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Of Human Bondage
W. Somerset Maugham Book Review

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Plot Summary of Of Human Bondage
"It's a very good book about a club-foot kid."
Rebel, Resident Scholar

"This novel by W. Somerset Maugham is a detailed account of a young Englishman named Philip Carey, and his search for meaning in his life. The author gives painful detail to Philip's accomplishments and failures, and shows the reader what Philip's destiny really should be--and it's not being an artist. Beautifully written and absorbing."
Magnolia Peterson, Resident Scholar

"Philip Care, an orphan is brought up by his aunt and uncle to take a vocation in the church; however, he defies his uncle and makes an important decision to leave his studies and follow an uncertain path to discover where his true potential lies. He tries accountancy and art, but settles on becoming a doctor. On his journey he becomes more aware of the complexities and inconsistencies of human nature and that striving for the unachievable may only lead him to an unhappy life."
Jonathan Harris, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Of Human Bondage
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 1900-1920's
Kids growing up/acting up? Yes
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over - vague finding self/purpose in life (i.e. no plot to book)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Coping with loss of loved one(s) Yes
Loss of... - mother
Something wrong upstairs/downstairs? - searching for identity/meaning
Parents/lack of parents problem? - rebelling against parent's expectations
Loving/sexing? - girl chasing
Brain/Body disability? - physical disability
Love problems? - Obession with uninterested person

Main Character
Gender - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Eccentric/Mental Yes
Eccentric: - obsessed - emotionally unstable
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - soggy whimpering jelly muffin
Physique - missing body parts/abilities

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - prostitute
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - physically sick

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 ()
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK - France

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to Of Human Bondage
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers
The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
The Shackle by Colette


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W. Somerset Maugham Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
John Van der Kiste  

SCHOLARS:
Joan Teague  Stepehn Mullen  Jack Goodstein  Upaka  Rebel  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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