Many scholars believe that Maugham has been living in the struggle of soul and body, this feeling completely exposed in his works。 His life experience has a great influence on the life trajectory of Strickland。 Therefore, the research on the relationship between the life of Maugham and the novel is particularly prominent。 With the experience of the protagonist Strickland French artist Gauguin Leland is very similar, so there are a lot of the comparative study。 In addition, there are some other perspectives, such as free will, view of women and marriage, reflected in the novel “Maugham” and naturalism and so on。

2。3 The significance of this thesis文献综述

Since the publication of the novel, it quickly attracts the attention of many critics。 Researchers from different countries, have analyzed and explained the novel from multiple perspectives and themes such as Gauguin prototype, theme of looking for the true self , theme of spiritual salvation and theme of freedom and etc, which greatly deepened the readers’ understanding of the novel。 However, there is still much room for interpretation in the study of the conflict between ideal and reality, and it is worth further analysis and discussion。  Based on the analysis of the conflict between the protagonist Strickland’s pursuit of the artistic ideal and the realistic condition that he had to face, this thesis aims to explore the conflict between spirit and matter, the ideal and the reality, and the relationship between soul and body reflected in the novel。 Furthermore, this thesis will focus on the interpretation of the expression of the conflict between ideal and reality--Strickland’s mad pursuit of the artistic ideal and the sober awareness of reality。 In addition, the process of Strickland’s unveiling the facade of secular reality is, in a sense, a crazy and spiritual trek。 

3。 The Reality Condition of the Protagonist in The Moon and Sixpence

The mediocre Strickland, following his father’s advice, in order to good life, gives up the love of painting when he was young, instead of learning to do business, and gradually becomes an outstanding securities broker。 He is in the middle class, having a good and decent income and a happy family which his wife loved him very much and his children having good looks and excellent learning。 But he is infatuated with painting, like “possessed by the devil”, suddenly runs away from home, and goes to Paris to pursue his ideal of painting。

3。1 The material demand of the protagonist

Strickland does not value the enjoyment of material, and he only needs to meet the most basic conditions for survival。 But to live, he needs money, and he needs money to buy brushes and pigment。 He needs money to buy bread and to pay his rent。 When he is poor in the streets of Paris, he also accepts others’ relief, and also borrows money from others。 “When he is sick, lonely and helpless, he also needs others’ care and help。 So even if sixpence is humble, for a living, he still needs”(Wang 18-23)。 But the poverty of entanglement and the torture of the disease, does not stop his pursuit of the ideal。