A FRIEND IN NEED

By William Somerset Maugham

Maugham, William Somerset is an English writer ,best known by his shortstories.

Maugham`s skill is depicting scenes and characters with few touches is amazing and
whether he means it or not his novels ,stories and plays reveal the vanity, hypocrisy and
brutality of the contemporary society .So does the story a “Friend in need”.

In his short story a "Friend in need, Maugham is relating about a

conversation with his friend Burton, in which Burton speaks about his acquaintance and
namesake who came to his once to ask for a job. His namesake used to play cards, spend
money, drink a lot and was wild but at the same time he was a good chap .When he had
no more money, he came to Burton searching for a job. Firstly he is refused but then ,the
author is narrating how the other Burton explained he was in need ,he lost all he had ,he
had nowhere to live and he would commit a suicide if he couldn`t get a job . Being asked
what he could do except playing cards, he answered, he could swim and he was a good
swimmer at university.

The author relate show Burton had an idea to make a proposal to his namesake, he said
– he would give him a job if he`d swim a din cult three miles portion. After a short
hesitation, the proposal is accepted and Burton`s namesake left to swim. However, he
never turned back .at the end of the story the author asked Burton if he knew that his
namesake would be drowned. He answered that he hadn`t got a vacancy in his once that
time.

The story begins with a description of young Burton as a card playing and unserious
person .The action takes place in old Burton`s once ,the narrator is also in his once
when old Burton shared this story .Some events unfolded in Burton`s once but the rest
of events happened at the Shioya Club. The actions happened during one day. Probably
it was a day in the summer, it seems to be 0uly or august, 12Th century.

The rising action is the moment when young Burton asked for a job andmoment of com
plication is when old Burton refused to give him a job, external con3ict man vs. man.
Another moment of complication is when they started the negotiation forgetting a job ,
external conflict man vs. man .The internal conflict is moment of young Burton`s
hesitation ,desire to commit suicide. The external conflict is the moment of young
and old Burton`s deal.

The climax of the story is the moment when they found the solution, which was that
young Burton will have to swim and they shook their hands; the conflict was when the
young Burton never turned up.