Inasmuch as so much emphasis is placed on Rosie Gann/Driffield/Kemp, some thought might be given to the true moral worth of this leading character. She does, after all, in addition to her sexual liberality, run off with two men (in one case, leaving her husband), both of whom are deep in debt and are escaping their creditors. Could such an action be excused? Is Maugham treating this aspect of Rosie's behavior too lightly? Does the novel suffer because of this authorial generosity?

Also, the whole matter of the literary world (essentially that of London) shown by Maugham might be viewed as both unnecessary and distracting. Can reasons be found to support the view that these passages advance the plot, help to develop an important theme, or the like?

Further, do Maugham's asides on writers, authorship, and other related topics mar the effect of the...