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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 5 page essay that discusses Somerset Maughan's short story "An Official Position." The writer argues that this story is a study in detailed characterization. In this narrative, Maugham paints a word picture of an individual, Louis Remire, a former French policeman who is now serving a twelve-year sentence for murdering his wife. While Remire is a cold-blooded psychopath, totally without morals, human compassion or empathy, he sees himself as a proper "official" of the state, carrying out his office as prison executioner with diligence. Maughan's complex psychological analysis tells Remire's story from the protagonist's point of view; however, Maughan expertly weaves in details throughout the narrative that illuminate Remire's true nature. No additional sources cited. No Bibliography is provided.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khsmau.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
French policeman who is now serving a twelve-year sentence for murdering his wife. While Remire is a cold-blooded psychopath, totally without morals, human compassion or empathy, he sees himself as
a proper "official" of the state, carrying out his office as prison executioner with diligence. Maughans complex psychological analysis tells Remires story from the protagonists point of view; however, Maughan
expertly weaves in details throughout the narrative that illuminate Remires true nature. Maughan begins by giving a precise and detailed physical description of this 50-year-old man in the peak of
good health. As this suggests, from the beginning of the narrative, Maugham suggests that there is nothing in Remires appearance or general demeanor -- he is a "jovial" fellow--
that would indicate a killer. Therefore, it comes as minor shock when Maughan writes that this pleasant fellow is named "Louis Remire, and his number 687763" (219). Remires good
health is a result of the privileges he engenders from being the prison executioner. He gets considerable freedom and his own house, which is surrounded by a small garden where
he grows fruit and vegetables. As Maughan catalogs Remires privileges, such as being able to wear his own clothes and sport a moustache, his "badge of office" (219), he also
makes it clear that the house is not a privilege, as a necessity. This is because if Remire lived in the camp, the other prisoners would kill him. As
Maughan follows Remire through the course of his day, the reader gets to know the nature of this man. While he is constantly described as "jovial" and smiling "good-naturedly," but
it also becomes clear that Remire is callous and unfeeling about the job for which he bears so much pride. Remire contemplates the problem of keeping an assistant. "The last
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