Individual Reading №1

Chapters 1-10

This novel is written from the point of view of the narrator, who told us about the artist Charles Strickland. The former had a chance to know his person with great talent and he shared his memorials with readers. Mr. Strickland would have been unknown if Maurice Huret had not written the article about him. After it he became famous and debated, his works seemed extravagant, his reputation was established by critics. The narrator faced him at the first time in the Stricklands’ house and he did not impress him: the man seemed boring, ordinary and no art-oriented. But his wife was his opposition; the woman was interested in art and in people connecting with the world of art. The narrator spent several lunches and dinners in the Stricklands’ house and found out that the family was typically one where the members of it love and respect each other. Except the parents there were the sixteen-year old son and the fourteen-year old daughter. No one could suppose that some changes were going to happen in thethis family.

The last time the narrator saw the Stricklands they were going to holiday and he promised to visit them in autumn because he left London as well. The day of next visiting was full of information which the narrator did not expect to get. It was nonsense that Mr. Strickland left the family and moved to Paris. His wife received the letter which informed about his decision. The woman was in grief and only wanted to return him. The narrator was asked to go to Paris and meet with her husband. He did not like the idea but could not refuse and promised to do his best.