Summary 11

The Moon and Sixpence

(by W Somerset Maugham)

Captain Nichols describes to Crabbe how he met Strickland. In Marseilles, Nichols first sees Strickland at a homeless shelter, where both men are staying for the week. Later, Nichols runs into him again and takes him to a soup kitchen for breakfast. The two vagabonds get odd jobs when they can, but often go hungry. When they are lucky they can spend the night in abandoned or parked vehicles. After several months they start staying at the home of Tough Bill. He is an old sailor, who books sailors jobs on ships coming through, in exchange for their first paycheck. Tough Bill gives Strickland traveling papers so he can leave the country. Nichols describes the South Sea islands to Strickland, who decides that this is the route to the painting paradise he has been seeking. Unfortunately, the next few voyages to come through are bound in the opposite direction.