‘Moon or no moon’ is part of a famous comment made by Somerset Maugham in The Lotus Eater. He said these words while talking to the hero, Thomas Wilson, of the short story.
According to the storyline, Maugham went to Anacapri, Italy, to cherish the mesmerizing natural beauty, constantly breathing in the ambiance of that place. But he was not alone there to enjoy that enchanting charm. The author received the accompanying of the actual lotus eater, Thomas Wilson, in the story. They appeared gently interacting with each other on topics mainly related to the hero’s life in the story.
Maugham and Wilson appeared sitting in a small garden that provided a soothing atmosphere under a great vine, specifically laden with grapes. They chatted idly and passed their time lazily in a mild breeze afternoon. The comment “Moon or no moon” occurred during that leisurely chat.
During their gossiping, Wilson said that they could enjoy the time with drinking and smoking for some time before they prepared to walk in the moonlight. In a word, the story’s hero desired to make their talking more enjoyable instead of sitting merely under the mood of indolence. In reply, the author commented that he entirely agreed with him.
The author asserted that at Anacapri, they always had adequate time to gossip, drink, and enjoy the beauty of nature, no matter when the moon might rise or set. By saying, “Moon or no moon,” Maugham confirmed that no specific time was necessary to interact and relish the desired moments.
Notably, the storyline in The Lotus Eater unveils the original reason why people like Wilson ultimately chose to abandon the financially secure life. It also reveals why life at Anacapri always attracts its visitors. The description of the place and the living style in the short story show life is truly delightful at Capri.
People here have enough time to spend in leisure. The place symbolizes that life here always remains burden-free, and the inhabitants remain engaged in a delightful mood. They remain free from the pressure of drudgery. Even they never feel any hurry to earn their bread and butter. Moreover, readers can feel that the inhabitants often have enough financial resources to spend their daily lives in happiness. And the entire ambiance of life becomes a center of attention for its natural beauty. The Sun, the moon, the sky, and everything else appear with splendid elegance, charm, and allure.
According to Maugham’s words, the people of this place were fortunate because they got the chance to live in the aroma of all-time happiness. When other parts of the world jostled to earn bread and butter for survival, people here got to spend lazy time in an utterly indolent manner.
“Moon or no moon” also indicates that nothing can hamper the enjoyment of the people living in the tranquility of the place. Inhabitants don’t face the pressure to attend any business. They never feel the demand to become hurried to perform any extra activity for any particular work.
Life here is beautiful. People can enjoy the day and nighttime with the same amount of enthusiasm. The Sun looks beautiful in the day, the moon appears mesmerizing in the evening, and the sky becomes appealing all the time. In addition, the captivating picturesque and broad views of the place always remain appealing. According to the author’s words, this attractive feature is the strongest diversion of Anacapri.
The Lotus Eater is one of the few masterpieces that shows the elegance of writing artistry. Also, Somerset Maugham is one of the very few authors who had the potential to conceive and present the most appealing storylines. Moreover, “Moon or no moon” is one of the engaging sayings that displays how a writer can produce himself in the story as a direct narrator of the storyline.
Here, the comment “Moon or no moon,” on the one hand, describes that no time frame is necessary to enjoy life if survival makes happiness an inseparable friend forever. On the other hand, it signifies that a burden-free life is a leisurely, lazy journey that provides plenty of time to relish the most tasteful flavor of living.
One significant thing is that Maugham’s comment as a reply to Wilson looks like an essential complement to human life at Capri for offering the desired leisure and ease that it always offers its inhabitants. Some experts also opine that one can also read Maugham’s remark as an apology for having indolence and simultaneously the delight it affords. Some critics find the tone of Tennyson’s The Lotos-Eaters in this mentioned sense of pleasure and joy.
Not enough instances are present to show that a comment in a short story can be an essential signature line in the storyline. Somerset Maugham is one of the rarest examples among English authors who has proved his mastery of this art.
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Why, As Author Maugham Pens, Human Life Is Like Tram Cars in The Lotus Eater!