Love
The main protagonist, Neilson, is madly in love with his wife, Sally, but she continues to pine for her lover, Red. This acts as a source of discontent in their marriage, as she is unable to bring herself to love her husband. The unrequited love between the two is bittersweet to their marriage and suggests that not all marriages are based on a foundation of love.
Depression
Sally and Red were lovers who’s fairy-tale was ripped apart when Red was kidnapped. She was unable to cope with her feelings, spiraling into depression and consuming herself in her own loneliness. Despite Neilson’s attempts to love and care for her, she rejects them, and continues to pine for her lost love.
Intellect
Like many of Maugham’s book characters, Neilson is an intellectual, an identity which puts him at odds with his community. Whilst Red embodies a more typical man of the time, masculine laborer, Neilson prefers to seek his solace in books, stating that “they do no harm”, as though it is bad to be educated.
