3. Reasons of Philip’s Compromise with Life 

3.1 Physiological Defect and Emotional Vacancy

“If, from any case, you are afraid to look life in the face, you had better leave Mr. Maugham alone and turn for solace to some of the thousand-and –one novels that concern themselves with the improbable romances of ideal men and women who have little or no footing at all on the earth we know; but if you prefer that your fiction should reflect the truth and, by opening magic casements on the world as it is, enlarge your knowledge of and sympathy with actual humanity—then Mr. Maugham is a novelist who will count with you.”(Curtis and Whitehead, 2013:34-35) The main character Philip was born with a clubfoot, which made him uncommon in the common world, catching eyes of people everywhere. However, this deformity, which should have engendered sympathy and solicitude, resulted in his deformity in mentality and defect in personality: sensitivity, shyness, precocity, diffidence and craving for love. As much as he was raised in a Christian family by an uncle, the Vicar, and an aunt who devoted no less than him husband did, Philip had been scarily truly cared and loved since the couple had no child of their own. His uncle inculcated him with Christian dogmas and homilies in order to let him take Holy Orders when Philip grew up. He also sent Philip to a boarding school, where Philip was faced with derision and humiliation. When one night discussing the matter of faith, the Vicar told Philip that if he had really believed in God, he could move the mountain. Philip made no doubt have the statement. Instead of moving a mountain, he only beseeched God to make his clubfoot whole. “He prayed with all the power of his soul. No doubts assailed him. He was confidence in the world of God. The idea came to him that he must do something unusual to attract the attention of God, and he returned back the rug which was in front of his bed, so that he could kneel on the boards; and then it struck him that his nightshirt was a softness that might displease his maker, so he could took it off and said his prayers naked.”(Maugham, 2006:55) All these were done in a bitterly cold night. To his disappointment, God did not response to his allegiance. Thereafter, he moved on with a belief that no one ever had faith enough; his eagerness for being normal was disillusioned.