dream. His life is full. He created a world and saw the beauty of that world. Then he destroyed it with pride and contempt.

When Strickland wants to go to Tahiti, the novel is interspersed with a short story about two doctors with opposite fates: Abraham, who has excellent medical skills, listened to his inner call and left his superior position in London to become an ordinary quarantine officer in Alexandria; Carmichael, who was less skilled than others, was lucky enough to replace the vacancy left by Abraham and became an arrogant celebrity. Ask two questions: Do you want to do what you want to do, live in an environment that makes you feel comfortable, and get peace of mind? Is it really successful to become a surgeon with an annual income of tens of thousands of pounds and get married as soon as possible? The moon symbolizes the lofty ideal pursuit and wonderful spiritual realm, and also symbolizes the poverty enjoyed by Strickland who left London and Abraham who went to Egypt. Sixpence, a small coin, represents the worldly petty profit and the luxury that carmichael is proud of. How to choose the Moon and Sixpence is still inconclusive, but the narrator is always cautious and does not jump to conclusions.

Actually, in my opinion, there is not much difference between the moon and sixpence, but the author prefers to praise something. He praised the moon's soul, unyielding soul and fearless courage. Cammeyer's pursuit is not that he is superior to Abraham by nature, but that he also has his own pursuit. After reading the whole book, I feel that only two people are really ridiculed by the author, one is Stroeve and the other is Strickland's wife. The similarities between the two men will not be investigated. Stroeve is mediocre in art, and his works only please Italians, so that his paintings can be better sold to Italians. So is love. He is as humble as an ant and has no dignity. When Strickland left her, Strickland's wife Amy left her nothing. She had to rely on her personal connections to make a living by typing for some writers, but she always resisted it. She always thought it was decent for women to rely on men to support themselves. I even claimed that Strickland had fled from another woman, and I hope that the "I" in the book will not be denied by the outside world. At the end of the book, it says "I met Amy again". She still hasn't changed much, even her daughter, married a major and supported by a man. But Strickland and Attason's children became sailors, with blue sky overhead and stars shining, surrounded by the endless Pacific Ocean. I think this is the difference.

I don't think it's that important whether the moon or sixpence. The key is whether you have a soul to pursue to guide you. The last paragraph of the whole novel reads: "I have a Bible on my lips, but I didn't say it, because I know that the clergy think it is a bit blasphemous for the laity to invade their territory." My uncle Henry has been a vicar of Whit Stable for 27 years. In this case, he would often say that the devil always quotes scripture at will. He remembered that he could buy thirteen first-class oysters for a shilling. " Finally, I feel a little meaningless, but after reading the introduction of this book, the translator said that the scripture should be: "Don't judge others, lest you be judged."

? Here's to a soul full of longing!

? Daming