Rain

Maugham uses rain as a recurring motif—does it serve more as a backdrop or a reflection of the characters' emotional states? I wonder what inspired this choice.

The story's conclusion left me pondering whether there's true redemption after disillusionment. How did others interpret the final moments?

The characters seem powerless against life's randomness—I'm curious whether this was a personal belief of the author or a reflection of the era's worldview.