The Painted Veil

To what extent do you find Walter a sympathetic character? Does Maugham imply that Kitty’s view of him is negatively biased and limited?

Describe the difference between how Maugham portrays white and Chinese characters. In what ways does Maugham’s portrayal of the Chinese characters reflect his perspective as a white British man?

Discuss the tension between the material and the spiritual in the novel. To what extent does Kitty forsake the material realm for the spiritual?

How does Maugham show Kitty to be a product of her upbringing? To what extent does this make you understand and empathize with her character?

How would you describe the white characters’ relationship to England? How does Maugham show that they are fish out of water in colonial China?

What bearing does the novel’s title have on its narrative? Do you think that Maugham shares Shelley’s perspective that lifting the painted veil is futile?

Reread the final chapter. What does the ending tell us about Kitty’s character development, and to what extent do you think it is a fitting conclusion to the lessons she has learned?

How does the novel portray the tension between character and personality? To what extent does it show that having a good character is more important than having a charismatic personality?