Maugham relies on his customary device of the narrator who has some contact with the primary character(s) of the story but who also depends on the revelations of others who knew or at least met the central person(s). In the case of The Moon and Sixpence, this strategy works very well. As the narrator tells what he knows or has heard, the reader gets a sense of reality, especially since the narrator is quick to say that he does not know everything, as one would not in real life.

He does not claim to understand Strickland fully nor to grasp the essential genius of his work, except to say that it has a primitive quality that cannot fail to impress the viewer.

This point of view is perfect for such a novel, one based on the life and legend of a world-renowned artist. The omniscient point...