Share your impressions of the book you read and discussed in class during the term.

William Somerset Maugham is one of the best known English writers of the 20th century. He wasn’t only a novelist, but also a one of the most successful dramatist and short-story writers. Realistic portrayal of life, keen character observation, and interesting plots coupled with beautiful, expressive language, simple and lucid style place Maugham on a level with the greatest English writers of the 20th century. As I read his story “Red”, I want to share my impressions of this story.

The story is told about a skipper who sailed on the schooner into the lagoon to transfer goods. On the shore he met Neilson, who invited him to the bungalow. No one knew very much about him, although he had been in the islands for so many years, but those who knew him agreed that he was queer. He was a Swede. He came out to the islands for his health. His lungs were bad and doctor said he hadn't a year to live. Neilson told the story of Red and Sally. They called him Red on account of his flaming hair and he was made like a Greek god, broad in the shoulders and thin in the flanks. One day he landed at that cove . He was an American sailor, and he had descried from a man-of-war in Apia. He thought he would be safe in this secluded nook till his ship had sailed from Samoa. He met Sally, a very beautiful girl with long black hair. The girl had lost all her near kin and she lived now in the house of distant cousins.And these two young things, she was sixteen and he was twenty, fell in lovewith one another at first sight. They settled down in the empty hut that stood there. One day one of the natives from the cove told them that some way down the coast al the anchorage was a British whaling-ship. Red decided to make a trade of some fruits for tobacco. The captain when Red came aboard had asked him to sign on; on his refusal he had made him drunk and kidnapped him. Two lovers were separated and Sally was very sad and never give hope of seeing Red again. She was forced to marry to Neilson, who madly love her for years. But she didn’t like Neilson, she only love her lover who has gone forever. For many years now they had lived together bound by the ties of habit and convenience. She was an old woman and if he had no love for her any more he had tolerance. She left him alone. He was contented with his piano and his books. At the end of the story the skipper admits that he is Red. And when Sally came they do not know each other. History ending with the fact that at dinner, Nelson says that his brother was terminally ill and he had to leave.

Give character sketches of the book you read and discussed in class during the term.

Recently I read a story “Red” written by Somerset Maugham, which tells the story of a couple in love. The main characters of the story are Neilson, Red and Sally.Neilson had been in the islands for so many years, but those who knew him agreed that he was queer. He was a Swede. He came out to the islands for his health. His lungs were bad and doctor said he hadn't a year to live. Neilson told the story of Red and Sally. People called him Red on account of his flaming hair. It had a natural wave. He was tall, six feet and he was made like a Greek god, broad in the shoulders and thin in the flanks; he was like Apollo and that suave, feminine grace which has in it something troubling and mysterious. His skin was dazzling while, milky, like satin; his skin was like a woman`s. And his face was just as beautiful as his body. He had large blue eyes, very dark. His features were perfectly regular and his mouth was like a scarlet wound. He was twenty. He was an American sailor, and he had descried from a man-of-war in Apia. He thought he would be safe in this secluded nook till his ship had sailed from Samoa. He met Sally. She was rather tall, slim, with the delicate features of her race, and large eyes like pools of still water under the palm trees; her hair, black and curling, fell down her back, and she wore a wreath of scented flowers. Her hands were lovely. They were so small, so exquisitely formed, they gave your heart-strings a wrench. And in those days she laughed easily. Her smile was so delightful that it made your knees shake. Her skin was like a field of ripe corn on a summer day. She was sixteen. The girl had lost all her near kin and she lived now in the house of distant cousins. And these two young things, she was sixteen and he was twenty, fell in love with one another at first sight.